- ECO code
- B01
- Moves
- 1.e4 d5
- Family
- Scandinavian Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 866
- Average game length
- 45 moves
- Years covered
- 1846–2026
Scandinavian Defense is the opening filed under ECO code B01, reached after 1.e4 d5. It belongs to the Scandinavian Defense family; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 866 games on this line — the 123rd most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1846 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 433 games. An average game here lasts 45 moves.
White wins 41% of those games, 23% 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 12 points.
From this position the most popular move is 2.exd5, played in 841 games, followed by 2.Nc3 (18) and 2.e5 (3). After 2.exd5 White scores 42% and Black 35%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Shirov,A (38 games); on the Black side, Nakamura,Hi (115).
2 named variations branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation; Scandinavian Defense: Main Line.
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Results in master games
- White 41% (360)
- Draws 23% (196)
- Black 36% (310)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.exd5 | 841 | 42/23/35 | — |
| 2.Nc3 | 18 | 39/22/39 | — |
| 2.e5 | 3 | 0/0/100 | — |
| 2.Nf3 | 2 | 50/0/50 | — |
| 2.d3 | 1 | 0/0/100 | — |
| 2.d4 | 1 | 0/0/100 | — |
Variations from this position
- Mieses-Kotroc Variation · 2.exd5 Qxd5 · 691 games
- Main Line · 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 · 355 games
How the position is reached
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 · 62,859 games
Played most often by
As White
- Shirov,A 38
- Caruana,F 31
- Firouzja,Alireza 31
As Black
- Nakamura,Hi 115
- Mamedyarov,S 52
- Carlsen,M 48
Games per decade
- 1840s 1
- 1850s 3
- 1860s 2
- 1870s 1
- 1880s 1
- 1890s 4
- 1900s 30
- 1910s 9
- 1920s 11
- 1930s 3
- 1940s 2
- 1950s 8
- 1960s 18
- 1970s 9
- 1980s 12
- 1990s 51
- 2000s 102
- 2010s 166
- 2020s 433
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 |
| Lin,Bryan Enming | Nepomniachtchi,I | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 24th Mar 2026 |
| Khazhatuly,Alikhan | Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Mar 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Scandinavian Defense?
It is the opening with ECO code B01, reached after 1.e4 d5. It belongs to the Scandinavian Defense family.
Is the Scandinavian Defense good for White or for Black?
In 866 master games on this line White wins 41%, 23% 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?
2.exd5 — played in 841 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Scandinavian Defense?
On the White side Shirov,A (38), Caruana,F (31), Firouzja,Alireza (31); on the Black side Nakamura,Hi (115), Mamedyarov,S (52), Carlsen,M (48).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
Try this line on the board
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