OpeningsPlay as black

Scandinavian Defense - Modern 2...Nf6

Play the Scandinavian without an early queen move: Black develops the knight first and wins the d5 pawn back with ...♘︎xd5.

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Introduction

The Modern Scandinavian (1. e4 d5 2. exd5 ♘︎f6), also called the Marshall Variation, starts like the main Scandinavian but does not take back on d5 with the queen. Black develops the knight first and wins the pawn back a move later with ..♘︎xd5. The queen stays at home, so White cannot gain time by chasing it with ♘︎c3. The price is that White can try to keep the extra pawn with c4 or ♗︎b5+. Against the main move 3. d4 Black simply takes back, develops the light-squared bishop to f5 before playing ..e6, and builds a solid pawn wall with ..c6 and ..e6. The result is a calm, Caro-Kann-like position: White has a little more space, Black has no weak pawns and a safe king.

Lesson Content

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1. e4

e4 — the King's Pawn opening. White takes space in the center and opens lines for the queen and the light-squared bishop.

Center ControlDevelopment

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1. ..d5

Strike at White's e4 pawn right away with a central pawn.

d5 — the Scandinavian Defense. Black hits the e4 pawn at once. If White ignores it, Black takes on e4 and gets a pawn in the center for free.

Center Control

Alternative Moves

e5 — A fine move, but it leads to the Open Games, not the Scandinavian.

c6 — The Caro-Kann prepares the same ...d5 strike, but it spends a move first.

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2. exd5

exd5 — White takes the pawn. This is by far the most common answer; after 2. e5 or 2. ♘︎c3 Black already has a comfortable share of the center.

Center Control

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2. ..♘︎f6

Develop a kingside piece that also attacks the pawn on d5.

♘︎f6 — the Modern Scandinavian. Black develops a piece and attacks the d5 pawn instead of taking it with the queen. The point: when Black takes back next move with the knight, White has no ♘︎c3 that hits the queen and gains time. This is a different lesson from the main Scandinavian with 2. ..♕︎xd5, where the queen comes out early and has to retreat.

DevelopmentTempo

Alternative Moves

♕︎xd5 — The main Scandinavian — a good move, but after ♘︎c3 the queen is attacked and must move again. That line has its own lesson.

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3. d4

d4 — the main line. White does not try to hold the extra pawn. Instead White takes the center and lets Black win it back. White's other tries, and what Black does against them: - 3. c4 — White defends d5 with a pawn. Black answers 3. ..c6, ready to take back on d5 with a pawn. After 4. d4 cxd5 the game reaches the Caro-Kann Panov Attack. - 3. ♗︎b5+ — a check to slow Black down. Black blocks with 3. ..♗︎d7 and wins the pawn back soon (after 4. ♗︎xd7+ ♕︎xd7, with the queen). - 3. ♘︎f3 — usually just comes back to this line after 3. ..♘︎xd5 4. d4.

Center ControlSpace

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3. ..♘︎xd5

Win back the pawn you gave up on the first move.

♘︎xd5 — Black wins the pawn back, so material is level again. The knight stands in the center, and the queen has not moved at all. White can kick the knight with c4 later, but that pawn move is also useful for White, so Black does not lose real time.

Center ControlDevelopment

Alternative Moves

♕︎xd5 — Also wins the pawn back, but now the queen is in the open again and ♘︎c3 hits it — exactly what developing the knight first was meant to avoid.

♗︎g4 — The Portuguese Gambit — Black leaves the pawn on d5 for quick development. Sharp and playable, but you stay a pawn down for now.

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4. ♘︎f3

♘︎f3 — White develops the knight, guards d4 and gets ready to castle. The more ambitious 4. c4, which kicks the knight from d5 at once, is the other main try.

DevelopmentKing Safety

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4. ..♗︎f5

Get your light-squared bishop out before your e-pawn blocks it in.

♗︎f5 — the same idea as in every Scandinavian: the light-squared bishop comes out before ..e6 closes its diagonal. From f5 it watches the c2 pawn. The bishop on c8 now has a job. After ..e6 it would have stayed locked behind the pawn, like the bishop in the French Defense.

DevelopmentPiece Activity

Alternative Moves

♗︎g4 — The popular Gipslis Variation and playable, but the engine rates it a little lower. White kicks the knight with c4 and brings the queen to b3 to attack the b7 pawn, while the bishop on g4 is far from the queenside.

g6 — A good fianchetto setup, but a different plan — the c8 bishop then often stays at home for a while.

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5. ♗︎d3

♗︎d3 — White offers to trade light-squared bishops. White's bishop is a strong attacker aiming at h7, so trading it for Black's bishop is a fair deal for both sides.

DevelopmentPiece Activity

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5. ..♗︎xd3

White offers a bishop trade — decide what to do with your bishop.

♗︎xd3 — Black accepts the trade. White's most dangerous attacking bishop is gone, so a later attack against Black's castled king loses its main piece. White's queen comes to d3, but there a black knight on b4 can attack it later, so Black can gain time against it.

King SafetyPiece Activity

Alternative Moves

♗︎g4 — Moves the bishop a second time to avoid the trade. White keeps the strong bishop on d3 aimed at h7 and is a move further ahead in development.

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6. ♕︎xd3

♕︎xd3 — White takes back with the queen and keeps a healthy pawn structure. Taking with the c-pawn would give White doubled d-pawns.

Pawn StructureDevelopment

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6. ..e6

Open a path for your dark-squared bishop and add support to your centralized knight.

e6 — with the light-squared bishop already traded, this pawn move costs Black nothing. It supports the knight on d5 and opens the f8–a3 diagonal so the dark-squared bishop can come out and Black can castle.

Pawn StructureDevelopment

Alternative Moves

c6 — Also good — the two pawn moves usually come together, and the order matters little here.

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7. O-O

O-O — White castles the king to safety and connects the rooks. White now plans c4 to push the knight away from d5.

King Safety

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7. ..c6

Build the second half of your pawn wall and cover the squares around your knight.

c6 — Black completes the solid pawn wall c6–e6. The pawn covers the d5 and b5 squares, so the knight on d5 gets a second pawn guard and White's queen cannot check from b5. Black's structure has no weak pawn — this is the same healthy setup as in the Caro-Kann.

Pawn StructureProphylaxis

Alternative Moves

c5 — Also playable — it attacks d4 at once. The position becomes more open, and Black must be ready for a fight in the center before castling.

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8. c4

c4 — White kicks the knight from d5 and takes space. White now has pawns on c4 and d4; Black will later aim at them with ..c5 or with pieces.

SpaceTempo

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8. ..♘︎f6

Your knight is attacked — retreat it to a square where it guards your future castled king.

♘︎f6 — the knight retreats toward the kingside, where it guards h7 and the king after Black castles. It also watches e4, the square in front of White's pawns.

King SafetyDevelopment

Alternative Moves

♘︎b6 — The knight is far from the kingside on b6, and c5 can attack it again, so Black loses more time.

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9. ♘︎c3

♘︎c3 — White develops the last knight, adds a guard to d5 and covers e4.

DevelopmentCenter Control

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9. ..♗︎e7

Develop your last kingside piece so you can castle next move.

♗︎e7 — a modest but safe square for the bishop. It clears the way for castling, and on e7 it is hard for White to attack.

DevelopmentKing Safety

Alternative Moves

♗︎d6 — Also playable and more active, but the bishop is more exposed to pressure from ♗︎g5 and ♕︎e2, and the engine rates it slightly lower.

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10. ♗︎f4

♗︎f4 — White develops the dark-squared bishop to an active diagonal and prepares to bring the rooks to the center.

DevelopmentPiece Activity

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10. ..O-O

Get your king out of the center before White's pieces aim at it.

O-O — Black castles. The king is safe behind the f7, g7 and h7 pawns, and White's attacking light-squared bishop is already gone.

King Safety

Alternative Moves

♘︎h5 — Also playable: it chases the bishop, but after ♗︎e3 the knight usually returns to f6, so it costs time.

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11. h3

h3 — a useful waiting move. It keeps Black's knight off g4 and gives the bishop the h2 square to retreat to if ..♘︎h5 attacks it.

Prophylaxis

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11. ..♘︎bd7

Develop your last minor piece behind your pawns.

♘︎bd7 — Black develops the last minor piece. All Black's pieces are out, the king is safe, and there are no weak pawns. Next Black plays moves like ..♕︎a5, ..♖︎e8 or ..♖︎c8 and prepares the ..c5 break against White's c4 and d4 pawns.

DevelopmentPiece Activity

Alternative Moves

♖︎e8 — Also fine — a rook move first, but the knight still has to come out soon.

Key Takeaways

2...♘︎f6 develops first and wins the pawn back with ...♘︎xd5 — no early queen moves
Against 3.c4 play 3...c6; against 3.♗︎b5+ block with 3...♗︎d7, then take on d5
Bring the light-squared bishop to f5 BEFORE playing ...e6
Trading on d3 removes White's best attacking bishop
The c6–e6 pawn wall gives Black a solid Caro-Kann-like position with no weak pawns

Now play it through

Step through every move on a real board, try the wrong ones, and ask Knighty why they fail.

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Related Lessons

Alekhine Defense - Modern Variation

1 shared move

Bishop's Opening

1 shared move

Caro-Kann - Panov-Botvinnik Attack

1 shared move

Summary

You've learned the Modern Scandinavian. Black attacks the d5 pawn with 2. ..♘︎f6 and wins it back with ..♘︎xd5, so the queen never has to run from ♘︎c3. Against 3. d4 Black brings the bishop to f5 before ..e6, trades it for White's attacking bishop, and builds a solid c6–e6 pawn wall.

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Scandinavian Defense - Main Line

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