The Scandinavian Defense: Modern variation: 2.Nf6

1. I like those kind of positions, thanks for your feedback @complexanalysis1 

I switched to this from the Caro Kann and haven't regretted it. Nobody below 1500 will play any of the critical lines so you'll be getting a lot of comfortable positions. And there's also a lot less theory to learn.

Two books which feature the 2...Nf6 Scandinavian (Icelandic Gambit and Portuguese Variation)...

the following book by Moret is targeted to improving novice-intermediate players....an excellent introduction to the opening...

My First Chess Opening Repertoire for Black by Vincent Moret... (use the preview feature on the web page to see an excerpt of the book)...

https://www.google.com/books/edition/My_First_Chess_Opening_Repertoire_for_Bl/GL88DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0

Moret's repertoire books are also available in interactive training format on Chessable...

https://www.chessable.com/my-first-chess-opening-repertoire-for-black/course/9014/

https://www.chessable.com/my-first-chess-opening-repertoire-for-white/course/7543/

Smerdon's Scandinavian by David Smerdon....

A more advanced treatment than Moret's....suitable even for GM's !  (probably too much detail for anyone rated below 1500-1600)...

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Smerdon_s_Scandinavian/VB_vsgEACAAJ?hl=en

check out my blog for more good stuff, resources, book recommendations, etc.....for improving chess amateurs...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!! MY OPENING!!!!

Smerdon's Scandinavian is one of the most accessible books I've read

I play this opening. I just opened my account, so I don't have any good games in it rn, but on [another site] I've played and won many nice games with it. The problem with this opening is that it is bad, but only if White knows how to punish it. There is one line where Black is worse no matter what he does, so against opponents with preparation it's not ideal. I'm currently learning the Sicilian/French as a second option (although I also play 1...e5)

https://chessmood.com/blog/the-journey-into-the-scandinavian-defense-jungle

playing 3. c4 is just better by force for Black after 3 ..c6 4. dxc6 (otherwise transposes to caro-kann and black has a fine game) nxc6, and almost no matter what White does, e5 comes and Black is much better.

Most of the time, you are playing against pawn structure though. Here's a game I just played

(I have a trackpad, and was playing during class so I flagged, but meh)

Obviously, Black is just a healthy pawn up in the endgame, and then I started playing nonsense because I had no time.

Another game (also played in class w/ trackpad, also im just really slow, but the first part is very instructive)

The idea, again: play against the structure. Usually in this variation, White has d5-c4 setup or similar and usually you want to play against that with c6 break, and somehow get a favourable trade.

If your opponent doesn't have that setup, then you either want to fight against centre pawns, or block them (very important concept)

See this game I played:

Qc7 was very stupid by me (it was a quick game, but no excuses) as it allowed d5. Other than that, what's important is the Be6-Na5 block the pawns on the light squares idea.

After 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. c4 my preferred move is 3... c6, the Panov Transfer Variation