Scandinavian: 2...Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.Bc4 Nf6
Scandinavian: 2...Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.Bc4 Nf6
Definition
This phrase denotes a specific and very popular branch of the Scandinavian Defence (also called the Center-Counter Defence) that begins: 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. Bc4 Nf6. It is sometimes catalogued as the “Main Line with 4.Bc4 and 4…Nf6” and appears in opening manuals under the ECO codes B01-B02.
How it is Used in Chess
After Black’s early queen recapture on d5, the move 3.Nc3 chases the queen. Black retreats the queen to a5—keeping pressure on c3 and pinning the knight against the king. White’s 4.Bc4 develops a piece with tempo (threatening 5.Bxf7+) and discourages 4…e6 because it would hang the d-pawn. Black answers 4…Nf6, consolidating the centre and preparing …c6 or …c5. The sequence sets the tone for a strategically rich middlegame in which:
- White usually plays d4, Nf3, 0-0, and seeks rapid development.
- Black aims for quick piece deployment (…c6, …Bf5 / …Bg4) and long-term pressure on the light squares.
Strategic Ideas
Key themes for each side:
- White
- Leads in development; can castle kingside before move 10.
- Targets f7 and d5 squares; often uses the c4-bishop to create tactical threats.
- Typical pawn centre with d4 and sometimes c3 to blunt the a5-queen.
- Black
- Maintains an extra central pawn for a short time; plans …c6 or …c5 to buttress d5.
- Places the light-squared bishop outside the pawn chain with …Bf5 or …Bg4.
- Looks for queenside castling to launch a pawn storm on the kingside, or stays flexible and castles short.
Historical Significance
The Scandinavian Defence is one of the oldest recorded openings, appearing in Nordic manuscripts as early as the 1500s. The modern treatment with 3…Qa5 surged after Danish GM Bent Larsen championed it in the 1960s. The exact line with 4.Bc4 Nf6 became mainstream in the 1990s when strong grandmasters such as Vlastimil Babula, Sergei Tiviakov, and later Magnus Carlsen adopted the Scandinavian as a surprise weapon. Tiviakov in particular built a formidable lifetime score with the line, once joking, “I’ve played it 100 times and never lost.”
Illustrative Game
A classic demonstration of Black’s resources:
Typical Plans After the Diagram Position (after 10…c6)
- White may play 11.Re1, 12.d4, and sacrifice the e-pawn for open lines.
- Black often answers with …Bd6 and …Nbd7, preparing long castling and a central break with …e5.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- The queen sortie to a5 looks risky but is statistically safer than 3…Qd6, which many amateurs fear less but professionals avoid more.
- GM Sergei Tiviakov once published an entire repertoire book where this single line (3…Qa5 4.Bc4 Nf6) accounted for half the pages—he argued it “covers 90 % of what White can do.”
- Magnus Carlsen used the Scandinavian—including this line—to score a quick 19-move win against Viswanathan Anand in a 2014 blitz game, joking afterward that “bringing the queen out early saves time on the clock.”
Common Traps
- 5.Nf3? Bc4 “Fork Trick”: after 5.Nf3? Bf5! Black imposes …e6 next and snuffs out White’s initiative.
- 6.Bxf7+? Kxf7 7.Ng5+ Qxg5—a well-known double-check trap that fails because the d8-queen covers g5.
Further Study
Players interested in mastering this variation should explore the games of Sergei Tiviakov (2002-2016), Vlastimil Babula (1995-2008), and Magnus Carlsen (especially blitz/rapid encounters). Modern engines suggest subtle improvements for both colours, but over-the-board the line remains fully playable and strategically double-edged.