Contents

Part One: Black does not play 4 ...Nf6!

Chapter 1: 4...Miscellaneous Replies by Black ...................3
Chapter2: 4...d6 ...................................................................... 14
Chapter 3: 4...Bb4+ ................................................................. 22
Chapter 4: 4...Bc5 .................................................................... 33
Chapter 5: 4...Bc5 5 . ~ Nf6 3 6.cxd4 Rb4+ 7.Rd2 ...................37

Part Two: Black plays 4 ...Nf6!

Chapter 6: 5.e5 Ng4 ................................................................52
Chapter 7: 5.e5 Ne4 ................................................................ 67
Chapter 8: 5.e5 Ne4 6.0-0 d5 ................................................. 71
Chapter 9: 5.e5 d5 .................................................................. -73
Chapter 10: 5.e5 d5 6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 .......................... 76
Chapter 11: 5.e5 d5 6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 Bc5......................... 102
 Preface
The Scotch Gambit (l.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4!?)
is a grand old opening which has faded from popularity
with the rise of the Spanish Game (3.Bb5). Nevertheless, it
remains an attractive opening at the club and amateur
level, since it provides good attacking chances and
practically guarantees a small positional edge as well.
In the 19th Century, it was a successful weapon for
Anderssen, Bird, Charousek, Morphy and Steinitz, among
others, and as the century turned Breyer, Marshall,
Schlechter, and Spielmann were among its practitioners.
It was so thoroughly analyzed that it fell from favor for
many years, until Yakov Estrin resurrected it in
correspondence play, and his Soviet colleague Evgeny
Sveshnikov reintroduced it to regular grandmaster praxis.
Tim Harding, in his 1991 revision of a book on the
Evans Gambit-which includes a Scotch Gambit system
against the Two Knights Defense-has helped to
revitalize the opening by discovering many improve-
ments for White, many original, and some buried in the
literature. I have tried to expand upon his analysis, and
have subjected it to critical review. As a result, I believe
that I have found additional resources for White. In
addition, this book surveys lines where Black does not
transpose to the Two Knights.
But the most important aspect of the Scotch Gambit is
its clarity of ideas, which makes it an opening which is
especially useful to intermediate level players who need a
sound opening with good winning prospects which does
not involve a great deal of memorizing theoretical
variations. This book helps to keep the opening simple by
2 How to Play the Scotch Gambit
choosing only the lines for White which fit into the same
conceptual scheme, where recurring positional themes
make it easy to absorb the fundamentals of the opening. I
also happen to think that these lines are the best that
White has in the Scotch Gambit.
This book is designed for players rated 1400 to 1800. I
have tried to include a great deal of explanation and have
extended previously analyzed lines to the point where the
evaluation should be clear to the reader. Many diagrams
are provided to aid the reader in following lines, and I
have tried to avoid extensive embedding wherever
possible.
The material in this book is available on disk in
ChessBase and Access format from ChessBase USA, 2153
Highway 35, Sea Girt NJ 08750.
 Chapter 1
Miscellaneous Replies by Black

Maroczy-Porges
Nurnberg 1896

These early queen deployments never succeed in the

Scotch Gambit, because White is too well-developed.
4...Qe7 5.0-0 Qc5 6.Qd3 g6 is another attempt to hang on
to the pawn, but it doesn't: work. 7.c3! Bg7 8.cxd4 Nxd4
9.Nxd4 Qxd4 10,Qb3! Nh6 11.Uxh6 Bxh6 12.Bxf7+ was
effective in Bonch Osmolovsky-Ala tortsev, USSR 1962.
5.c3!?
Maroczy's notes indicate that simple castling would
have been better, so that the e-pawn could have advanced,
using the potential pin on the e-file.
5... Bc5
6.0-0
Maroczy gives 6.e5!, but that seems a bit speculative.
6... d6
7.Nxd4 Nxd4
8.cxd4 Bxd4
 How to Play the Scotch Gambit

White has compensation for his pawn, but only if he

keeps the initiative. An alternative plan would be to
continue development, and make use of d5. 10.Nc3! Ne7
ll.Be3 0-0 (11...Bxe3? 12.fxe3 drops the pawn at f7.)12.Bxb6
axb6 13.Nb5! with win of material. 13...c6 14.Nc7 Ra5
15.Qxb6 Rc5 16.Bd3 and although the knight is trapped,
there is no way to get at it, and the Black attack is nothing
to worry about. 16...Ng6 (to stop f2-f4) 17.Rfcl Rxcl+
18.Rxcl Nf4 19.Bfl Ne6 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.a4 with a slight
edge for White.
10... Ne7
11.Khl Nc6
12.Bd2 0-0
12...a5!? might have been a useful interpolation.
13.a5 Bd4

14.Nc3 Bxc3
Practically forced, because of the weakness at d5.
15.Bxc3 Qe7
16.Rd5 Nd8
Or 16...Bd7 17.a6 bxa6 18.Rxa6 liab8 19.Qa3!
17.e5 c6
17...dxe5?! 18.Rfel Nc6 19.a6!
 Chapter I : Miscellaneous Replies by Black 5
18.exd6 Qxd6
19.Be4 Be6
20.Qa4
Although White is still a pawn down his bishop pair
and active pieces give him sufficient compensation.
20... f5
21.Bf3 QC7
22.Rfel Re8
23.Bh5! Re7
24.Qh4 Kf 8
Black can't bring his defensive forces closer to the king,
so he tries to bring the king closer to his pieces!
25.Be5 Qd7
26.Qg3 g6
At least there is no pin on the g-pawn, part of the point
of Kf8.
27.Radl! Qe8
28.Be2 Nf7
29.Bd4?!
The bishop should have retreated to c3.
29... Kg8
30.Bh5 f4
To avoid the destructive sacrifice at g6.
31.Qh4
Not 31.Qxf4? Bb3!
31... Rd8
32.Qf6 Rxd4!
That's why the bishop should have been posted at c3
instead of d4.
33.Rxd4 gxh5
34.Iixf4 Nd8
35.Rf3 Rf 7
 How to Play the Scotch Gambit

37.Qh8+ Ke7
38.Rg8 Rf8
Or 38...Q d7 39.Rxd8! Qxd8 40.Rxe6+ Kd7 41.Rd6+
winning the queen.
39.Qxh7+ Kd6
40.Rg7 Rf7
41.Qxh5 Qe7
42.Rg6 Kd7
43.f3
Black's king is surrounded by pieces and White cannot
win by direct attack.
43... Qf8
44.Rg5 Qd6
45.Rge5
Threatening Rxeb!
45... Bd5
46.Re8 Qf6
47.R8e5 Kc7
48.Qg4 a6
49.Qg3 Kc8
50.Qg4+ Kc7
51.Qg3 Kc8
52.Qg5
 Chapter 1: Miscellaneous Replies by Black 7
The repetition was probably due to time pressure, as
White has every reason to play for a win.
52... Qxg5
53.Rxg5 Kd7
54.Rg4 Ne6
55.Kgl Nf4

The endgame favors White because he already has

passed pawns.
56.Re3 Kd6
57.b4 c5
58.bxc5+ Kxc5
59.g3 Ne6
60.Rg6 Nf8
61.Rg5 Kd4
62.Ree5 Rd7
Black did not fall for 62...Bxf3? 63.Ref5!
63.Rel Ne6
64.Rg4+ Kc3
65.Re3+ Kd2
66.Kf2 Rc7
67.Rb4 Rc5
68.h4 Rxa5
69.f4 Rc5
 How to Play the Scotch Gambit
70.f5 a5
71.Ra4 b5
72.Raa3!
The threat of Re2+ is worth more than the pawn at a5.
72... Nf4
What else?
73.gxf4 Bc4
74.Re5 Rc7
75.Rxa5 b4
76.Rac5 Rxc5
77.Rxc5 Kc3
78.f6 b3
79.f7 b2
80.f8Q blQ
81.Qf6+ Kd2
82.Qd4+ 1-0

Owens & Staunton-Horwitz & Loewenthal

London 1856

This move is too slow, but it does not deserve the lack
of recognition it has been subject to in the literature.
5.0-0
5 . ~ 3is an excellent alternative, since Black cannot
 Chapter 1: Miscellaneous Replies by Black 9
capture at c3: 5...dxc3 6.Qd5! forced Black's resignation in
DeVisser-Jennings, New York 1922.
5... 66
6.Nxd4 Nxd4
7.Qxd4 Bf 6
This is Black's idea-to develop the bishop with tempo
and keep control of e5 while planning to develop the
knight via e7.
8.Qd5
8.Qd3 was seen in a game between Cunningham and
Staunton as White and a team including Loewenthal as
Black, but the queen is not well placed there. Notes by
Staunton indicate that 8.Qe3 is best, but there is nothing
wrong with Qd5.
8... Qd7
9.f4!
White gains further space, while there is no need to
worry about the a7-gl diagonal. because neither the queen
nor bishop is in a position to exploit it.
9... c6
9...Nh6 1O.e5! dxe5 11.Qxd7+ Bxd7 12.fxe5 Bxe5 13.Bxh6
gxh6 14.Bxf7+ Kd8 1 5 . ~ 3will be uncomfortable for Black,
though the bishop pair provides some relief.
10.Qdl Nh6
11.~3 0-0

Black has finally developed, but there is now a major

10 How to Play the Scotch Gambit
weakness at 66. White must not allow Black to release the
pressure with d6-d5 (12.f5?! d5!).
12.Na3 Qe7
13.Bd3!
The c4 square will be more useful for a knight which
will pressure d6 and keep an eye on e5.
13... &
14.f5 Bg5
A major strategic concession which will lead to the loss
of the pawn at d6, but there were no attractive
alternatives.
15.f6 Qe5
16.Nc4 Qc5+
17.Khl Bxcl
18.Qxcl!

The attack at h6 deflects the queen and the d-pawn

falls.
18... Qh5
18...Ng4 19.Be2 Nf2+ 20.Rxf2 (20.Kgl Nh3+ 20.Khl
Qgl+ 21.Rxgl Nf2#) 20.. .Qxf2 21.Qg5 h6! 22.Qxh6 Qxf6 and
Black is better. White could play 19.Qd2 keeping all threats
open-Magar.
19.Nxd6 Rd8
20.Qf4 Bg4
21.Bc4 b5
 Chapter 1: Miscellaneous Replies by Black 11

Black's pinned and overworked pieces are no match

for the invaders.
26.Nxf7! Nxf7
27.Rxd7 c4
27...Rxd7 28.Qb8+ Rd8 29.Qxd8+
28.Rxd8-t Nxd8
29.RfI Ne6
29...cxb3 3O.f7+ Kf8 31.Qd6+ Qe7 32.Qxe7+ Kxe7 33.f8Q+
30.Qb8+ Kf7
31.Qxa7-t Kg8
32.Qb8+ Kf7
33.Qb7+ Kg8
34.Qc8+ 1-0

Steinitz-lung
Vienna 1860
 Now to Play the Scotch Gambit

This is Iess risky than 4...Qf6?!, but is also inadequate,

not because of the entombed Bf8, but rather because Black
has conceded control of the center.
5.0-0 Ne5
5...Qc5 6.Qd3 g6 is another attempt to hang on to the
pawn, but it doesn't work. 7.c3! Rg7 8.cxd4 Nxd4 9.Nxd4
Qxd4 10.Qb3! Nh6 11.Bxh6 Hxhb 12.Bx17+ was effective in
Ronch Osmolovsky-Alatortsev, USSR 1962.
6.Nxe5 Qxe5
7.c3!
Black is behind in development, and now White takes
control of the entire center. Black never gets time to bring
his pieces into the game.
7... c5
7...dxc3 8.Nxc3 Bb4 9.Bxf7+! Kxf7 10.Qb3+ Ke8 11.Qxb4
intending f4.
8.f4 Qf6
9.e5 Qb6
10.Khl
A good prophylactic move, taking away any possible
counterplay on the diagonal.
10... Be7
11.f5 d5
Black must do something to free his game. If 11...d6,
then 12.e6! is very strong.
12.Bxd5 Nh6
 Chapter 1 : Miscellaneous Replies by Black 13
13.f6 Bf 8
14.Bxh6 gxh6
15.Bxf7+!
White's advanced pawns are all the queen needs to
carry out the attack.
15... Kxf7
16.Qh5+ Ke6
17.Qe8+ Kd5
18.cxd4 Be6
18...cxd4 19.Nc3+ dxc3 20.Radl+ Kc5 2l.b4+ Qxb4
(21...Kxb4 22.Rbl+ Ka5 23.Rxb6 axb6 24.Rf4 b5 25.a4) 22.Qd8
also looks very good for White.
19.Nc3+ Kc4

White's queen isn't really a major part of the attack

now-in fact, it is completely superfluous!
19...Kxd4 20.Qxa8 Bg7 21.Radl + Kxe5 22.Rde1+ Kd6
23.Qxa7 Qxa7 24.Nb5+
2O.d5!! Rxe8
21.Rf4+ Kd3
22.RdI+ Kc2
22...Ke3 23.Rf3+
23.Rf2# 1-0
 Chapter 2
4.. .d6

Charousek-Exner
Budapest,Match 1896

This move is so obscure that it isn't even in the books,

although it might be seen in amateur games. Black gets a
bad version of the Philidor or Hungarian Defense.
5.Nxd4
White should capture immediately: 5.0-0 Bg4! 6.Bb5
Qf6 7.Bxc6+ bxc6 8.Qxd4 Bxf3 9.Qxf6 Nxf6 lO.gxf3 h6=+
Rousseau-Stanley, New Orleans (m/2) 1845.
5... Nf6
The alternatives are not a whole lot better:5 ...Nxd4
6.Qxd4 Be6 is relatively best, though after castling White
retains his developmental and spatial advan tage.5.. .Ne5?!
6.Bb3 c5 7.Nf3 Nxf3+ 8.Qxf3 Nf6 9.Bg5 Be7 10.Nc3 0-0 11.0-0
Be6 12.Nd5!+= Bxd5 13.Bxf6 Bxe4 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Qe3 QeB!
16.Rfel Bc6 17.Qg5 with a slight initiative for White in
Rousseau-Stanley, New Orleans (m/8) 1845.
6.Nc3 Be7
 Chapter 2: 4...d4 15
7.0-0 0-0
8.f3
Since Black cannot get his bishop to the a7-gl diagonal,
there is no weakness associated with this move.
8... Re8
9.Be3 Bf8?!
Black is attempting to play pure defense, but after
White pins the Nf6 the bishop will have to return to e7,
so the immediate 9...Ne5 would have been better, though
after 10.Bb3 White would still have a clear advantage.
10.Qd2 Ne7
11.Radl Bd7
12.Bg5!
By threatening to cripple the Bhck pawns, White
forces his opponent to waste two moves to break the pin.
12... Ng6
13.Nd5 Be7

Now White can eliminate the important defender and

maintain the pin.
14.Nxe7+ Qxe7
15.Rfel!
Both sides are fully developed but Black's pieces are
ineffective while White has placed every piece on an
optimal square.
15... Qd8
16 How to Play the Scotch Gambit

Charousek understands the value of a knight outpost

at f5. To obtain this, he will have to eliminate the enemy
bishop. The text cannot be met by 16...c6, because that
would critically weaken the pawn at d6.
16... Bxb5
17.Nxb5

Now Black must finally accept doubled pawns on the

kingside, because after 18.Bxf6 the queen must remain at
d8 to guard c7.
17... Re5
18.Bxf6 gxf6
19.Nd4!
Headed for the key square f5.
19... Qf8
20.Nf5 Rae8
21.Qc3!
The point of this move is not only to attack c7, but
more importantly, to create a pin on the Re5. Perhaps
Black should have accepted the inevitable here and played
21...Rc5.
21... d5
22.Rxd5 Rxd5
23.exd5 Rxel +
24.Qxel
 Chapter 2: 4...d4 17
The endgame is winning for White, not so much
because of the extra pawn at d5 but rather because the
kingside is so weak.
24... Qc5+
25.Qe3 Qxe3+
25.. .Qxd5?? 26.Qe8+ Nf8 27.Ne7+; 25. ..Qxc2 26.Qe8+ Nf8
27.Nh6+ Kg7 28.Qxf7+ Kxh6 29.Qxf8+ Kg6 30.Qe8+ Kg7
31.Qe7+ Kg8 (31...Kg6 32.Qe4+.) 32.Qxf6 Qd1+ 33.Kf2 Qxd5
34.a3 and White can win by advancing the h-pawn.
26.Nxe3

This endgame is a technical win-and Charousek

demonstrates that he has the necessary skills.
26... Kf8
27.Kf2 Ke7
28.Nf5+ Kd7
29.Ke3
Black's king is rendered harmless by the combination
of knight and Pd5.
29... Ne5
30.b3 c6
31.Ke4 cxd5+
32.Kxd5 Ng6
33.~3
The king has taken over for the pawn at 65, and the
Black knight is limited in scope.
 How to Play the Scotch Gambit
33... Ne5
34.Ke4 Nc6
35.Nd4
Now the monarch heads for the kingside. Obviously
Black cannot exchange knights.
35... Ne7
36.~4 b6
37.b4 a6
38.a3 Nc8
A clever move, inviting 39.Kf5? when 39...Nd6+ eats
u p the queenside pawns.
39.Nf5 Ke6
40.h4 Na7
41.Nd4+ Kd6
42.Kf5
Now it is safe.
42.. . Ke7
43.a4 Nc8
44.~5 bxc5
45.bxc5 Na7
46.h5 a5
47.h6 1-0

Breyer-Fahrni
Baden 1914
 Chapter 2: 4...d4

This plan makes a little more sense than Exner's

5...Nf6, but it is not enough for equality.
6.0-0
A logical move, but to reach the modern lines of the
Philidor, White might have delayed this move and played
6.Nc3, keeping open the option of castling queenside.
6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3 Nf6 8.Qd2 0-0 9.Nxc6! bxc6 10.Bh6 Bxh6
11.Qxh6 Nxe4 12.Nxe4 Re8 (12...d 5 13.Ng5 and White
wins.) 13.Bxf7+ Kxf7 14.Qxh7+ Kf8 15.Qxg6 Qe7 16.f3 d5
17.0-0 dxe4 18.fxe4+
6... Bg7
7.Be3 Nf6
8.Nc3 0-0
9.Qd2 Re8
10.Rael Ne5
11.Bb3

White has organized his pieces well, and Black is

behind in development and must be concerned about the
advance of the f-pawn.
20 How to Play the Scotch Gambit
11... c5?!
A sign of desperation early in the game. 11...Neg4!?
might have been wiser.
12.Ndb5 c4
13.f4! Neg4
14.Bxc4 Nxe3
15.Rxe3 Ng4
16.Rd3
Not only has White won one pawn, but he has
another one coming.
16... Qb6+
17.Khl Bxc3
18.Nxc3 Be6
19.Bxe6 fxeb
20.h3 Nf6
21.Rxd6

This has been pretty much forced, and now the two
extra pawns are easily converted into an endgame victory.
21... Rad8
21...Q xb2 22.e5 Nh5 23.g4 Ng7 24.Nc4 Re7 25.Nf6+ Kh8
26.Rd8+ Rxd8 27.Qxd8+ Re8 28.Nxe8
22.Rxb6 Rxd2
23.Rxb7 Nh5
24.Rdl Red8
25.Rxd2 Rxd2
 Chapter 2: 4...d4
26.Rxa7 Nxf4
27.Rb7
And the a-pawn flies.
27... Nxg2
28.a4 Nh4
29.Rb3 Rxc2
30.Nb5 Rcl+
31.Kh2 Rc2+
32.Kgl Rcl+
33.Kf2 Rc2+
34.Ke3 e5
35.Kd3 Rc8
36.a5 Iia 8
37.Ra3 Ng2
38.a6 Nf4+
39.Ke3 Ne6
40.a7 Kf7
41.b4 Ke7
42.Ra6 Kd7
43.Rd6+ Ke7
44.Rxe6+! Kxe6
45.Nc7+ Kd7
46.Nxa8 1-0