- ECO code
- C44
- Moves
- 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4
- Family
- Scotch Game
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 970
- 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. It belongs to the Scotch Game family; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 970 games on this line — the 112th 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 312 games. An average game here lasts 41 moves.
White wins 30% of those games, 36% end in a draw, and Black wins 34%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores better here by 6 percentage points.
From this position the most popular move is 3...exd4, played in 965 games, followed by 3...d6 (2) and 3...f5 (1). 3...exd4 leads into Scotch Game (C44). After 3...exd4 White scores 29% and Black 35%.
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).
4 named variations branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Scotch Game (C44); Scotch Game (C45); Scotch Game: Schmidt Variation.
Reading about an opening is not the same as knowing it. Play this line against the Katuranga bot, then let the engine mark your brilliant moves, mistakes and blunders in Analysis — the fastest way to find out which of these moves you actually understand.
Results in master games
- White 30% (287)
- Draws 36% (349)
- Black 34% (334)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3...exd4 | 965 | 29/36/35 | Scotch Game (C44) |
| 3...d6 | 2 | 50/50/0 | — |
| 3...f5 | 1 | 0/0/100 | — |
| 3...f6 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
| 3...Nxd4 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
Variations from this position
- Scotch Game (C44) · 3...exd4 · 965 games
- Scotch Game (C45) · 3...exd4 4.Nxd4 · 810 games
- Schmidt Variation · 3...exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 · 374 games
- Classical Variation · 3...exd4 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
Played most often by
As White
- Nepomniachtchi,I 88
- Ivanchuk,V 36
- Carlsen,M 24
As Black
- Shirov,A 48
- Grischuk,A 47
- Mamedyarov,S 37
Games per decade
- 1840s 1
- 1850s 23
- 1860s 18
- 1870s 15
- 1880s 17
- 1890s 21
- 1900s 27
- 1910s 25
- 1920s 14
- 1930s 5
- 1940s 6
- 1950s 7
- 1960s 7
- 1970s 13
- 1980s 12
- 1990s 82
- 2000s 129
- 2010s 236
- 2020s 312
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. It belongs to the Scotch Game family.
Is the Scotch Game good for White or for Black?
In 970 master games on this line White wins 30%, 36% are drawn and Black wins 34%. 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?
3...exd4 — played in 965 of the master games on this line, which leads into Scotch Game (C44).
Which grandmasters play the Scotch Game?
On the White side Nepomniachtchi,I (88), Ivanchuk,V (36), Carlsen,M (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).
Try this line on the board
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