8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4

Shown from White's side. ECO C44.

Opening guide · an opening for White

Scotch Game

The Scotch Game starts 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4. White opens the centre at once instead of preparing the push, so pieces come out quickly and the position becomes open early. After 3...exd4 4. Nxd4 White has a knight in the centre and free development for both bishops.

Games in our sample
75,392
White wins
52.7%
Draws
4.2%
Black wins
43.1%
Open this position on the analysis boardResults by rating

How the Scotch Game scores at each rating

Each row is one rating band. The share is how much of all the games in that band started with this opening.

RatingGamesShareWhite winsDrawsBlack wins
under 10004,1821.9%53.1%3.8%43.0%
1000 to 11999,0012.8%53.5%3.5%43.0%
1200 to 139914,8603.2%53.8%3.4%42.8%
1400 to 159917,8542.9%52.6%3.9%43.5%
1600 to 179915,9672.5%52.6%4.6%42.9%
1800 to 19999,2071.8%51.5%5.1%43.4%
2000 to 21993,3231.3%50.0%5.9%44.1%
2200 and over9980.9%48.8%11.5%39.7%
All ratings75,3922.4%52.7%4.2%43.1%

Counted from 3,156,949 rated blitz, rapid and classical games played on Lichess from 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-02 (the first 5,000,000 games of the month's public file; bullet and unrated games left out). The rating is the average of the two players' Lichess ratings. Source: the Lichess open database (public domain).

Main lines

The named lines of the Scotch Game that were played most in our sample, each with the position it reaches.

  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Lolli Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 Nxd4

    15,250 games · White 54.8% · draws 5.0% · Black 40.2%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Classical Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5

    5,483 games · White 49.8% · draws 4.8% · Black 45.4%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Scotch Gambit

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4

    4,979 games · White 53.5% · draws 4.3% · Black 42.2%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Schmidt Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6

    3,613 games · White 46.0% · draws 6.9% · Black 47.1%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Haxo Gambit

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5

    2,797 games · White 55.2% · draws 3.8% · Black 41.0%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Göring Gambit, Double Pawn Sacrifice

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 dxc3 5. Bc4

    1,797 games · White 57.3% · draws 3.1% · Black 39.6%

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Ideas for White

  • Recapture on d4 with the knight and develop quickly.
  • The Scotch Gambit, 4. Bc4, leaves the pawn for a lead in development.

Ideas for Black

  • Take on d4. Letting White keep pawns on d4 and e4 gives up the centre.
  • Develop with gain of time by attacking the knight on d4 or the pawn on e4.

Questions

What are the moves of the Scotch Game?
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4. In the ECO classification it is filed under C44.
How does the Scotch Game score?
In 75,392 games with it in our sample, White won 52.7%, 4.2% were drawn and Black won 43.1%.
At which ratings is the Scotch Game played most?
Among players rated 1200 to 1399 it is 3.2% of all games in our sample, its highest share. Its lowest share, 0.9%, is among players rated 2200 and over.
Which line of the Scotch Game is played most?
Scotch Game: Lolli Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 Nxd4), with 15,250 games in our sample.

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