Is the Scotch Opening a good opening?

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eryxc

Help me out please; Is the Scotch Opening a good opening?

 

 

youngpengu
Yes
BigChiefS

I use it frequently with good results...

kindaspongey

Possibly helpful:
Playing 1.e4 - Caro-Kann, 1...e5 and Minor Lines by John Shaw
http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/Playing1e4CaroKannandothers-excerpt.pdf

S3616

I used to play that when I was five.  Didn't have good results, probably because I didn't know what I was doing.  

Mysound

its a pretty decent opening, but if you are still a novice, the scotch is a absolute destroyer of players 1400 and below if you learn the main ideas. but besides that, it is still an excellent opening.

poucin

Played by top players but of course very bad...

RoobieRoo

It originated in Scotland its bound to be good! Maria Muzychuk plays it and she is divine!

RoobieRoo

Scotch gambit I heard is fun

gented
Mysound wrote:

its a pretty decent opening, but if you are still a novice, the scotch is a absolute destroyer of players 1400 and below if you learn the main ideas. but besides that, it is still an excellent opening.

every opening is a absolute destroyer of players < 1400 tongue.png

Mysound

haha, I was referring to when you're a beginner playing other beginners. it's one of those openings that ppl who dont have a good understanding of basic positional chess get crushed.  I played it for several years and didnt change until I hit class B otb. And it's not like I switched because it's weak, but rather for a breath of fresh air.Still do it play from time to time..and still loyal to the its sidelines

tldr; When against  players with lack of positional understanding /opening concepts, you are on the offensive by default. if i play a lower rated player and would like an easy game i still play it.

Vercingetorix75

Its pretty good. Its great if the opponent is not prepared and most people aren't. There are a few different 'problem' variations that are really difficult or I guess impossible to solve if black IS prepared, unfortunately. But even in that case there still exists some more modest lines like the scotch 4 knights that probably wont ever run out of interesting ideas even if the advantage is not so great.

nighteyes1234
RecursiveThread wrote:

What do you mean by "good"?

Jeremy Silman has mentioned it. Does anything more need to be said?

 

poucin
RecursiveThread a écrit :

Pretty interesting gambit.

Seems like Urusov gambit.

Personnally i would never take the e pawn as black, not entering into what white wants, clear compensations.

Simply 5...Bc5 when white's development seems strange to me...

I searched some games, and we can use this one as a model treatment for black :

Don't tell me it is Anand : right but black did nothing really "special" to get an advantage : developing, unpinning with g5 and winning material...

ko12ko12ko12

Yes

eryxc

Thank you for all your answers and the scotch (depending on how you play it) is what you can make it to be. Thank you all for your help, again.

ThrillerFan
pfren wrote:

It seems to me that Black can afford picking the pawn.

The e6 knight offers good protection from the direct threats, and I don't see a clear way to get compensation.

8.Re1+ is probably not best, yet it is the only move played OTB so far.

 

Why would White play 5.Bb5?

 

5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4 and now 8...Nb6 or 8...Ba6 (matter of taste for Black).

SpankMyRook

I personally find the most enjoyable games using Santasiere's Folly (1.nf3...d5, 2.b4) those games are fun, but you'll get scorched by 1800+, unless you're Anthony Santasiere, himself.

HorribleTomato

If possible, I would make your post POPULAR BY SAYING YES 999999999999999999999 times, but thats spam

eryxc
Thanks everyone oh and horrible tomato thanks for not spamming.