- ECO code
- C44
- Moves
- 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4
- Family
- Scotch Game
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 965
- Average game length
- 41 moves
- Years covered
- 1848–2026
Scotch Game is the opening filed under ECO code C44, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4. It belongs to the Scotch Game family; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 965 games on this line — the 113th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1848 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 311 games. An average game here lasts 41 moves.
White wins 29% of those games, 36% end in a draw, and Black wins 35%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores better here by 7 percentage points.
From this position the most popular move is 4.Nxd4, played in 810 games, followed by 4.Bc4 (112) and 4.c3 (43). 4.Nxd4 leads into Scotch Game (C45). After 4.Nxd4 White scores 29% and Black 32%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Nepomniachtchi,I (88 games); on the Black side, Shirov,A (48).
3 named variations branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Scotch Game (C45); Scotch Game: Schmidt Variation; Scotch Game: Classical Variation.
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Results in master games
- White 29% (284)
- Draws 36% (348)
- Black 35% (333)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.Nxd4 | 810 | 29/39/32 | Scotch Game (C45) |
| 4.Bc4 | 112 | 29/18/53 | — |
| 4.c3 | 43 | 42/21/37 | — |
Variations from this position
- Scotch Game (C45) · 4.Nxd4 · 810 games
- Schmidt Variation · 4.Nxd4 Nf6 · 374 games
- Classical Variation · 4.Nxd4 Bc5 · 305 games
How the position is reached
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 · 62,859 games
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 e5 · 24,632 games
- King's Knight Opening · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 · 21,895 games
- King's Knight Opening: Normal Variation · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 · 19,295 games
- Scotch Game · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 · 970 games
Played most often by
As White
- Nepomniachtchi,I 88
- Ivanchuk,V 36
- Nakamura,Hi 24
As Black
- Shirov,A 48
- Grischuk,A 47
- Mamedyarov,S 37
Games per decade
- 1840s 1
- 1850s 22
- 1860s 17
- 1870s 15
- 1880s 17
- 1890s 21
- 1900s 27
- 1910s 24
- 1920s 14
- 1930s 5
- 1940s 6
- 1950s 7
- 1960s 7
- 1970s 13
- 1980s 12
- 1990s 82
- 2000s 129
- 2010s 235
- 2020s 311
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pranesh,M | Keymer,Vincent | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Chess.com Open Playoffs |
| Sychev,K | Erigaisi,Arjun | 0-1 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 5th Mar 2026 |
| Nakamura,Hi | Lazavik,Denis | 1-0 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Krzyzanowski,M | Erigaisi,Arjun | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 6th Jan 2026 |
| Robson,R | So,W | 0-1 | 2026 | American Cup Champ |
| Kravtsiv,M | Erigaisi,Arjun | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Feb 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Scotch Game?
It is the opening with ECO code C44, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4. It belongs to the Scotch Game family.
Is the Scotch Game good for White or for Black?
In 965 master games on this line White wins 29%, 36% are drawn and Black wins 35%. 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 Scotch Game?
4.Nxd4 — played in 810 of the master games on this line, which leads into Scotch Game (C45).
Which grandmasters play the Scotch Game?
On the White side Nepomniachtchi,I (88), Ivanchuk,V (36), Nakamura,Hi (24); on the Black side Shirov,A (48), Grischuk,A (47), Mamedyarov,S (37).
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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