Scotch Game: Schmidt Variation

The Schmidt Variation is 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6, a main line of the Scotch Game. Black develops the knight and attacks e4 instead of playing 4...Bc5, the Classical Variation. It was first recorded in an article by Eugen von Schmidt in the January 1865 issue of the Schachzeitung.

Main lines

Play usually continues 5.Nxc6 bxc6; 5...dxc6 allows 6.Qxd8+ Kxd8. The only notable alternative for White is 5.Nc3, which transposes to the Scotch Variation of the Four Knights Game.

After 5.Nxc6 bxc6 White chooses how to deal with the attack on e4:

• 6.e5, the Mieses Variation, is the most common move (see below).
• 6.Bd3, defending the pawn, was Schmidt's own recommendation and is still the second most common move. It most often continues 6...d5, followed by 7.exd5 cxd5 8.O-O Be7 or 7.e5 Ng4 8.O-O Bc5.
• 6.Nd2, the Tartakower Variation, and 6.Qe2, a modern try, are other ways to defend the pawn.

The Mieses Variation

6.e5 is a sharp line, and Garry Kasparov has played it often. The main line is 6...Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4, when Black has 8...Nb6 and 8...Ba6. The quieter 6...Ne4 and 6...Nd5 avoid the forcing lines. The name comes from Jacques Mieses, who used the line repeatedly at Hastings 1895, including a first-round win over Joseph Henry Blackburne.

The numbers

On Lichess Black wins 47.5% of the 3.8 million games and White 46.6%. Black is ahead under 1400, 48.7% against 46.9%, while from 2200 up White leads 46.1% to 44.8%. In 8,802 master games over the board 51.7% were drawn, White won 26.3% and Black 21.9%.