Scandinavian Defense: Main Line
Black's queen retreats to the edge after the knight attacks it. It can remain active along diagonals, but Black still needs to develop the minor pieces and protect the king.
Your plan as White
After exd5, develop with tempo when the queen recaptures. Keep your central development coordinated.
The opponent’s plan
Challenge e4 immediately. Choose a safe queen route or develop a knight before recovering the pawn.
Watch out: Repeated queen moves can leave the minor pieces and king behind in development.
Opening game…
Practice this line as White.
Play three moves from the line you watched. Hints draw an arrow on the board. Complete a fresh attempt without hints or retries to pass.
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Name, background and sources
Also called the Center Counter, this is one of the oldest recorded opening ideas. Anand used it against Kasparov in their 1995 world championship match.
Read the opening background on Chess.com ↗Lichess opening names and reference lines (CC0)
ChessSum provides original explanatory notes. Related lines are labeled separately. Reference lines illustrate ideas; they are not a claim that every other legal move is wrong.
Watch how the center and piece development change. Each arrow previews the next move.