Modern Scandinavian tactics
Instead of taking the pawn back immediately, Black leaves it and develops, which turns a quiet opening into a genuine gambit for a while.
- 120 positions in the course
- Difficulty 1043–2505
- Section: Sidelines and Surprises
- 5 levels
What the Modern Scandinavian produces tactically
Black answers the capture on d5 with ...Nf6 rather than ...Qxd5, planning to win the pawn back later and keeping the queen off the squares where she gets chased. For a few moves Black is simply a pawn down and betting on development, which is a different opening from the main line even though it starts with the same two moves.
White then has a real choice, and it produces the tactics. Cling to the pawn with c4 and get squeezed by pieces coming at a position that has stopped developing. Or hand it back and finish developing, in which case the game is normal. Most of the positions here come from the knight being chased around while it hunts the pawn, and from the light squares Black gave up in order to recover it.
How to spot it
- Ask what is defending the d5 pawn. If it is a piece that cannot leave, attack the defender rather than the pawn.
- Count development before counting material. A pawn is worth about one move here and rarely more.
- The knight doing the chasing has to have squares. Check its retreats before it commits.
- Watch the light squares around the black queenside once the pawn comes back. That is what was paid for it.
Three Modern Scandinavian positions
Three positions from the 120 in this skill, easiest first. The highlighted squares are the move your opponent has just played. Work it out before you open the answer.
Position 1
Black to move. Find the best move.
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17.hxg3 17...Qh1#
The line ends in checkmate. The Modern Scandinavian trades a pawn for development, and these positions are what that bargain has become by the middlegame.
The position comes from the middlegame of a real game, rated 1070 for difficulty. The answer reaches checkmate.
Position 2
White to move. Find the best move.
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18...Rhf8 19.Qxb7#
The line ends in checkmate. The Modern Scandinavian trades a pawn for development, and these positions are what that bargain has become by the middlegame.
The position comes from the middlegame of a real game, rated 1713 for difficulty. The answer reaches checkmate.
Position 3
Black to move. Find the best move.
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18.Rxd5 18...Bxc1 19.Rxd8 19...Bxb2
The line wins a piece. The Modern Scandinavian trades a pawn for development, and these positions are what that bargain has become by the middlegame.
The position comes from the middlegame of a real game, rated 1948 for difficulty. The answer reaches a winning advantage.
Whether to hold the pawn
For White the practical answer is usually no. Holding an extra pawn with c4 and then defending it costs several moves, and against a developed opponent those moves are worth more than the pawn. Giving it back at a convenient moment and finishing development leaves a normal, slightly pleasant position, which is a better outcome than a tense one.
For Black the risk is treating the gambit as automatic compensation. The pawn is only worth it if the pieces actually get out and actually do something. A Modern Scandinavian where Black recovers the pawn on move twelve and has developed two pieces is just a slightly worse position.
Questions people ask
What is the Modern Scandinavian?
The line where Black meets 2.exd5 with 2...Nf6 rather than recapturing with the queen, aiming to win the pawn back with pieces and avoid the queen being chased around.
Should White try to keep the extra pawn?
It is possible and it is committal. Defending it usually costs development, which is exactly what Black is playing for. The main practical recommendation is to give it back on your own terms rather than to defend it on Black's.
Nearby patterns
Modern Scandinavian sits in Sidelines and Surprises. The rest of that section: