- ECO code
- B01
- Moves
- 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5
- Family
- Scandinavian Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 691
- Average game length
- 46 moves
- Years covered
- 1858–2026
Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation is the opening filed under ECO code B01, reached after 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5. It belongs to the Scandinavian Defense family and is known as the Mieses-Kotroc Variation; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 691 games on this line — the 164th 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 367 games. An average game here lasts 46 moves.
White wins 40% of those games, 24% end in a draw, and Black wins 36%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores better here by 8 percentage points. Draws are less common here than usual, by 11 points.
From this position the most popular move is 3.Nc3, played in 640 games, followed by 3.Nf3 (37) and 3.d4 (11). After 3.Nc3 White scores 40% and Black 36%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Caruana,F (30 games); on the Black side, Nakamura,Hi (110).
1 named variation branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Scandinavian Defense: Main Line.
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Results in master games
- White 40% (277)
- Draws 24% (163)
- Black 36% (251)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.Nc3 | 640 | 40/24/36 | — |
| 3.Nf3 | 37 | 43/22/35 | — |
| 3.d4 | 11 | 46/18/36 | — |
| 3.Qf3 | 2 | 0/50/50 | — |
| 3.h3 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
Variations from this position
- Scandinavian Defense: Main Line · 3.Nc3 Qa5 · 355 games
How the position is reached
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 · 62,859 games
- Scandinavian Defense · 1.e4 d5 · 866 games
Played most often by
As White
- Caruana,F 30
- Shirov,A 28
- Firouzja,Alireza 27
As Black
- Nakamura,Hi 110
- Mamedyarov,S 51
- Carlsen,M 38
Games per decade
- 1850s 2
- 1860s 2
- 1870s 1
- 1880s 1
- 1890s 4
- 1900s 20
- 1910s 3
- 1920s 7
- 1930s 3
- 1950s 6
- 1960s 5
- 1970s 7
- 1980s 7
- 1990s 34
- 2000s 82
- 2010s 140
- 2020s 367
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 |
| Nepomniachtchi,I | Arslanov,S | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 14th Apr 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code B01, reached after 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5. It belongs to the Scandinavian Defense family.
Is the Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation good for White or for Black?
In 691 master games on this line White wins 40%, 24% are drawn and Black wins 36%. 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: Mieses-Kotroc Variation?
3.Nc3 — played in 640 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation?
On the White side Caruana,F (30), Shirov,A (28), Firouzja,Alireza (27); on the Black side Nakamura,Hi (110), Mamedyarov,S (51), Carlsen,M (38).
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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