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Is Scandinavian Defense: Mieses vs Kotrić better or is scotch better?
These are my prime openings
Scandinavian defense is easy to beat if your opponent knows what you’re doing. Technically, this is also true for the Scotch, but It’s much more sound. I would recommend the Scotch Game/Gambit
The Scandinavian is better more provocative and generally more annoying for the white player
The Scotch suffers from a similar issue as the King's Gambit :
Black has many ways to fight back and can easily rely on a well prepared line that works very effectively
I appreciate your advice. Can you suggest some other openings I should play as Im obsessed with the scandinavian and scotch and want to level up or develop my games?
Skull3moji wrote:
Scandinavian defense is easy to beat if your opponent knows what you’re doing.
Scandi players all around the world are surprised to hear that. And chess theoreticians.
Scandinavian defence
SkyBlockk wrote:
I appreciate your advice. Can you suggest some other openings I should play as Im obsessed with the scandinavian and scotch and want to level up or develop my games?
Magpie is correct the Center Counter Defense (The real name of the Scandinavian) is a solid defense. White's real gripe lies in the fact they HAVE to play it.
Pre WWI it was seen at the top tournaments much more frequently than it is now. There the Mieses Var was tested by the best way before computers, and found to be solid. It's has several perceived drawbacks.
A) The Queen moves are seen as a waste of tempo (To Center Counter Defense players, it's seen as a fishing lure to bait White into playing our familiar positions.)
B) It is Monothematic... (This IMO is the real reason why it is not seen at the top) It's Solid but it's scope in theory is limited and to the modern Chess professional seen as "One Dimensional" (To the Club player/weekend warrior, a solid defense with limited theory is a boon and not a deterrent!)
In the Chess engine era, unlike other variations of the Center Counter defense The Mieses Var is still fully playable. (for now... lol... ) *** I believe the Mieses-Kotrc variation actually is the b4 gambit line by White.. which is fully playable by Black if they choose to accept it)
Surprisingly the Center Counter Defense has a strong American pedigree. Rollin Breckenridge comes to mind. ( Note: The five boroughs of NY city had Chess clubs with incredible Chess players of prowess on par with Europe... Example's Pillsbury, Mason, Showwalter, Hanham, Hodges with Marshall being the last to come out of that era. ) Rollin Breckenridge should be considered in that company, but he dies early, he was a pioneer in the Center Counter Defense.
Lasker on touring the East coast in two separate simul's Breckenridge using the Center Counter Defense fought Lasker to a draw and beat him. ** that was Lasker's prime (1892 and 1894 when Lasker beat Stinetz for the World Championship) On analyzing the games one will find his defensive schemes very modern in approach.
About a decade later, with mixed results, in Europe circa 1890s, Jacques Mieses takes up the Center Counter Defense essaying it against the likes Marcozy, Janowski, Tartakower etc.
After WWI... like so many other opening trends, the Center Counter Defense losses it's popularity... Chess is a game,, the upheaval of WWI (as well as WWII) issued in totally new and different perspectives on the game, Opening trends was just one of the many things that changed after each World War.
The Center Counter Defense get's it's Scandinavian Tag when in the mid 1960s players of Northern Europe realizing the defense was never refuted started playing it... also noting that if White deviates from the main lines..... Black 90% of the time transposes into a solid line of the Caro-Kann defense (One of the main reasons why I continue to play the Center Counter Defense!!! You avoid the Fantasy and the Advance variations in the Caro-Kann )
Below I will give 3 lines I play the most
The ICBM swindle
The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit approach
The main lines (Imo... if White deviates from it... 80% of the time Black transposes into a solid line in the Classical Caro-Kann )
Main line No#2 which few people play. IMO it's the true test of the Mieses Var 3...Qa5 and gives White much more dynamic scope.
All the lines in the Main line No#2 are very strong for White.. I'm at a loss on why I don't see 8.Qe2 more often...
I'll also note: lines with an early Ne5 by White attempting a "GM Shirov style" pawn roller on the kingside with f4, g4 etc or an early g3 and Bg2 although those schemes work well when Black plays 3...Qd6 var, IMO those ideas are not as effective in 3...Qa5 var ( people play those ideas... & they don't work... Black get's an ok game)
