Scandinavian Defense: Classical Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code B01, part of the Scandinavian Defense family. It goes 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bf5. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... d5. After 10 moves it is White to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.
The moves
1. e4 – White plays the pawn to e4
1... d5 – Black plays the pawn to d5
2. exd5 – White captures on d5 with the e-pawn
2... Qxd5 – Black takes on d5 with the queen
3. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3
3... Qa5 – Black plays the queen to a5
4. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
4... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
5. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
5... Bf5 – Black plays the bishop to f5
About the Scandinavian Defense
Black hits e4 immediately with 1...d5. After 2.exd5 Black takes back with the queen or the knight.
After 2...Qxd5 3.Nc3, the queen moves again, usually to a5 or d6.
Black develops with ...Nf6, ...c6, ...Bf5 and ...e6: a solid, easy setup.
White gains time by attacking the queen, so Black must not lose more tempi.
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