After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 White plays 4.Bc4 and develops before taking the pawn back. You learn 4...Bc5 with 5.c3 and 5.Ng5, the 4...Nf6 5.e5 lines, 4...Bb4+ and the quiet 4...Be7. Three traps show how greedy captures get punished. This is a intermediate opening course for White (ECO C44) with 6 variations and 3 traps, written for players rated around 1250. Each move is explained and then drilled on a board; it is free.
Key ideas of Scotch Gambit
Develop first. The d4 pawn usually comes back later, and quick development matters more.
Aim at f7. The c4 bishop, the queen and a knight on g5 can all attack it.
Against ...Nf6, push e5 and chase the knight. Then Bb5 and Nxd4 win the pawn back.
After ...Bc5, c3 opens lines. Taking twice on c3 walks into Bxf7+ and a queen check.
Castle early and use the e-file. A rook on e1 often pins a black piece to its king.
Variations you learn
4...Bc5 5.c3 Nf6 6.e5 – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. c3 Nf6 …. Black guards the d4 pawn with the bishop. White offers another pawn with 5.c3. Black answers with the knight, and White pushes the e-pawn. After the trades on d2 White has more space and an easy game.
4...Bc5 5.Ng5 – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. Ng5 Nh6 …. White hits f7 at once with the knight and the bishop. Black guards it with the knight on h6. A series of trades on f7 follows. Then a queen check wins back the piece, and Black's king can no longer castle.
4...Nf6 5.e5 d5 6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. e5 d5 …. Black develops the knight and attacks e4. White pushes the pawn to e5. Black hits back with 5...d5, and White pins the c6 knight with the bishop. White then wins back the pawn on d4 and chases the e4 knight with the f-pawn.
4...Nf6 5.e5 Ng4 – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. e5 Ng4 …. Black's knight jumps to g4 and attacks the e5 pawn. White castles and guards e5 with the rook. After the trade on d6 the e7 bishop is pinned, and White wins back the pawn on d4.
4...Bb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.bxc3 – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bb4+ 5. c3 dxc3 …. Black checks with the bishop. White blocks with the c-pawn and takes back on c3 with the b-pawn. The bishop must move again. White castles and gets fast development for the pawn.
4...Be7 5.Nxd4 – 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Be7 5. Nxd4 d6 …. Black plays the quiet 4...Be7. White simply takes back on d4. Both sides develop and castle. White has more space and easy play in the centre.
Traps
5...dxc3? 6.Bxf7+ and Qd5+ – After 4...Bc5 5.c3 taking a second pawn looks greedy but natural. White sacrifices on f7, checks with the queen on d5 and wins back the c5 bishop. Black's king can never castle.
6...Ngxe5? and the e-file pin – After 5...Ng4 6.O-O, grabbing the e5 pawn looks free. But after the knight trade White's rook goes to e1 and pins the last knight. The f-pawn then wins it.
6...Be7? 7.Qd5 hits f7 – After 4...Bb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.bxc3 the bishop must move. If it drops back to e7, White's queen goes to d5 and threatens mate on f7. The only defence costs Black a piece.
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