Scandinavian: Marshall, 4.c4 Nb6 line

Scandinavian Defense

Definition

The Scandinavian Defense is a semi-open defense to the King’s Pawn Opening that begins 1. e4 d5. By immediately challenging the e-pawn, Black seeks rapid piece development and an unbalanced pawn structure at the cost of moving the queen or knight early.

Typical Move Orders

• Main line: 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5
• Modern (or Portuguese) Variation: 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6
• Marshall Variation (focus of this entry): 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Nxd5 4. c4

Strategic Themes

• Early central tension: Black seeks to provoke weaknesses in White’s centre.
• Piece activity versus structural concessions: Black accepts positional risks (e.g., queen exposure or a knight retreat) in return for active pieces.
• Flexibility: Depending on White’s replies, the game can resemble Queen’s Gambit structures, King’s Indian set-ups, or even French-type positions.

Historical Notes

The Scandinavian was analyzed in the 15^th century by Lucena, making it one of the oldest recorded openings. Its modern revival is largely due to grandmasters such as Bent Larsen and, later, Sergey Tiviakov, who used it successfully in elite events.

Example Miniature

Blumenfeld – Alekhine, Mannheim 1914 (simplified)

Interesting Facts

• Magnus Carlsen adopted the Scandinavian in rapid and blitz games, notably defeating Vachier-Lagrave (São Paulo–Bilbao Masters, 2012).
• The name “Scandinavian” stems from its popularity among Nordic players in the 19^th century.

Marshall Variation in the Scandinavian Defense

Definition

The Marshall Variation arises after 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Nxd5 4. c4, in which White advances the c-pawn to buttress the d-pawn and gain space. It is named after American grandmaster Frank J. Marshall (1877–1944), who championed the line in the early 20^th century.

Key Ideas for Each Side

• White
  • Grab space with pawns on d4 and c4.
  • Develop pieces naturally: Nf3, Nc3, Be2/Bd3, 0-0.
  • Aim for e4–e5 breaks or c4-c5 to gain further space.
• Black
  • Choose between the immediate 4…Nb6 (most common) or 4…Nf6 (sharper).
  • Counterattack the centre with …e5, …c5, or a fianchetto setup (…g6, …Bg7).
  • Exploit potential over-extension of White’s pawns.

Historical Significance

Marshall’s experimentation coincided with his broader philosophy of dynamic, tactical chess. Although not as fashionable as the Qd8–d5 Scandinavian lines, the Marshall Variation attracted interest from creative players such as Bent Larsen, Tony Miles, and Alexei Shirov.

Model Game

Bent Larsen – Tony Miles, Tilburg 1984. Miles used the Marshall Variation to neutralize Larsen’s initiative and ultimately won after a long manoeuvring middlegame.

Trivia

• If Black plays 4…Nb6 and later …e5, the resulting pawn structure often mirrors the Grünfeld Defence with colours reversed.
• The move 4. c4 is one of the very few instances in classical theory where White offers no immediate piece development, preferring pure spatial gain.

Specific Line: 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7

Definition

This move sequence is a modern branch of the Marshall Variation. After the standard Scandinavian moves, Black retreats the knight to b6, fianchettos the king’s bishop, and castles quickly. The full position after 6…Bg7 is reached by:

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Nxd5 4. c4 Nb6 5. Nf3 g6 6. Nc3 Bg7

Strategic Overview

• Black’s Plan
  • Prepare …0-0 and challenge the centre with …Nc6 and …e5 or …c5.
  • The fianchettoed bishop exerts long-range pressure on d4 and the light squares.
  • Maintain the knight on b6 to attack c4 and support …c5 breaks.
• White’s Plan
  • Complete development with Be2, 0-0, Be3, and possibly Qd2.
  • Choose between a kingside pawn storm (h2-h4-h5) or central expansion with d4-d5.
  • Exploit the temporary awkwardness of Black’s b6-knight by pushing c5.

Typical Continuations

1. 7. Be2 0-0 8. 0-0 Nc6 9. Be3 Bg4 – Black pins the knight and eyes the d4-pawn.
2. 7. c5 Nd5 8. Bc4 Be6 – White gains space; Black reroutes the knight.

Example Game

Gelfand – Nisipeanu, European Team Championship 2005.

Interesting Facts

• With the setup …g6, …Bg7, and …0-0, Black sometimes transposes into a reversed King’s Indian Defence where the usual “bad French bishop” becomes a strong fianchetto piece.
• Grandmaster Alexei Shirov used this exact structure in rapid games to surprise opponents expecting the more popular 6…Bg4 or 6…Nc6 lines.
• The b6-knight can later swing to d7 and f8, echoing manoeuvres from the Chigorin Defence to the Queen’s Gambit.