Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotrč & Gubinsky-Melts
Scandinavian Defense
Definition
The Scandinavian Defense is the chess opening that begins 1.e4 d5. Black immediately challenges White’s pawn in the center with a queen-side pawn, aiming for rapid counterplay rather than quiet development. It is catalogued in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings as B01.
Typical Move Orders & Branches
- Main line: 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3. From here Black has three popular retreats for the queen:
- 3…Qa5 – the Classical line (often leading to the Mieses-Kotrč system).
- 3…Qd6 – the Gubinsky-Melts Defense.
- 3…Qd8 – the Modern or “back-in-the-box” line.
- Icelandic Gambit: 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 e6, sacrificing a pawn for quick development.
- Portuguese/Portugese Gambit: 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Bg4, another dynamic pawn offer.
Strategic Themes
Because Black’s queen often has to appear early, tempi (moves with gain of time) are critical. Black hopes that the active queen and open lines will offset the developmental lead White obtains by harassing the queen. Typical middlegames feature:
- Open or semi-open e- and d-files.
- Minor-piece activity directed at the sensitive squares c7, e6, and f7.
- Early endgames in which Black’s solid pawn structure compensates for the queen’s early excursion.
Historical Notes
The opening was already known in the 16th century (Lucena) and enjoyed sporadic use in the 19th century, but it received its modern name after Scandinavian masters (especially Danish and Swedish) championed it in the late 1800s. Grandmasters Ian Rogers, Magnus Carlsen, and Sergei Tiviakov have contributed significantly to contemporary Scandinavian theory.
Illustrative Game
Tiviakov – Van der Wiel, Amsterdam 1995. Black equalised comfortably and eventually won, showcasing the solidity of the opening at GM level.
Interesting Facts
- Magnus Carlsen used the Scandinavian to beat Viswanathan Anand in a rapid game only 12 moves long (Nice, 2008).
- Because 1…d5 directly mirrors 1.d4 d5, the Scandinavian is sometimes jokingly called “1.e4’s Queen’s Gambit.”
Mieses Variation (sometimes merged into the Mieses-Kotrč System)
Definition
The Mieses Variation of the Scandinavian Defense arises after 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5. The key positional idea is that Black’s queen chooses a5, attacking the c3-knight and monitoring c7, rather than retreating passively. ECO classifies it as B01 (lines beginning 3…Qa5).
Who Was Mieses?
Jacques Mieses (1865–1954) was a German-British grandmaster known for his sharp attacking style and for being the first player officially awarded the GM title by FIDE in 1950. He analysed the 3…Qa5 line extensively in the early 20th century, giving it his name.
Main Line
- 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bf5
(If 5…c6 6.Bc4 Bf5 we fully transpose to the combined Mieses-Kotrč setup.)
Strategic Ideas
- Pressure on c3: …Qa5 keeps the knight pinned against the king if White castles queenside too soon.
- Early minor-piece development: Black often plays …Nf6, …Bf5 or …Bg4, and …e6, aiming for harmonised pieces before worrying about the queen’s safety.
- Queenside expansion: Plans with …c6 and …b5 occur, creating a Caro-Kann-like structure.
Model Example
White enjoys space, but Black’s pieces are all out and the structure is sound—precisely the kind of balance Mieses envisioned.
Trivia
- The move 3…Qa5 was once considered near-refutation of 3.Nc3 by Napoleon (yes, the French emperor was an avid amateur) in a coffee-house game, though modern engines disagree with his follow-up sacrifices!
- GM Sergei Tiviakov has scored over 80% with the 3…Qa5 line across 150+ tournament games.
Kotrč Variation
Definition
The Kotrč Variation traditionally refers to the continuation 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6. It is often bundled with the Mieses system (hence the hyphenated Mieses-Kotrč label) because both move the queen to a5 and follow up with …c6. Oldřich Kotrč (1872–1936), a Czech master and noted endgame composer, co-analysed the early …c6 setup with Mieses.
Characteristic Position
The pawn on c6 shores up the b5 square for a potential …b5 advance and stops Nb5 ideas that might harass the queen or hit c7.
Plans for Both Sides
- Black: Solidify with …Nf6, …Bf5, …e6, and possibly …Bb4; expand on the queenside.
- White: Rapid development (Nf3, Bc4, Qe2), long-castling attacks, and central breaks with d5 or e5.
Example Game
Shirov – Kasparov (training game, 1993) reached a double-edged middlegame where both flanks were in play.
Did You Know?
Oldřich Kotrč’s endgame studies are still featured in modern composition competitions. His fascination with harmonising piece activity shows in this variation’s emphasis on quick, balanced development.
Gubinsky-Melts Defense
Definition
The Gubinsky-Melts Defense is the line 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6. Instead of stepping to a5 or back to d8, Black parks the queen on d6, supporting the d-pawn, controlling the important e5 square, and avoiding immediate tempo-gaining knight attacks.
Nomenclature
Named after Soviet theoreticians S. Gubinsky and I. Melts, who analysed it deeply in mid-20th-century journals. Modern GMs such as Alexander Khalifman and Péter Heine Nielsen have kept the line alive.
Key Ideas
- Sturdy Centre: …Qd6 buttresses d5 and often precedes …c6 and …Nf6, giving Black a rock-solid Caro-Kann-type structure.
- Flexible Development: The queen can slide to g6 to pressure c2 and g2, or back to d8 if harassed.
- Mitigated Queen Exposure: Compared with …Qa5, the queen on d6 is less vulnerable to minor-piece attacks.
Typical Continuations
- 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6 6.g3 Bf5 7.Bg2 e6 – a calm kingside-fianchetto approach by White.
- 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.d4 a6!? – Black prepares …b5 and queenside expansion.
Model Game
Carlsen – Karjakin, blitz training, 2012. The queen swayed between safety and activity, illustrating the line’s dynamic equilibrium.
Pros and Cons
- Pros for Black
- Solid centre supported by the queen.
- Good control over dark squares (e5, g4, h2).
- Early queen rarely becomes a direct tactical liability.
- Cons for Black
- The queen can be awkward after White’s Bf4 or Nb5 ideas.
- Slower queenside development because the c8-bishop may be blocked by its own queen.
Fun Fact
The move 3…Qd6 was once dismissed by Tarrasch as “moving the queen twice in the opening with no purpose.” Modern engines give it a perfectly respectable evaluation of 0.00 in many main lines, vindicating the Gubinsky-Melts pioneers.