C45

Scotch Game: Malaniuk Variation

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Statistics from Lichess

287,571 games: White 48.0% / Draw 5.5% / Black 46.6%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next move	Games	White / Draw / BlackW / D / B
	253,532254K
	20,68521K
	13,16113K
	114114
	5454
	2525

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.51 White is slightly better

Best play: 5. c3 Bc5 6. Be3 Bb6 7. Nf5 d5 8. Nxg7+ Kf8 9. Nh5 Qh4

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

By rating

The stronger the players, the better this line does for Black: Black scores 46% under 1400, 53% at 2200 and up and 46% in master games (wins plus half the draws).

Players	Games	White / Draw / BlackW / D / B
Under 1400	277K
1400–1799	268K
1800–2199	126K
2200 and up	36K
Masters, over the board	1,154

Master games

So, W. – Carlsen, M. 0–1, 2017
Nakamura, H. – Carlsen, M. 0–1, 2018
Wang, H. – Aronian, L. ½–½, 2013
Giri, A. – Nakamura, H. ½–½, 2021
Vachier Lagrave, M. – Kramnik, V. 0–1, 2013

Rated blitz, rapid and classical Lichess games by rating band, and over-the-board games of players rated 2200+ from the Lichess masters database, updated Sep 27, 2026

Overview

Scotch Game: Malaniuk Variation (ECO C45, Open Games) is a variation of the Scotch Game, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bb4+ (4 moves).

In 287,571 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.0%, Black 46.6% and 5.5% were drawn. White's most played move here is 5. c3, in 88% of those games.

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Description

How to play against the Scotch Game: Malaniuk Variation

5. Nc3 scores best for White: 51.8%, with White winning 48.9% and Black 45.4% of 21K games. The most played answer, 5. c3, scores lowest: 50.6% in 254K games. Stockfish's first choice is 5. c3.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Popularity by year

The Scotch Game: Malaniuk Variation has lost ground since 2016: 0.011% of Lichess games in 2025, down from 0.02%.

0.02%0.011%

Numbers by year

Year	Share of games	Games
2016	0.02%	7,124
2017	0.017%	9,469
2018	0.016%	12,518
2019	0.013%	16,762
2020	0.012%	35,345
2021	0.011%	43,425
2022	0.0098%	36,888
2023	0.0092%	34,553
2024	0.0098%	35,221
2025	0.011%	37,794
2026 (Jan–Apr)	0.011%	12,498

Share of rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500 (blitz, rapid and classical) that reach this position, by year; 2026: January to April. Which openings are rising and falling

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Scotch Game: Malaniuk Variation (C45)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/scotch-game-malaniuk-variation