How do I defend against this opening?

Hi, I apologise in advance if this opening has been posted before (it probably has >.<") but how do I defend against it? I came across it in a game today as black, and lost spectacularly XD 

This is called the Scotch - it's quite old but fell out of fashion in the 20th century. Kasparov famously 'revived' it in one of his matches against Karpov, and it's been seeing quite a lot of play ever since. Yeres is suggesting you play the Philidor defense - even older than the Scotch. I assume the point is to avoid a lot of theory (you dodge the Ruy Lopez, the Scotch, and the main line Italian game by playing ...d6 instead of ...Nc6). But since you asked about the Scotch, I'll line-dump for you and you can decide for yourself whether you want to mess with it. 

the theory: 

I feel like people play the Scotch because they want to make something messy, so, when I play it as black, I try to think my way to something cleaner. 

4.. Nxd4 is bad

3...exd4 is basically the only way for black to play

Hello Lilly8658,

The Scotch has become on of my favorites as White. I think Black's best reply after 3. d4 is to take the pawn. 3...f4?! seems dubious to me. This video though will quickly go over the main lines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsTCPOVnSf4

Check out my latest analysis of a Scotch game--Black appeared more or less fine until 17...Bxd5?!

http://www.chess.com/blog/OldChessDog/pulling-out-the-scotch

A principle of chess is: don't move the pawns in front of your king.

I never consider f6 to be a move, except in rare circumstances.

try the hippopotamus defense...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsMBHySzkC8

.....or the sicilian/french defenses (I prefer french) :)

Good Luck to you!

Man...someone asks about the Scotch, and everybody's like "Hey have you considered *EVERY OTHER 1.e4 DEFENSE?*" =P

But, on that note, Five suggested the Petroff, and I think that might be a great choice - because it's classical (so you can keep playing 1...e5 - your comfort zone), but also a little offbeat, so you can get the edge in preparation immediately (and, at beginner level, if you're prepared 5 moves deep, you opponents will very often be worse out of the opening). All that said, I play what Roof suggested in the Scotch and feel like it suits me perfectly. You're not winning by force, you're not creating some massive imbalance, you're not sacrificing everything for some glorious checkmate, but you're creating a good position that you can just play, and that's actually the whole point of opening preparation. 

Thanks for all the help guys!!! I'm almost overwhelmed looking at it XD I think I'll stick with 1. e4 e5 2. nf3 nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. nxd4 bd4+ 5.c3 because it seems easiest, and something that I'd remember! :P 

It's a good line - all of the moves feel very natural, and it's pretty forceful, so white can't really play around your preparation....EXCEPT by playing the gambit line with 4.Bc4 which you do need to look at. It's an invitation for you to make a mistake, so if you memorize the traps by playing with the position a little, you'll minimize the window for error and end up with something you can live with. 

Strangely enough I have already made a post about this line. Maybe I will just Copy and Paste what I wrote to here .

Maybe I will make a blog about it till I figure out here you go OP.

White starts with 1.e4  - white enages in taking claim to the center immediately with a pawn. No dancing around He is going straight for the throat. If black does nothing to address this center claim white will proceed with d4 to have 2 pawns in the center.

Black responses with 1...e5 - halting white at all cost to reach 2 center pawns. For if white plays d4 now black will take it.

Classical chess at its finest William Steinitz would be proud.

2.Nf3 - White in upset with blacks move to stop him from having 2 pawns in the center. So he plays the knight move to attack the e5 pawn threating to take the pawn. If black does nothing to defend it. White will take the e5 pawn and Laugh.

2...Nc6 - Black defends telling white. He better be prepared to go to war.

At this moment white has come up with multiple ideas.

1 - One Idea white has is to try and exploit the fact blacks knight is blocking the Black C pawn.

White agrues black has not stopped him from taking claim of the center with 2 pawns. In fact all black has done is in raged white to pursue the dream of 2 pawns in the center even further.

Which is how 3 chess lines were created

• The Ponziani opening - This opening is often said to be not so good becuase it trys to do this idea to fast. It trys to immediately do the c3 and d4 idea. However, by doing it to fast it causes problems because whites e4 pawn isn't defended. So black usually trys to stop white from getting 2 pawns in the center by attacking the e4 pawn. They try and get rid of the e4 pawn so that white again does not have 2 center pawns.

• The Ruy Lopez(Spanish Game) - This opening trys to do the same plan with c3 and d4. However it has found a way to defend the e4 pawn. It has found a very fancy way of defending the e4 pawn as well .  Which makes things complex but also very groovy.

• The Italian Game - This opening does the same idea of c3 and d4 it just does it the slowest of the 3. It is considered solid and used for beginners. Who try to do the same plan just with out having to know all the groovy complex subtleties of the position lol.

All 3 have an aim to play c3 than d4 to have 2 pawns in the center. An becuase black has a knight on c6. Black can't do the same plan with his pawns.

WOOOOO RAWWWWW

2 - Instead of doing a whole plan of building up 2 pawns in the center white says. Hey! Maybe I can abandon that idea and get a piece in the center?

3.d4 - Some center action if you know what I mean! However, no one knows what happen that night because they was all drunk. They was all drinking Scotch.

3...exd4 - Blacks pawn was being threaten so he simply takes the pawn and smiles. He smiles becuase he knows white is not going to be annoying and pressure him with a long term plan.

4.Nxd4 - White retakes the lost pawn and responses with well you might be smiling now but I'm all up in your center-ola. I have a knight in the middle of the board. Deal with it!

At this point black has a few responses. I like the Classical variation.

ECO code C45 Scotch Game / Classical Variation

The move that demonstrates the Classical Variation for black is the following move.

WHY DOES BLACK PLAY THIS? I'LL TELL YOU WHY. BLACK PULLS A CLINT EASTWOOD THATS WHY!

4...Bc5 - " Go ahead punk make my day!" You think you can have your knight there. I'm attacking your knight twice. Deal with that!

Than that is when the magic happens Lady's and Gentlemen.

The line I have been talking about this whole time happens. What is the name of the line? What is the moves?

5.Nxc6 - White says I'm taking your knight on c6. I'm giving you damaged pawn structure. How do you like me now SUCKA. HAHAHAHAHAHA Take that black.

BOOO YAAA In your face black. In De Face.

Than black does it. It happens the move of all moves. To show the line I'm talking about.

What is the move?

5...Qf6!! - Deal with that Punk! I don't have to take your knight right now.

WHAT?? WHITE IS UP A PIECE RIGHT NOW??? WHAT ONE EARTH IS GOING ON HERE??? WHY CAN'T WHITE MOVE THE KNIGHT AWAY TO SAFETY??

Its called the Intermezzo Variation OOOOOOOO everyone loves the Intermezzo Variation.

ECO code C45 Scotch Game/Classical Variation/Intermezzo Variation

THAN YOU SEE WHY THE KNIGHT CAN NOT MOVE FOR IT IS A MATE IN 1 THREAT Qxf2# HAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHA.

Qf6 threatens mate in 1 and also moves the queen away from d8. So that way if black plays dxc6 white can not play QxQ KxQ leaving the black king in the center of the board.

Than that is when the magic happens in your mind. You understand why Qf6 is played.

An that is a 1 continuation of the Scotch. Don't you just love that variation.

Usually white responses with a Queen move to defend.

An that is some of the theory of the Scotch. It can be very precise and fun.

Qe7.