Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

Black plays too defensively here: they give us the whole center. The pawn on d5 forces the knight to retreat.

Let’s continue taking the center with the pawn to c4.

Let’s continue development with the knight to c3.

We have a lot of space, which is a considerable advantage.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

Black plays too defensively here: they give us the whole center. The pawn on d5 forces the knight to retreat.

This is Black’s second most played move… It simply loses a central pawn. The knight takes the knight on d4.

Now we win a free pawn: queen takes the pawn on d4.

That was easy…

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

Let’s simply play pawn takes pawn on e5.

Now let’s develop our bishop to c4.

Black thinks they are attacking our f2-pawn, but we simply have queen to d5, threatening both mate on f7 and the knight on e4.

This only delays the inevitable. The king moves to f1.

Black castled to stop the mate threat, but now we win a free knight: queen takes the knight on e4.

We are a knight up.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

f5 is not a viable answer to the Scotch. This move loses immediately.

We recapture the knight.

They take, and we attack the e4-pawn while developing our knight.

We have won the game right out of the opening; the e-pawn is going to be a big problem.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

f5 is not a viable answer to the Scotch. This move loses immediately.

Black gets revenge on the e-pawn.

Blocks the check.

Black takes the queen, but we recapture it right after.

This move is etc...

The king has lost castling rights, and Black’s development is difficult.

Black’s king has lost castling rights, and we have no development problems.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

f5 is not a viable answer to the Scotch. This move loses immediately.

Black gets revenge on the e-pawn.

Blocks the check.

White has a basic but effective tactic to take the rook.

The queen blocks the check.

Goodbye rook.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

d5 is a fairly good move for Black, even though it is not played very often.

The right move here: we will need to play solidly.

Develops the bishop and pins the knight.

They take, we recapture.

The position is equal. Let’s play chess!

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

f5 is not a viable answer to the Scotch. This move loses immediately.

Black develops their knight and leaves the other one hanging; let’s take it.

Black recaptures; we simply push e.

Black brings their knight back to the best square.

Black brings the knight back to its best square. (That knight moves a lot!)

We have simply destroyed the center, and the engine gives us a 2-point advantage.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

Let’s simply play pawn takes pawn on e5.

Now let’s develop our bishop to c4.

Repositions the knight.

Repositions the knight.

We are better here; the engine gives us +1.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

d5 is a fairly good move for Black, even though it is not played very often.

This move is a blunder; let’s take the knight.

They recapture, and after queen takes, we have the center and an extra pawn. Life is good.

Black is a pawn down and we have the center. Well played!

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

We set a trap by offering d4 to Black.

Queen takes d4.

Bad move by Black. Any queen move is good, but De3 keeps the activity.

Key point of the Scotch: hit Cf6 with e5. Let’s play e5.

Transposition into a line already studied.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

We set a trap by offering d4 to Black.

Queen takes d4.

Let’s refuse the exchange: e5 keeps the queen active.

Black’s blunder: Fc4 develops and attacks the queen.

Threats on c2 and g2, but it is a bluff: the captures lose. Let’s continue development with Cc3.

Fd5 attacks the queen and saves the rook.

Fd2, preparing queenside castling.

Material is equal, but development is superior and the king will soon be safe.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

We set a trap by offering d4 to Black.

Queen takes d4.

Let’s refuse the exchange: e5 keeps the queen active.

Black’s blunder: Fc4 develops and attacks the queen.

Black wants to exchange, but Df4 is better, threatening mate on f7.

Already a +2 advantage. While Black defends, let’s castle and develop our pieces.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

We set a trap by offering d4 to Black.

Queen takes d4.

Let’s refuse the exchange: e5 keeps the queen active.

Black wants to trade queens. Let’s play Fe3 to continue development.

Bishop takes d4.

Center completely controlled.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

We set a trap by offering d4 to Black.

Queen takes d4.

Simple plan against passive play: Cc3, then develop the bishop and castle queenside.

Fg5, continuing the plan and pinning the knight.

Queenside castling.

Our rook shares the file with Black’s queen. Let’s open it with e5.

Queen takes e5, attacking Black’s queen with the rook.

Queen takes c7, winning a pawn.

Key to winning: Fb5 attacks the queen.

Queen takes b7.

Bishop takes the queen on e8.

Bishop to a4, with two extra pawns.

Two extra pawns.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

We set a trap by offering d4 to Black.

Queen takes d4.

Simple plan against passive play: Cc3, then develop the bishop and castle queenside.

Fg5, continuing the plan and pinning the knight.

Queenside castling.

Our rook shares the file with Black’s queen. Let’s open it with e5.

Queen takes e5, attacking Black’s queen with the rook.

Queen takes c7, winning a pawn.

Key to winning: Fb5 attacks the queen.

Black retreats the queen and leaves the bishop undefended. Queen takes e7.

Finito.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

We set a trap by offering d4 to Black.

Queen takes d4.

Decisive e5-pawn.

Black pins the pawn to protect the knight. Answer: Fe3, development and the pawn is freed.

Rapid development to castle: Cc3.

Black is lost. Cd5 attacks the queen and threatens the fork on c7.

Black is in danger. Pawn takes d6.

Black defends c7. Let’s add an attacker: Ff4, pinning the queen to the pawn.

Let’s simply block with the bishop on e2.

Material is equal, but the advantage is decisive: +5 according to the evaluation.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

We set a trap by offering d4 to Black.

Queen takes d4.

Decisive e5-pawn.

Black pins the pawn to protect the knight. Answer: Fe3, development and the pawn is freed.

Rapid development to castle: Cc3.

Black is lost. Cd5 attacks the queen and threatens the fork on c7.

Black is in danger. Pawn takes d6.

No good move for Black. Queen takes g7.

Endgame: winning a rook and probably other pieces.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

We set a trap by offering d4 to Black.

Queen takes d4.

Decisive e5-pawn.

Queen to e3, renewed attack on the knight.

Black’s knight is so badly placed. Queen to e4 to attack it again.

Queen attacked. The e5-pawn captures en passant on d6, check.

Bishop to b5, check. Black must defend with the queen, which we then win, followed by a pawn and a rook.

The bishop captures the queen on d7.

The queen captures the pawn on b7.

The queen captures the rook on a8.

Total destruction.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

We set a trap by offering d4 to Black.

Queen takes d4.

Decisive e5-pawn.

Queen to e3, renewed attack on the knight.

Queen to f3, pressure on the knight.

Development: knight to c3.

Development: bishop to e3.

Queenside castling.

Clearly superior position: +2 to +3, equivalent to being a piece up.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

We set a trap by offering d4 to Black.

Queen takes d4.

Decisive e5-pawn.

Queen to e3, renewed attack on the knight.

Queen to f3, pressure on the knight.

Black threatens a fork on c2 winning the rook. But better than a fork: mate. Let’s play Fc4 to threaten f7. If they take the rook, we mate.

Check, the king retreats to d1.

E5 captures en passant on d6.

Check, the king captures the knight on c2.

A piece up, better development, and a safe king.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

We set a trap by offering d4 to Black.

Queen takes d4.

Decisive e5-pawn.

Queen to e3, renewed attack on the knight.

Queen to f3, pressure on the knight.

As soon as possible, aim for mate on f7: with the knight moved away, let’s play Fc4.

Perfect! Either we mate, or we castle.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

We set a trap by offering d4 to Black.

Queen takes d4.

Decisive e5-pawn.

Let’s develop the knight to c3.

Let’s develop the bishop to f4 and prepare queenside castling.

Let’s recapture with the queen on e5 to give check.

Here almost everything is good, but the best is Cb5, adding pressure on c7. After the queen trade, the knight will go to c7 for a king-rook fork.

The bishop recaptures on e5, and we immediately threaten the Cc7 fork, which Black cannot prevent.

The knight will arrive on c7. It will win a rook. The game is over.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

We set a trap by offering d4 to Black.

Queen takes d4.

Decisive e5-pawn.

Let’s develop the knight to c3.

Let’s develop the bishop to f4 and prepare queenside castling.

Let’s recapture with the queen on e5 to give check.

Let’s add even more pressure on the c7-pawn with the knight to b5.

We are putting too much pressure on the c7-square.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

Knight recaptures on d4, setting a trap for Black.

Schmidt Variation: Cxc6.

Fd3 protects e4 and prepares castling.

Black puts pressure on e. Best move: exd5, removing the opponent’s doubled pawns.

Queenside castling to secure the king.

Do not let Black control the center: c4.

Game played perfectly by both sides.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

Knight recaptures on d4, setting a trap for Black.

Schmidt Variation: Cxc6.

Fd3 protects e4 and prepares castling.

e5 attacks the knight on f6 before castling.

Let’s play queen to g4, attacking the undefended g7-pawn.

Black defends g7. Fh6 prevents any castling.

Black’s push reveals an attack. Da4 threatens c6.

Black’s push exposes our queen. Da4, threatening c6.

Queenside castling, king safe unlike Black’s.

Very bad position for Black.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

Knight recaptures on d4, setting a trap for Black.

Schmidt Variation: Cxc6.

Fd3 protects e4 and prepares castling.

e5 attacks the knight on f6 before castling.

Pawn attacked. Answer: queenside castling. If it is taken, Te1 pins the queen to the king.

Goal: bishop to c5. First step: Cd2. Black cannot take the central pawn because their queen would be pinned.

Ce4 attacks Black’s bishop.

c4 attacks the knight, which has only one safe square.

Cf6, winning check.

Fxh7, a sacrifice to attack the vulnerable king.

Dh5, check against the weakened king.

Remember the sequence: Dg4, check to the king.

Dh4, check.

Fh6, adding a piece to the attack.

Dg4, check. The opposing queen must defend or it is mate.

Fg5, winning the queen.

Winning the queen.

Knight to f3.

In the Scotch Game, you must pose the problem immediately. Pawn to d4. Black must decide whether to take our pawn or defend their own.

Knight recaptures on d4, setting a trap for Black.

Schmidt Variation: Cxc6.

Absurd but common move: Dd8, canceling Black’s right to castle.

f3 to stabilize the center.

Let’s develop and castle, an option Black no longer has.

Knight to f3.

Scotch: d4 poses the problem. Black must take or defend.

Knight takes d4, setting a trap for Black.

Fe3, defending the knight in the main line of the Scotch.

Fxd4, exchange in the center.

the queen captures the bishop on d4.

Refusing the exchange: e5 keeps the queen active.

Dxb6, queen trade.

Let’s develop our knight to c3.

Queenside castling.

Fc4, development.

Comfortable position with +1.5. Convert it into a win.

Knight to f3.

Scotch: d4 poses the problem. Black must take or defend.

Knight takes d4, setting a trap for Black.

Fe3, defending the knight in the main line of the Scotch.

Cxc6 attacks the queen and wins the bishop on c5. Black cannot save both.

Fxc5, winning a free bishop.

Destroyed.

Knight to f3.

Scotch: d4 poses the problem. Black must take or defend.

Knight takes d4, setting a trap for Black.

Fe3, defending the knight in the main line of the Scotch.

Black adds an attacker. Answer: c3, adding a defender.

Fc4, development.

Let’s castle to secure the king.

Good position.

Knight to f3.

Scotch: d4 poses the problem. Black must take or defend.

Knight takes d4, setting a trap for Black.

Fe3, defending the knight in the main line of the Scotch.

Black adds an attacker. Answer: c3, adding a defender.

Fc4, development.

If Black castles, so do we.

Cxc6, clearing the center.

Fxc5, clearing the center.

Start of a kingside attack: f4, increasing pressure on Black’s queen.

e5 attacks the queen.

Fxe6, bishop exchange.

Cd2, development.

Good position.

Knight to f3.

Scotch: d4 poses the problem. Black must take or defend.

Knight takes d4, setting a trap for Black.

Fe3, defending the knight in the main line of the Scotch.

Black adds an attacker. Answer: c3, adding a defender.

Fc4, development.

If Black castles, so do we.

Cxc6, clearing the center.

Fxc5, clearing the center.

Start of a kingside attack: f4, increasing pressure on Black’s queen.

e5 attacks the queen.

Fd3, blocking the queen.

The bishop captures the bishop on f5.

Knight to d2.

Slightly superior position.

Knight to f3.

Scotch: d4 poses the problem. Black must take or defend.

Knight takes d4, setting a trap for Black.

Fe3, defending the knight in the main line of the Scotch.

Black adds an attacker. Answer: c3, adding a defender.

Fc4, development.

If Black castles, so do we.

Black attacks the bishop. Retreat to e2, a safe square.

f4 attacks the knight on e5.

This push gives us the advantage over the opponent.

Knight to f3.

Scotch: d4 poses the problem. Black must take or defend.

Knight takes d4, setting a trap for Black.

Fe3, defending the knight in the main line of the Scotch.

Repositions the bishop.

Knight development.

Castling.

White is solid here. Let’s play chess 😉

Knight to f3.

Scotch: d4 poses the problem. Black must take or defend.

Knight takes d4, setting a trap for Black.

Fe3, defending the knight in the main line of the Scotch.

Black adds an attacker. Answer: c3, adding a defender.

Fc4, development.

The knight takes good squares. Solid move.

Let’s play chess ;)

Knight to f3.

Scotch: d4, forcing Black to take or defend.

Knight takes d4, setting a trap for Black.

Db5 threatens the fork on c7, now undefended, giving a clear advantage.

Black threatens mate on f2, so we must deal with it immediately. Let’s simply play queen to e2.

Knight b1-c3, ready to jump to d5 to create a decisive fork on the queen, bishop, and c7-pawn.

Black has prevented our idea of knight to d5.

Let’s continue development. Castle to put our king in safety and prepare the attack.

Knight to f3.

Scotch: d4, forcing Black to take or defend.

Knight takes d4, setting a trap for Black.

Db5 threatens the fork on c7, now undefended, giving a clear advantage.

Black threatens mate on f2, so we must deal with it immediately. Let’s simply play queen to e2.

Knight b1-c3, ready to jump to d5 to create a decisive fork on the queen, bishop, and c7-pawn.

Cd5, fork on the bishop, queen, and c7-pawn.

Cxb6, eliminating a key defender.

Knight to d6, check.

Ff4, development.

Material is equal, but the knight is dominant. Plan: castle, develop, then attack Black’s weakened position.

Knight to f3.

Scotch: d4, forcing Black to take or defend.

Knight takes d4, setting a trap for Black.

Db5 threatens the fork on c7, now undefended, giving a clear advantage.

We block the check with our knight.

We develop our bishop.

Kingside castling.

A classic way to prepare the f-pawn push.

Knight to f3.

Scotch: d4, forcing Black to take or defend.

Knight takes d4, setting a trap for Black.

Db5 threatens the fork on c7, now undefended, giving a clear advantage.

One of the most played moves in this position.

Let’s develop our knight.

Knight to d4, well placed despite the attack.

Let’s take advantage of Black’s delay: take and break their structure.

Let’s push the pawn to increase the pressure.

Favorable position: +1 and concrete threats against Black.

Knight to f3.

Scotch: d4, forcing Black to take or defend.

Knight takes d4, setting a trap for Black.

Db5 threatens the fork on c7, now undefended, giving a clear advantage.

Black threatens mate on f2, so we must deal with it immediately. Let’s simply play queen to e2.

Black attacks our queen with the knight, which is very bad.

King moves.

We move the queen out of attack.

Damage control.

A rook up. Well played.

Knight to f3.

Scotch: d4, forcing Black to take or defend.

Knight takes d4, setting a trap for Black.

Db5 threatens the fork on c7, now undefended, giving a clear advantage.

One of the most played moves in this position.

A big mistake.

King moves.

Well played, it is already over.