The Scotch

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 ...

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1436242

I usually play this when my opponent returns e4 with e5. I like how it typically leads to a very open game. Just would like to know how others view it.

Completely tangential here, apologies, but I was analyzing a prison tournament a few months ago, and one of the (Scottish) inmates was horrified to learn that his chosen opening was the English (he wasn't aware of the names, just the basic patterns). I culled the Scotch from Wikipedia...he changed his opening plan immediately.

4.qh4 i think it wins a pawn but white gains a tempo somone correct me if i'm wrong

I like the goring gambit line, instead of taking the pawn on d4 offer the pawn with c3, if they take, take back with knight then bishop C4 Queen B3. I mainly use that line against the Petroff defense.

I like Scotch, Johnnie Walker is verrryyyyy nice!

Originally posted by giantsfan94707
4.qh4 i think it wins a pawn but white gains a tempo somone correct me if i'm wrong

Originally posted by deathandrugby
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=14

Here is an example of what you mentioned.

Originally posted by giantsfan94707
4.qh4 i think it wins a pawn but white gains a tempo somone correct me if i'm wrong

I have been playin the Schotch for quite a while, my main problem with it is ,that you dont always have a save hide out for your king , like in for instance in the ruy lopez.
I play e5 with black as well and return to the schotch with ...Bc5, felling very confident,
About the queen h4 comment: It does win a pawn but white gets massive compensation because he can force black in to givin up his castling rights. The main line runs: 1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4
4. Nxd4 Qh4?! 5. Nc3! Bb4 6. Be2 Qxe4 7. Ndb5! Bxc3+ 8.bxc3! Kd8
with obvious compensation for the pawn (Smeets-Pliester 2003 Dutch championship).

4. ... Qh4 is a typical example of a bad attempt of moving the queen in the opening. These kinds of moves exist in almost all openings, but there is a reason they're not played too often.

Originally posted by Zlaire
4. ... Qh4 is a typical example of a bad attempt of moving the queen in the opening. These kinds of moves exist in almost all openings, but there is a reason they're not played too often.

I must admit I'm not complelty familiar with this particular variation, to me it looks like a desperate attempt for activity that any calm player easily refutes.

But the fact Fritz chooses an opening has nothing to do with strength. It has to do with its opening database. Having watched thousands of GM vs. strong computers on ICC I've seen numerous examples of engines blitzing out stupid moves in the opening.

One example was an opening called the Botvinnik variation in queen's gambit (I think, was a while ago), where the computer sacrificed queen for two pieces, and lost horribly of course.

Originally posted by deathandrugby
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 ...

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1436242

I usually play this when my opponent returns e4 with e5. I like how it typically leads to a very open game. Just would like to know how others view it.

If I'm playing the scotch I play the gambit line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 I like this better than 4.c3 dxc3 5.Nxc3 but the line 4.c3 dxc3 5.Bc4 cxb2 6.Bxb2 is something I've been wanting to try... Someone told me the best way to learn attacking and tactics is to play gambits.

If your opponent plays 2. f6 they will get destroyed by this line:


1. e4 25 2. Nf3 f6 3. Nf3xe5 fxe5 4. Qh5 g6 5. Qxe5...

or

4. Qh5 Ke7 5. Qxe5 ...


I do not see how black can play 3. fxe5 and end up with a superior position. How should black respond or is 2. f6 just a horrible move.