Current position
Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, London Defense
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4
The Scotch Game starts with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 and is catalogued under ECO C44, in the open games & french half of the book. The catalog indexes 53 lines inside it, grouped into 48 named variations, and the position after those moves has 1 playable continuation to walk from here.
Root edges show how often each move is played around your Elo. Use the arrow on a position to reveal the next replies.
Current setup
Move ideas
Claims the center with a pawn and opens lines for the queen and king’s bishop.
Idea: Build quick development and make early castling possible.
Meets White’s center directly and opens lines for Black’s queen and bishop.
Idea: Fight for equal central space in a balanced, open position.
Develops the king’s knight and attacks Black’s e5-pawn.
Idea: Increase central pressure while getting ready to castle.
Defends e5 while developing the queen’s knight toward the center.
Idea: Hold the central pawn and keep several classical setups available.
Advances to d4 to claim central space and control nearby key squares.
Idea: Give the pieces room to develop behind a durable central foothold.
Captures the pawn on d4 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Open lines in the center and reshape the center for the next phase.
Develops the bishop to c4, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Develops the bishop to b4, bringing it into the game, forcing the king to answer a check.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Advances the c-pawn to gain queenside space and control new squares.
Idea: Create useful wing space while keeping the central structure flexible.
Captures the pawn on c3 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Open lines in the queenside and reshape the center for the next phase.
Tucks the king away and activates the rook in a single move.
Idea: Finish kingside development so the central pieces can coordinate safely.
Captures the pawn on b2 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Open lines in the queenside and reshape the center for the next phase.
Captures the pawn on b2 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.
Waiting for Lichess game popularity.
Each line below is an indexed entry under Scotch Game. Open one to load it on the board and keep exploring from that position.
24 more named lines sit inside this family — the tree above walks all of them.
ECO groups openings by the structures they lead to, so these families tend to share plans with the Scotch Game.