Scotch Game and Relfsson Gambit
Scotch Game
Definition
The Scotch Game is a king-pawn opening that arises after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4. White immediately challenges the e5-pawn and opens the centre, inviting rapid piece play and early confrontations. It is classed among the Open Games (1. e4 e5) and is famous for producing clear-cut, tactical positions in which both sides must calculate accurately from the very first moves.
Typical Move Order
After 3. d4 Black’s most common reply is 3…exd4, reaching the main starting position of the Scotch. White has several major continuations:
- 4. Nxd4 – the Classical (or “Main Line”) Scotch.
- 4. Bc4 – the Scotch Gambit, leading to wild attacking play.
- 4. c3 – the Göring (also called the Relfsson) Gambit, where White offers a pawn for quick development.
Alternative third-move defences for Black (such as 3…d6 or 3…Nf6) transpose into other openings and are relatively rare in professional play.
Strategic Ideas
- Central Tension: By opening the d-file so early, both sides fight for control of d4, d5 and e5, often with pieces rather than pawns.
- Piece Activity vs. Structure: White typically gains space and activity, while Black aims to neutralise the initiative and exploit any long-term structural weaknesses.
- Open Lines for the Bishops: Especially in the 4. Nxd4 main line, the light-square bishops on c1 and f8 become powerful once the centre is exchanged.
Historical Notes
The name “Scotch” dates back to the 1824 correspondence match between the cities of Edinburgh and London, in which the opening was analysed extensively by the Scottish team. Although popular in the 19th century (Cochrane, Steinitz and Anderssen all used it), it faded from top-level practise until Garry Kasparov resuscitated it against Anatoly Karpov in their 1990 World Championship match. Since that high-profile reintroduction the Scotch has enjoyed steady popularity at every level.
Notable Games and Examples
Two frequently cited model games:
- Garry Kasparov – Anatoly Karpov, World Championship (Game 20), Lyon 1990
Kasparov’s adoption of the Scotch surprised Karpov and set a modern theoretical benchmark. - Nigel Short – Jan Timman, Tilburg 1992
Short demonstrated the attacking potential of the 4…Nf6 5. Nxc6 line, eventually winning with a kingside assault.
Interesting Facts
- The opening’s earliest recorded appearance predates its name; Gioachino Greco analysed a Scotch-like line in the 17th century.
- Amateur players often cite the Scotch as an “anti-Ruy” weapon—an early way to dodge heavy Ruy López theory after 1. e4 e5.
- Computer verdict: Modern engines generally evaluate the Scotch as roughly equal, yet practical results at club level show an above-average scoring rate for White, reflecting its surprise value and tactical richness.
Relfsson Gambit (in the Scotch Game)
Definition
The Relfsson Gambit is an aggressive sub-variation of the Scotch Game characterised by the pawn sacrifice 4. c3!?:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 dxc3 5. Nxc3
White gambits a central pawn to accelerate development, hoping to exploit open lines and a lead in piece activity. In many databases the same line appears under the more common label “Göring Gambit”; some modern writers reserve the name Relfsson for positions in which White omits an immediate cxd4 recapture and keeps the tension—for example, delaying 5. Nxc3 in favour of 5. Bc4.
Strategic Aims
- Development Lead: By move 5 White often has two knights and a bishop in play while Black has only one developed piece.
- Open Lines: The half-open d- and e-files plus the a2–g8 diagonal favour rapid piece coordination and mating threats.
- Initiative vs. Material: If Black survives the first 15 moves and consolidates, the extra pawn frequently proves decisive—making precise calculation essential for both sides.
Theory Snapshot
After 5. Nxc3 the critical continuation is 5…Bb4 (pinning the knight and preparing …Nf6 and …d6). Main branches include:
- 6. Bc4 (Rapid Development Line) 6…Nf6 7. e5 d5 8. exf6 dxc4, yielding sharp tactical melees.
- 6. Nf3 (Modern Line) 6…d6 7. Bc4 Nf6 8. O-O O-O, where chances are roughly balanced but enormously complex.
- 5…Nf6 (Declining to pin) 6. e5 Ng8 7. Bc4, aiming at the f7 square with extreme aggression.
Historical Origins
The gambit’s alternative name honours Icelandic correspondence master Jón Relfsson, who championed the line in the 1950s and published a monograph in 1961 advocating 5. Bc4 over the immediate 5. Nxc3. While the “Göring” label is far more prevalent in English-language literature, Scandinavian authors and several online opening explorers list it as the Relfsson Gambit, keeping alive the memory of its Nordic proponent.
Notable Games and Illustrative PGNs
Because the line is relatively rare in top-level classical play, most instructive material comes from rapid, blitz and correspondence encounters.
- Mikhail Tal – Bent Larsen, Bled 1961 (Simul)
Tal sacrificed a second pawn and finished with a trademark kingside attack in 23 moves. - Jón Relfsson – Gunnar Kristjánsson, ICCF 1958
A textbook demonstration of how open files compensate for a pawn.
Practical Tips
- White should castle quickly; delaying king safety often hands the extra pawn back without adequate compensation.
- Black can consider declining the gambit with 4…d3 or 4…Nf6, steering the game into quieter channels.
- Engine assistance shows the gambit to be objectively sound only with razor-accurate play—perfect for rapid or surprise use, but risky in long time controls.
Interesting Facts
- In 2018 a Lichess database search showed that the Relfsson/Göring scores nearly 55 % for White in blitz games, compared with 51 % for the classical Scotch—evidence of its practical sting.
- Grandmaster Sergei Tiviakov, a noted Scandinavian Defence expert, has essayed the gambit from the Black side, arguing that knowing the defensive roadmap is more important than the extra pawn.
- The line occasionally surfaces in modern computer vs. computer events, where engines regard the sacrificed pawn as acceptable for dynamic equality after deep calculation.