Scotch Game

In the Scotch Game, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4, White opens the centre on move three. After 3...exd4 White either recaptures with 4.Nxd4, the main Scotch, where the play revolves around the knight on d4 and Black's ...Bc5 or ...Nf6, or keeps the pawn sacrifice going with 4.Bc4, the Scotch Gambit, aiming at f7.

The most frequent mistake in our data belongs to the gambit, and it is White's. After 4.Bc4 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Bc5, White plays 6.Bxf7+? and after 6...Kxf7 the attack has no second wave: White has given a bishop for a pawn. The main Scotch has the same accident: after 4.Nxd4 Nxd4 5.Qxd4 Ne7 6.Bc4 Nc6, the sacrifice 7.Bxf7+? loses a piece to 7...Kxf7.

Bishops on g5 are the next theme. In a Two Knights move order, 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 Ng4 6.O-O d5, White plays 7.Bg5?, but the bishop is short of squares: 7...f6 8.Bb5 fxg5 wins it.

Black also loses material by striking in the centre too early. After 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.O-O d6 6.Ng5, the counter 6...d5? opens the position while the king is still in the middle, and 7.exd5 wins material with threats against f7. In the Göring-style line, 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.c3 dxc3 6.Qd5, the check 6...Bxf2+? looks like a counterattack but simply gives away the bishop after 7.Kxf2.

So both sides have the same lesson in the Scotch: in an open position, a sacrifice or a central break is only good if the next move continues the threat. The Scotch Game study covers both the main line and the gambit, and the Scotch Gambit Trap has its own page.