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Scotch Gambit report from your own games

Scotch Gambit report from your own games

Attack from the very first moves. See if your Bc4 compensation delivers checkmates.

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What we analyze in your Scotch Gambit games

Your attacking accuracy after Bc4

Your exploitation of the f7 weakness

Your development lead utilization

Your success in tactical complications

Your win rate when opponent defends accurately

Learn This Opening

Play through the main line move by move

1.pawn to e4 (e4) pawn to e5 (e5)

両者が中央を主張し、オープン・ゲームが始まります。

Play pawn to e4 (e4)
Drag a piece or tap to move
1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.d4exd44.Bc4Nf65.e5d56.Bb3Ne47.Nxd4

Key Positions to Know

Critical concepts every Scotch Gambit player should understand

Bc4 Instead of Recapturing

After 3...exd4, White plays 4.Bc4 instead of 4.Nxd4. The d4 pawn is left en prise temporarily! White uses the tempo to develop the bishop aggressively toward f7. This sets up the famous Max Lange Attack and creates immediate tactical pressure before Black can consolidate.

The f7 Attack Pattern

After 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.e5!, White attacks the knight and threatens to win material. If 5...d5 6.Bb5, the c4 bishop pins the c6 knight while the e5 pawn creates a space advantage. White's rapid development creates concrete threats that Black must handle precisely.

The Max Lange Attack

In the Max Lange Attack (4.Bc4 Bc5 5.O-O Nf6 6.e5 d5 7.exf6 dxc4 8.Re1+), White sacrifices a piece for a devastating attack. Black's king is exposed in the center and White's coordinated pieces create mating threats. This is the sharpest theoretical battleground in the Scotch Gambit.

Strategic Plans

White's Plans

  • Ng5やBxf7+などの戦術を駆使して、できるだけ早くf7を標的にする
  • キャスリングを急ぎ、ルークを中央のファイル(特にeファイル)に持ち込む
  • 黒が準備する前に中央を開いてキングを攻撃する

Black's Plans

  • ...Bc5や...Nf6で堅実に展開し、白の初期の攻撃をしのぐ
  • ...d5のポーン前進で反撃し、中央の主導権を奪い返す
  • 白の攻撃を生き延び、ポーン優位の終盤に持ち込む

Key Variations

Explore the most important branches and transpositions in the Scotch Gambit.

Main Line (5.e5 d5 6.Bb3 Ne4)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.e5 d5 6.Bb3 Ne4

スコッチ・ギャンビットから移行することが多い、非常に鋭く複雑なラインです。両者が極端な戦術的リスクを冒します。

Fried Liver Connection (5.Ng5)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.Ng5 d5 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.Nxf7

黒にとって最も堅実な対応の一つ。中央を直ちに反撃し、白の攻撃の勢いを削ぐことを狙います。

Solid Defense (4...Bc5)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5

Black mirrors the bishop development instead of playing Nf6. After 5.c3 (accepting the gambit position) or 5.Ng5 (the Traxler Counter-Gambit territory), play becomes extremely sharp. The Bc5 setup is solid and completely principled — Black develops naturally and prepares rapid castling.

Declining (4...d6)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 d6

Black declines the gambit pressure by playing d6, heading toward Philidor-like structures. After 5.Nxd4 or 5.c3, White gets a slight center advantage but no immediate attack. The position is more strategic and less tactical than the main Scotch Gambit lines. A solid but passive choice for Black.

Maxen Variation (5...Na5)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.e5 Na5

Black attacks the bishop on c4 with the knight. After 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.O-O d6 8.exd6, play becomes positional with Black trying to equalize. The Maxen Variation is a tricky sideline designed to sidestep White's main attacking ideas while maintaining a solid structure.

Two Knights Connection (4...Nf6 5.Ng5)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.Ng5

Instead of the pawn push, White immediately attacks f7 with the double knight-bishop battery. This is the connection to the Two Knights Defense and the Fried Liver territory. After 5...d5 6.exd5 Nxd5, the game enters extremely sharp territory with the Fried Liver sacrifice on f7 being White's main attacking weapon.

Opening Statistics

Original research from 14,108 real amateur games — data you won't find anywhere else.

Avg. Game Length
65.7moves0.7
Underdog Wins
40.3%1.0%
Quick Finishes
5.5% avg
Endgame Reach
75.0%3.2%
White's Edge
+9.9%6.2%
Favors BlackEqualFavors White

At 1200-1400

📊Games last 66 moves on average — right around average for this bracket.

📊The lower-rated player wins 40.3% of games — about average for this bracket.

📊5.5% of games end before move 20 — most games get into the middlegame.

📊75.0% of games reach the endgame (40+ moves) — most games are decided in the middlegame.

📊White's edge is +9.9% — White has a clear advantage at this level.

How This Opening Changes as You Improve

RatingGamesWhite's EdgeAvg. Game LengthUnderdog WinsQuick FinishesEndgame Reach
800-10002,932
+7.5%52 /4 /44
60+136.7%8.7%66.0%
1000-12003,463
+3.6%50 /4 /46
6339.4%6.7%71.6%
1200-14002,971
+9.9%53 /3 /43
6640.3%5.5%75.0%
1400-16002,695
+9.9%53 /3 /43
6940.4%5.0%78.6%
1600-18002,047
+11.1%54 /3 /43
70-234.7%3.7%81.6%

Based on 14,108 games · Updated

Why Play the Scotch Gambit?

圧倒的な主導権

白はポーンの犠牲の代償として、強力な攻撃の主導権と迅速な展開を得ます。

黒を即座に圧迫

黒は正確に防御しなければならず、一つのミスが素早い敗北につながる可能性があります。

Fried Liver Connection

The Scotch Gambit can directly transpose to the Fried Liver Attack (Nxf7!) after 5.Ng5. This is one of the most dangerous and exciting combinations in all of chess. Playing the Scotch Gambit automatically prepares you for the sharp Fried Liver sacrificial attack, giving you a lethal secondary weapon.

Objectively Better Than Many Gambits

Unlike some gambits where compensation is dubious, engine analysis shows the Scotch Gambit provides genuine compensation in most lines. White's development lead, active pieces, and kingside pressure are concrete advantages that translate well into practice. Even at the Grandmaster level, Black must play precisely to neutralize it.

Common Traps

Watch out for these dangerous tactical pitfalls

The Fried Liver (Nxf7) Sacrifice

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. Ng5 d5 6. exd5 Nxd5?? 7. Nxf7 Kxf7 8. Qf3+

白はビショップを犠牲にしますが、ダブルアタック(キングとc5のビショップへの攻撃)により、有利な局面で駒を取り返します。

The Max Lange Attack Trap

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. O-O Nf6 6. e5 d5 7. exf6 dxc4 8. Re1+?? Be6 9. Ng5

The Max Lange Attack arises when White castles and then pushes e5 with the knight gone from f6. After 9.Ng5!, White attacks the e6 bishop and threatens Nxe6 winning material. If Black plays 9...O-O, White has Rxe6! with a winning attack. This trap catches players who don't respect the open e-file after castling.

The Center Fork Trick

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. e5 Ng4 6. Qxd4 Ngxe5 7. Nxe5 Nxe5?? 8. Bxf7+

When Black plays ...Ng4 to attack e5, White responds with 6.Qxd4 (recapturing the pawn) and after simplification, sacrifices the bishop on f7. After Kxf7, White wins back material with interest due to the exposed king position. This deceptive pawn recovery leads to a dangerous attack.

Beginner Tips

💡

ポーンの物質的価値よりも、展開と主導権を優先してください。

💡

常に黒の...d5の反撃に注意してください。これが多くの場合、黒の最善の防御策です。

Common Scotch Gambit patterns we detect

We automatically check if you fall for these specific traps.

About the Scotch Gambit

The Scotch Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4) is an aggressive variation of the Scotch Game where White forgoes recapturing the pawn to immediately develop the bishop and attack f7. It leads to open tactical positions where development and initiative trump material.

We analyze your attacking patterns, piece coordination, and compensation for the pawn. We identify where initiative is lost and material deficit becomes decisive.

openings.page.sections.keyThemes

Development lead for pawnf7 pressureOpen centerRapid attackRomantic chessDynamic compensation

openings.page.sections.notablePlayers

Adolf AnderssenPaul MorphyDavid BronsteinGarry Kasparov

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Scotch Gambit analysis

The Scotch Gambit arises after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4, where White develops the bishop to c4 instead of recapturing on d4. Unlike the Scotch Game (4.Nxd4), White allows the pawn to stay on d4 and aims for rapid development, open lines, and a kingside attack. The gambit is one of the oldest aggressive openings in chess history — Paul Morphy and Adolf Anderssen deployed it with devastating effect in the romantic era.
After 4.Bc4, White aims for e5 and Ng5 attacks with the Italian bishop targeting f7. The key plan involves O-O, Re1, and then crashing through with e5 if possible: after 4...Bc5 5.c3 Nf6 6.e5 d5 7.Bb5 Ne4 8.cxd4, White has a strong pawn center and the bishop pair with rapid development. White's pieces coordinate for a kingside attack: Nc3, Ng5 threats, and eventual Qe2 or Qb3 pressure against f7 create concrete winning chances before Black can complete queenside development.
The Max Lange Attack is the sharpest branch of the Scotch Gambit: after 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.c3 Nf6 6.e5 d5 7.Bb5 Ne4 8.cxd4 Bb6 9.Nc3 Nxc3 10.bxc3, White sacrifices a pawn for rapid development and attacking pressure. The Max Lange requires concrete calculation — both sides have exposed kings and active pieces early. White typically castles queenside (O-O-O) and launches a direct assault. Garry Kasparov revived interest in the Max Lange with precise new preparation in the 1990s.
Paul Morphy, widely regarded as the greatest player of the romantic era, used Scotch Gambit ideas regularly in his brilliancies against European masters. His fastest demolitions often began with rapid Nf3, Bc4, and either Ng5 or d4 gambits before opponents could castle. While Morphy's most famous game ("Opera Game") used the Philidor Defense, several of his Scotch Gambit miniatures demonstrate the same principle: superior development and piece activity override material consideration when the opponent cannot complete development safely.

Famous Games

Adolf AnderssenvsLionel Kieseritzky
London 18511-0

モーフィーが展開の優位性と戦術的なビジョンを見事に組み合わせ、スコッチ・ギャンビットの破壊力を示しました。

Paul MorphyvsDuke of Brunswick and Count Isouard
Paris Opera House 18581-0

The 'Opera Game' — Morphy sacrificed a knight, kept all his pieces active, and delivered a stunning checkmate from Scotch Gambit-related ideas. Morphy's opponents were unprepared for the speed and precision of the attack. This game remains the perfect illustration of why rapid development and open lines are more important than material in the opening.

David BronsteinvsTigran Petrosian
Candidates Tournament 19531-0

Bronstein deployed Scotch Gambit ideas against the notoriously defensive Petrosian and broke through with a brilliant sacrificial attack. The game demonstrated that even the most solid defensive players cannot neutralize the Scotch Gambit's development lead with passive play — activity and piece coordination must always be answered energetically.

Garry KasparovvsVishy Anand
World Championship 1995 (Game 7)1-0

Kasparov used Scotch-related ideas in this landmark World Championship game to break Anand's defensive setup. The game featured a pawn sacrifice for long-term attacking compensation — directly related to Scotch Gambit theory. Kasparov's ability to convert a small development lead into a decisive attack is the highest-level demonstration of what the Scotch Gambit aspires to achieve.

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