C45 · Scotch Game
Scotch Game: Modern Defense
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nc3 Bb4
In the Scotch Game: Modern Defense, aim to understand the plans and pawn structures, not just memorize the first moves.
The Scotch Game: Modern Defense is a chess opening classified under ECO code C45. It is reached after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nc3 Bb4: 10 moves in, with White to play.
It belongs to the Scotch Game family — one of many ways the line can branch. Understanding the parent system’s plans is the fastest way to play this variation well.
Club players rarely lose the Scotch Game: Modern Defense in the opening itself. They lose it a few moves later, when the plan behind the moves runs out: that is what reading your own games in this line shows you.
Play the Scotch Game: Modern Defense? See where you go wrong.
Deepline reviews your real games, finds the exact moves that cost you, and trains the fixes.
Analyze my games free →Related openings
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