- ECO code
- B01
- Moves
- 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5
- Family
- Scandinavian Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 355
- Average game length
- 47 moves
- Years covered
- 1858–2026
Scandinavian Defense: Main Line is the opening filed under ECO code B01, reached after 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5. It belongs to the Scandinavian Defense family and is known as the Main Line; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 355 games on this line — the 273rd most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1858 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 220 games. An average game here lasts 47 moves.
White wins 38% of those games, 22% end in a draw, and Black wins 40%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores better here by 12 percentage points. Draws are less common here than usual, by 13 points.
From this position the most popular move is 4.d4, played in 247 games, followed by 4.Nf3 (52) and 4.Bc4 (30). After 4.d4 White scores 37% and Black 40%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Firouzja,Alireza (13 games); on the Black side, Nakamura,Hi (80).
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Results in master games
- White 38% (134)
- Draws 22% (78)
- Black 40% (143)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.d4 | 247 | 37/23/40 | — |
| 4.Nf3 | 52 | 40/27/33 | — |
| 4.Bc4 | 30 | 37/13/50 | — |
| 4.g3 | 16 | 31/13/56 | — |
| 4.b4 | 8 | 50/0/50 | — |
| 4.Nge2 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
| 4.Rb1 | 1 | 0/100/0 | — |
How the position is reached
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 · 62,859 games
- Scandinavian Defense · 1.e4 d5 · 866 games
- Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation · 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 · 691 games
Played most often by
As White
- Firouzja,Alireza 13
- Caruana,F 12
- Martinez Alcantara,Jose Eduardo 11
As Black
- Nakamura,Hi 80
- Mamedyarov,S 43
- Abdusattorov,Nodirbek 21
Games per decade
- 1850s 1
- 1870s 1
- 1890s 1
- 1900s 15
- 1910s 2
- 1920s 5
- 1930s 2
- 1950s 3
- 1960s 3
- 1970s 5
- 1980s 5
- 1990s 23
- 2000s 32
- 2010s 37
- 2020s 220
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mikhailovsky,Vladimir | Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 6th Jan 2026 |
| Xiong,Jeffery | Nakamura,Hi | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 12th May 2026 |
| Bologan,V | Mamedyarov,S | 0-1 | 2026 | FIDE World Bl Team Pool D |
| Sindarov,Javokhir | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 12th May 2026 |
| Khazhatuly,Alikhan | Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Mar 2026 |
| Carlsen,M | Nie,Xinyang | 1-0 | 2026 | FIDE World Bl Team Pool A |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line?
It is the opening with ECO code B01, reached after 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5. It belongs to the Scandinavian Defense family.
Is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line good for White or for Black?
In 355 master games on this line White wins 38%, 22% are drawn and Black wins 40%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is a slightly better bargain for Black than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line?
4.d4 — played in 247 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line?
On the White side Firouzja,Alireza (13), Caruana,F (12), Martinez Alcantara,Jose Eduardo (11); on the Black side Nakamura,Hi (80), Mamedyarov,S (43), Abdusattorov,Nodirbek (21).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
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