Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation

Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code B01, part of the Scandinavian Defense family. It goes 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... d5. After 4 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

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 3. Nc3.

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.

chessGM has a full course for this line: open the Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation course lesson.

Related openings

It extends: Scandinavian Defense (1. e4 d5)
Continues with: Scandinavian Defense: Gubinsky-Melts Defense – adds 3. Nc3 Qd6
Continues with: Scandinavian Defense: Main Line – adds 3. Nc3 Qa5
Continues with: Scandinavian Defense: Valencian Variation – adds 3. Nc3 Qd8
Related line: Scandinavian Defense: Marshall Variation (1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Nxd5)
Related line: Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation (1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6)
Related line: Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Mieses Variation (1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6)
Related line: Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation (1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4)
Related line: Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit (1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. b4)
Related line: Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation, Gipslis Variation (1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Nxd5 4. Nf3 Bg4)

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