Planchetto
Sign in

Scandinavian Defence for Black

From the first move: against , . If White trades, you recapture with and take the queen to a5, out of reach of their pieces. You develop the bishop before , give the queen a square with and know what to do when White doesn't trade.

30 lines in 7 chapters.

The first lesson is free. The rest of the course opens with Premium:

The plans in this course

A safe square for the queen

Put the queen somewhere safe without losing more time

Once your queen has taken on d5, attacks it and gains time. You put it on a5: there White's knights and bishops can't easily reach it. As soon as the d2 pawn moves, with or , the queen pins the c3 knight to the king. It's the most common square at this moment, although d6 and d8 are fine too.

5 in 10 players rated 2200+ choose it online.See dataHide

Online, 2200+: 47% of 3,903. It is hardly played over the board at 2300+.

The bishop goes first

Develop the bishop before your pawns shut it in

Your light-squared bishop goes to f5 or g4 before : if the pawn moves first, it closes the diagonal and the bishop is shut in behind its own pawns. Move order matters: if the bishop comes out with tempo, for example hitting the queen on d1 or pinning the f3 knight, it goes first; if White's bishop is on d2 and your queen is on a5, play first, because a jump by the c3 knight would uncover an attack on your queen. Avoid when White can force you to take on f3 and their queen recaptures hitting b7. If your bishop is already on g4 when comes, the check is better than going to a5: the usual reply is , and if they block with the queen on e2, you trade queens with .

7 in 10 players rated 2200+ choose it online.See dataHide

Online, 2200+: 71% of 5,070. It is hardly played over the board at 2300+.

An escape route for the queen

Give the queen a way back and close off b5

With the queen on a5, the c7 pawn blocks its diagonal towards d8. opens it, and the queen can come back to c7 or d8 if attacked. The pawn also takes b5 away from White's knight and bishop. If White's bishop is on d2, play before developing your bishop: any jump by the c3 knight uncovers an attack on your queen, and you need that escape route.

5 in 10 players rated 2200+ choose it online.See dataHide

Online, 2200+: 49% of 1,841. It is hardly played over the board at 2300+.

Attack the base of the chain

Hit White's centre before it gets reinforced

When White pushes to e5, the centre is closed and that pawn needs support from d4. With an immediate you cover d4, and if the pawn arrives on d4, you trade it before can hold it. If White's queen recaptures on d4, attacks it and you gain time. If you wait, White consolidates the centre and you run out of space.

6 in 10 players rated 2200+ choose it online.See dataHide

Online, 2200+: 65% of 329. It is hardly played over the board at 2300+.

Trade and develop with tempo

Trade the central pawn and develop while gaining time

Against you take on e4: it's the simple choice. The knight wins the pawn back, but on e4 it's a target: attacks it while you develop. If White trades on f6, you recapture with the e7 pawn and your bishops come out freely, in a calm position. Pushing the pawn to d4, kicking the knight, is slightly better and more ambitious, but it leads to a more complicated game.

5 in 10 players rated 2200+ choose it online.See dataHide

Online, 2200+: 50% of 593. It is hardly played over the board at 2300+.

A pawn nobody defends

Win a central pawn and develop with tempo

Against , the e4 pawn is left undefended: you take it with and attack the knight as well. White has to move it again and usually jumps to e5 or g5 to go after f7 or win the pawn back. If it jumps to g5, you defend the pawn with before moving the e7 pawn; if it jumps to e5, with , which also hits the knight. If White wins the pawn back, you still come out well developed.

9 in 10 players rated 2200+ choose it online.See dataHide

Online, 2200+: 91% of 226. It is hardly played over the board at 2300+.

Accept the gambit

Keep the extra pawn without falling behind

Against , White offers the e4 pawn: it's the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit. You take it with . White usually hits that pawn with to open the f-file and develop quickly. You bring the knight to f6 and your bishops out without wasting time: the extra pawn is worth it if you don't fall behind in development.

9 in 10 players rated 2200+ choose it online.See dataHide

Online, 2200+: 92% of 184. It is hardly played over the board at 2300+.

If White takes and hits your queen after

0 of 8 done

You'll learn to win the pawn back with the queen, put it on a5 and develop the bishop before closing your pawns.

The most common mistake, on move 5; 23 players in 100 play it. tries to trap the bishop, but grabs the pawn: if you take back with the c6 pawn, White's queen comes to f3 and hits your a8 rook. After you're a pawn down.

A safe square for the queenThe bishop goes firstAn escape route for the queen

  1. NextIf White supports d4 with 9 moves of yoursStart
  2. Not startedIf the knight jumps to e4 now9 moves of yoursPaid
  3. Not startedIf White eyes f7 with 7 moves of yoursPaid
  4. Not startedIf White blocks the pin: 7 moves of yoursPaid
  5. Not startedIf White checks with 5 moves of yoursPaid
  6. Not startedIf White takes the centre: 9 moves of yoursPaid
  7. Not startedIf White's bishop goes to d36 moves of yoursPaid
  8. Not startedIf White opens the bishop: 10 moves of yoursPaid

If White pushes the king's pawn after

You'll learn to attack White's pawn chain at its base before it gets reinforced.

The most common mistake, on move 3; 11 players in 100 play it. releases the pressure on d4 and leaves White's chain alone. After White opens the a-file for the rook and the centre stays solid. It costs a pawn and a half.

Attack the base of the chain

If White takes, then plays the knight after

You'll learn to pin the f3 knight with your bishop and to play with castling on opposite sides.

The most common mistake, on move 3; 11 players in 100 play it. gives check, but here it achieves nothing: your bishop is still on c8 and there is nothing to pin. After you have moved the queen twice more. White is clearly better.

The bishop goes first

If White develops instead of taking after

You'll learn to win the e4 pawn and defend f7 when White's knight jumps.

The most common mistake, on move 5; 34 players in 100 play it. allows the fork , hitting the king and b7. After you lose the a8 rook.

A pawn nobody defends

If White takes, then pushes to d4 after

You'll learn to press d4 with knight and bishop, and to punish a pawn left undefended.

The most common mistake, on move 4; 11 players in 100 play it. passes up the pawn. After the pawn has driven your knight back and White is far ahead in development. White is clearly better.

The bishop goes first

If White defends with the knight after

You'll learn to trade the central pawn and develop your pieces with tempo.

Trade and develop with tempo

If White offers the e4 pawn after

You'll learn to accept the gambit and develop quickly to keep the extra pawn.

Accept the gambit