The Scotch Game [C45]

by Abby Marshall
The topic for this month is White's alternative to 5.Be3 in the Scotch Game after Black plays 4...Bc5.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4
The Scotch Game.
4...Bc5

[FEN r1bqk1nr/pppp1ppp/2n5/2b5/3NP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 5]

I always played ...Nf6 against most anything 1.e4 e5: The Italian, the Ruy Lopez, and the Four Knights. This move
engages the pieces in the center right away. I preferred to maintain this tension.
5.Nxc6
This is the main focus for this month.
5.Be3 This is the main line, which we will be eschewing in favor of looking at the less popular alternatives. 5...Qf6 6.c3
Nge7 7.Bc4 0-0 Black will relocate the c6-knight to e5-g6. Maybe we will look at this in a future column.
5.Nf5 This move is not good. 5...d5 6.Nxg7+ Kf8 7.Nh5 Qh4 8.Ng3 Nf6 9.Be2 (9.exd5 Bg4 Now the e-file is open for
Black's rook.) 9...Be6 Black has such great development and open files that the king is fine on f8.
5.Nb3 This move seems innocuous enough, but White having the pawn in the center can cause Black trouble if Black
doesn't know what to do. 5...Bb6 6.Nc3 Nge7 After looking at a few things, this move seemed the best in response to a

not often played line. Black can't get into any trouble right away.


[FEN r1bqk2r/ppppnppp/1bn5/8/4P3/1NN5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 7]
A) 7.Qe2 White tries to castle queenside as quickly as possible. 7...0-0 8.Bg5 f6 9.Bd2 d6 10.0-0-0 Be6 11.Kb1 a5 I like
that Black immediately expands on the queenside to push back White's pieces. 12.f4 a4 13.Nc1 f5 Black played this
move in another game where White had castled queenside and then tried to push f4-f5. Since White is so behind in
development on the kingside, Black should be able to continue attacking. (13...a3 14.b3 d5!? This is fun for Black,

which targets the center, or Black can keep developing with 14...Qd7.) 14.g4 Nd4 15.Qg2 fxe4 16.f5 Bf7 17.f6
(17.Nxe4 This really worries me. Suddenly White has clear paths for all his pieces to come out and the e-file is weak.)
17...gxf6 18.Nxe4 Bg6 19.Bd3 d5 20.Ng3 Kh8 (20...a3 I'm not sure why Black never played this move. It weakens
White's king and Black can play ...c5. 21.b3 c5) 21.Nh5 Qd6 22.Rhf1 Bxh5 23.gxh5 Rg8 24.Qh3 Ndc6 25.Bc3 d4
26.Bc4 Nd5 27.Bxd5 Qxd5 28.Rxf6 Qg2 29.Qxg2 Rxg2 After a tough back and forth Black has good pieces and the
clear advantage. - Ni Hua (2662)-Ponomariov,R (2764)/Khanty-Mansiysk RUS 2011.
B) 7.Bg5
B1) This leads to similar positions. 7...f6 8.Bh4 d6 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 In this game White tried castling queenside,
while Black's set-up is the same. 10...Ng6 (10...Be6 This is better.) 11.Bg3 f5 12.h4 Nge5 13.Kb1 Be6 14.exf5 Rxf5

15.Ne4 h6 16.Qc3 Qf8 17.f3 Re8 18.Bf2 Bxf2 19.Nxf2 Rf4 20.Ne4 Qe7 After the questionable tenth and eleven moves
of this game, Black has regained control. The final result was a draw: - Sengupta,D (2548)-Kraemer,M (2506)/Biel
SUI 2012.
B2) 7...0-0 8.Qd2 f6 9.Bh4 a5 Again I like that Black plays this early. The pawn can be used to attack White on the
queenside and to attack the knight on b3. 10.Bb5 Ne5 We'll pick this up in the first illustrative game.
5...Qf6


[FEN r1b1k1nr/pppp1ppp/2N2q2/2b5/4P3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 6]
5...bxc6 This is also possible. 6.Bd3 Qh4 7.Qe2 Nf6 8.Be3 Bxe3 9.Qxe3 0-0 10.Nd2 Re8 The pin on the e-file makes it
possible to think about ...Nd5/f4. Black is a little better.
6.Qf3
Queen moves are the only good way to block the f2-checkmate. Moving the bishop to e3 leaves the b2-pawn hanging.
6.Qd2 This is the other main move. 6...dxc6 7.Nc3 Bd4 This comes up in the other variation with 6.Qf3. Black creates
pressure on the long diagonal. 8.Bd3 (8.Na4 a6!; 8.Bc4 Nh6 9.h3 This prevents ...Ng4. 9...Be6 10.Bxe6 fxe6 11.Nd1 00-0 Black is walking all over White. Next the h6-knight will relocate to f7-d6.) 8...Ne7 9.0-0 Ng6 10.Qe1 Ne5 11.Be2
0-0 (11...g5 This is actually more commonly played, but I like the simplicity of the lesser-played line.) 12.Kh1 White
gets ready to play pawn to f4. 12...Ng4 13.Bxg4 White could have moved the f-pawn, but that would have created more
weaknesses on the kingside. Black could also go 13...Ne3. 13...Bxg4 14.f3 Be6 15.Be3 (15.f4 Bc4 16.Rf3 Rad8 This is
very strong.) 15...Bxc3 16.bxc3 a5 Black is a little better because of the weak White queenside.
6.f4 This creates dark-squared weaknesses. 6...dxc6 7.Qf3 Qh4+ 8.g3 Bg4 9.Qg2 Qh5 Black is much better because of
the strong bishops and lack of White development.
6...bxc6
Black keeps the chance to play in the center and tosses the options to White.
6...Qxf3 7.gxf3 bxc6 8.Be3 was already seen in a number of games. This seems fine for Black, who often plays ...f5 to
attack the central e-pawn and stop White from playing f4-f5.
7.Qg3
White has a range of options.
7.Nc3 This will probably transpose, so we will look at when Black decides to play ...Qg6. 7...d6 8.Qg3 Qg6 (8...Ne7
This is essentially what transposes to 7.Qg3.) 9.Bd2 Rb8 10.Bd3 Bd4 This is even with chances for both sides to win.

White has the superior pawn structure, while Black has open e and b-files and an active bishop on d4.
7.Qxf6 Nxf6 8.Bd3 0-0 9.0-0 Re8 10.Nc3 d6 11.h3 Rb8 Black is a little better.
7.Nd2 d6 8.Nb3 Bb6 9.Qg3 Ne7 We will see where this goes in the second illustrative game.
7...Ne7


[FEN r1b1k2r/p1ppnppp/2p2q2/2b5/4P3/6Q1/PPP2PPP/RNB1KB1R w KQkq - 0 8]
7...h5 This is the popular move that tries to punish White's queen forays. 8.h4 Now playing f4 is harder for White
because the g4-square would be weak. 8...Nh6 9.f3 d5 10.Nc3 Bd4 11.Bd2 Rb8 Black targets the queenside.
8.Bd3
White frequently plays the bishop here to protect the e-pawn.
8...Ng6
In the Scotch, the black knights seem always to linger around the e5 dark square, since the white d-pawn is out of the
picture.
9.0-0
White gets the king off the e-file and activates the rook.
9...d6
9...h5 This is possible here too. 10.Nc3 d6 11.Na4 Bd4 12.c3 h4 13.Qg5 Be5 14.Qxf6 Bxf6 15.f4 0-0 16.Be3 Bd7
17.Rad1 c5 Black has the initiative.
10.Nd2 0-0 11.c3 Be6

[FEN r4rk1/p1p2ppp/2ppbqn1/2b5/4P3/2PB2Q1/PP1N1PPP/R1B2RK1 w - - 0 12]

I feel very comfortable as Black here. Black can advance on either side of the board with ...h5 or ...a5 and take
advantage of the open e and b-files.
Radjabov,T (2744) - Kamsky,G (2741)

8th World Teams Ningbo CHN (7), 24.07.2011

Black is struggling for much of this game and pulls a last-minute win out.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nb3 Bb6 6.Nc3 Nge7 7.Bg5 0-0 8.Qd2 f6 9.Bh4 a5 10.Bb5 Ne5


[FEN r1bq1rk1/1pppn1pp/1b3p2/pB2n3/4P2B/1NN5/PPPQ1PPP/R3K2R w KQ - 0 11]
This is where we left off. This maneuver ...Ne5-g6 more often occurs in the 5.Be3 main line. It may be better to delay
this move.
10...d6 11.f4 Be6 This is what I would be more comfortable with. Black is punished for the lack of coordination of his
pieces later on. 12.Bf2 Bxf2+ 13.Kxf2 Qb8 The point is to put the queen on a7 to support the a5-pawn and get the rooks
to the middle.
11.f4 N5g6
This knight ends up a real loser throughout the entire game until the very end, which shows the danger of letting White
get too much in the center.
12.Bf2
White aims to trade the strong Black dark-squared bishop and is now able to castle kingside.
12...Bxf2+ 13.Qxf2 c6
One advantage of moving the black knight to g6 is that this move, helping control the center, is possible.
14.Bc4+ Kh8
14...d5 This turns out to fall prey to White's faster development. 15.0-0-0 b5 16.Nxd5! cxd5 17.Rxd5 bxc4 (17...Nxd5
18.Bxd5+ This forks the black king and a8-rook.) 18.Rxd8 Rxd8 19.Nc5 Black's queenside pawns are weak and his
central pawns stop the black knights from going anywhere. White is much better.
15.a4


[FEN r1bq1r1k/1p1pn1pp/2p2pn1/p7/P1B1PP2/1NN5/1PP2QPP/R3K2R b KQ - 0 15]
This move hurts. Black is starting to be squeezed.
15...Qc7 16.0-0 d6 17.h4
White has good development and complete control of the center, so he can start to attack on the wings.
17...Bg4 18.Nd4
18.Rae1 I think biding time is scarier. Black either has to untangle or risk a pawn weakness with 18...f5 or 18...h5.
18...Qb6 19.Be6
White takes advantage of the weak light squares.
19...f5
The only good choice at this moment.
19...Bxe6 The harsh truth is that when you have less space, trading often makes things worse. Suddenly, everything is a
target. 20.Nxe6 Qxf2+ 21.Rxf2 Rf7 22.Rd1
20.exf5
Again, not sure why White does not bide his time. There is no rush since the pawn is pinned.
20.g3 20...Nxh4 was a threat since the knight on d4 is undefended. 20...Rf6 21.Bb3 What can Black do? White will
bring the a-rook to the e-file and knight to e6.
20...Nxf5 21.Bxf5 Bxf5 22.h5 Ne7 23.Rae1 Rae8


[FEN 4rr1k/1p2n1pp/1qpp4/p4b1P/P2N1P2/2N5/1PP2QP1/4RRK1 w - - 0 24]
By playing natural moves, White has lost the thread and Black actually has a pawn in the middle.
24.Nb3 Qb4
24...Qxf2+ 25.Rxf2 White has superior pieces and is threatening both the a-pawn and doubling rooks on the e-file.
25.g4 Bd3 26.cxd3 Qxb3
White has a scary pawn storm moving down field while Black has an active queen.
27.h6 Qf7
This retreat is uninspiring.
27...gxh6 Black should have taken this. 28.Qd4+ Kg8 29.Qxd6 Nd5 This leaves chances for both sides to win.
28.f5 d5 29.Qd4 Qf6 30.hxg7+ Kxg7 31.Qf4

[FEN 4rr2/1p2n1kp/2p2q2/p2p1P2/P4QP1/2NP4/1P6/4RRK1 b - - 0 31]

It looks grim for Black.
31...Kh8 32.Re2 Rg8 33.Re6 Qh4 34.Qd4+
Maybe White did this to keep an eye on the g-pawn, but it actually backfires because opening the g-file is in White's

interest.
34.Qe5+! Rg7 35.Rf2! This sneaky move gives White the near win. 35...Qxg4+ 36.Kf1 Qg1+ 37.Ke2 Qc1 38.f6 Qc2+
39.Ke3 White wins.
34...Rg7 35.Rf4
Now this move is forced and Black is the one who is better.
35...c5 36.Qe5 Reg8 37.Kg2 Nc6 38.Qf6 Qxf6 39.Rxf6 Ne5 0-1

[FEN 6rk/1p4rp/5R2/p1ppnP2/P4RP1/2NP4/1P4K1/8 w - - 0 40]

This is much better for Black but still playable. Radjabov had Kamsky tied up for so much of the game. A tough loss.
Muzychuk,A (2606) - Ivanchuk,V (2769)

ACP Golden Classic Amsterdam NED (7), 22.07.2012

1.e4
In this game Black shows how to attack the central e-pawn.
1...e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nxc6 Qf6 6.Qf3 bxc6 7.Nd2 d6 8.Nb3 Bb6

[FEN r1b1k1nr/p1p2ppp/1bpp1q2/8/4P3/1N3Q2/PPP2PPP/R1B1KB1R w KQkq - 0 9]

This is where we left off.

9.Qg3
9.Qxf6 Nxf6 10.Bd3 0-0 The queen trade is in Black's favor since he can attack the e-pawn or expand in the center with
...d5.
9...Ne7 10.Be2 0-0 11.Bd2
White never castles in this game, but she won't be going queenside since the f2-pawn is hanging, and the bishop has to
go a less active square since the b2-pawn is hanging (Black can't play 11...Qxb2 because of 12.Bc3 and mate on g7).
11...a5
Moving forward to ...a4 bothers the white knight.
11...Ng6 12.Bc3 Qe7 Black may have considered this to put pressure on the e-pawn and not be obliged to play ...Qg6.
12.Bc3 Qg6 13.Bd3
White moves the bishop again and makes opening the e-file attractive to Black, who does so in order to get at White's
king.
13.0-0 Qxg3 14.hxg3 Re8 This is even. (14...f5 This is not as good as in the game. 15.Bc4+ Kh8 16.e5 Now Black's c8bishop is bad.)
13...f5 14.f3

[FEN r1b2rk1/2p1n1pp/1bpp2q1/p4p2/4P3/1NBB1PQ1/PPP3PP/R3K2R b KQ - 0 14]

A mistake. Now the white king is doomed to the center.
14.Bc4+ Kh8 15.Qh4 Re8 Black is much better. If White was castled, she could play a rook to e1 here, but in this
position the e-pawn is hard to defend and White's king is still in the center.
14.Qxg6 Nxg6 15.0-0 This is not great, but probably the best.
14...Qh6
This is very strong. White cannot legally castle queenside.
15.Nd4

Now Black just dominates.

15.Bd4 a4 16.Bxb6 axb3 17.Bf2 fxe4 Black is winning.
15.h4 This is necessary to give the white queen some space, but the game is already nearly lost.
15...f4 16.Qf2 c5 17.Bc4+
17.Nb3 c4 18.Bxc4+ d5 This wins a piece because of the discovered attack on White's queen from the move prior.
17...d5

[FEN r1b2rk1/2p1n1pp/1b5q/p1pp4/2BNPp2/2B2P2/PPP2QPP/R3K2R w KQ - 0 18]

Three straight pawn moves driving back the white pieces.
18.exd5 cxd4 19.d6+ Be6 20.dxe7 Bxc4 21.exf8Q+ Rxf8 22.Bxd4 Re8+ 23.Kd2 Rd8 24.c3 c5 0-1
Lessons Learned:
The Scotch Game gives White a natural space advantage in the center from the e-pawn. As the first illustrative
game shows, White has plans of playing f4 and attacking the black king to take advantage of this extra space.
In turn, Black can take advantage of the open e-file, b-file, and faster development. The dark-squared bishop will
come to d4 to put pressure on the c3-knight and indirectly attacking the center.
Black is able to achieve a fine game without too much knowledge if White avoids the main lines with 4.Nxc6.
Attacking the central dark-squares is the key.
Practitioners:
Martin Kraemer is a young German grandmaster.
Gata Kamsky is one of the top players in the world and a world championship contender.
Vassily Ivanchuk is a top grandmaster who has had many notable results over the span of three decades.
Further Reading:
One of my favorite books ever is Play the Open Games as Black by John Emms.
The Scotch Game by Yelena Dembo and Richard Palliser.
The Modern Scotch Opening by Parimarjan Negi.
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