Scandinavian defense

What is your experience playing the scandinavian defense?

Question too broad and there are lots of variations in the Scandinavian Defense (example Black can play 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 but also 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6).

As Black :

Imo the Scandinavian player is often first a Caro–Kann player but as he can't like 1) e4 c6 2) d4 d5 3) exd5 exd5 then 4) c4 or 4) c3 (Carlsbad Pawn Structure), he will play 1) e4 c6 2) d4 d5 3) exd5 Qxd5 4) Nc3 Qa5 then he will limit himself to the Scandinavian Defense (because he will only have one opening to know)

White very often want to play the o-o-o vs o-o strategy which makes the opening much easier to study and otherwise probably the most annoying variation (even if doubtful) is 1) e4 d5 2) exd5 Qxd5 3) Nc3 Qa5 4) b4

I've taken Center Counter Defense up (i.e. the Scandinavian) with decent results

I currently play the Anderssen Variation i.e. 3...Qa5 IMO... that tempo White wins kicking the Queen to a5, isn't all that significant. IMO ... Qa5 almost acts like a lure drawing White into playing a couple of positions that I've become familiar with. Sure bet White will play d4 or d3 play Bd2 attempt a discovered attack with the queen's knight moving to somewhere like d4.

I prefer the ...Bf5 lines. (over the ...Bg4 lines)

IMO it's a combative defense ... More so than the Caro-Kan that it's often compared to.

I was indeed a Caro Kann player. I don't like 3 e5 against the Caro Kann. It seems many Caro Kann players become Scandinavian players even though the Caro Kann is the better defense.

There are typically four main versions of the Scandinavian - 2...Nf6, 2...Qxd5 3 Nc3 Qa5, 2...Qxd5 3 Nc3 Qd6, and 2...Qxd5 3 Nc3 Qd8.

After 1 e4 d5 2 exd5 I first played 2...Nf6 and used Smerdon's very good book on it. However, the Portuguese (3 d4 Bg4), which has always been under a cloud, has been busted by Stockfish.

Next I played 2...Qxd5 3 Nc3 Qd6. But it seemed I was facing Shirov's 7 f4 in a main line rather often and I always got bad games against it.

Next I played 3...Qd8. Found it difficult to win with against lower rated players and stronger players put constant pressure on me.

Next I played 3...Qa5 and have liked it the best. I use the very good book The Scandinavian for Club Players, it presents a repertoire for black plus it teaches. It also covers when white varies early with 2 Nc3, 2 e5, 2 d4 (Blackmar-Diemar Gambit), 2...Qxd5 3 Nf3, 2...Qxd5 3 d4.

My results have been better with the 3...Qa5 Scandinavian than with the Caro Kann.

Wassup?? I like it! I just played it OTB an hour ago and I won with a nice trap. GothamChess also likes it. So what are you waiting for? 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 is my xp.

@3

"that tempo White wins kicking the Queen to a5, isn't all that significant"

It is a misconception that black loses tempo in the Scandinavian. Compare:

@7

In the Scandinavian black wastes 2 tempi: Qd8xd5-d6-c7: 3 moves instead of 1.
However, white wastes 1 tempo 2 exd5.
In the Caro-Kann black wastes 1 tempo 3...dxe4.

2 - 1 = 1