Caissa Codex
C45

Scotch Game: Rosenthal Variation

Chess diagram: Scotch Game: Rosenthal Variation after 9…Qg6

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Statistics from Lichess

37 games: White 62.2% / Draw 2.7% / Black 35.1%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
2626
66
33
11
11

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 1, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.38 White is slightly better

Best play: 10. Bd3 Qh6 11. c4 d6 12. Re1 Nf6 13. Ne4 Bd7 14. c5 d5

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

Overview

Scotch Game: Rosenthal 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 Qh4 5. Nb5 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Qxe4+ 7. Be2 Kd8 8. O-O Bxd2 9. Nxd2 Qg6 (9 moves).

In 37 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 62.2%, Black 35.1% and 2.7% were drawn. White's most played move here is 10. Bd3, in 70% of those games. That is too few games for the percentages to mean much.

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Other lines from the same position

Instead of 6…Qxe4+ 7. Be2 Kd8 8. O-O Bxd2 9. Nxd2 Qg6, the position after Scotch Game also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Scotch Game: Rosenthal Variation (C45)”. Lichess data as of 1 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/scotch-game-rosenthal-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/scotch-game-rosenthal-variation