Create counterplay immediately on Move 1 with the Scandinavian

Launch massive attacks against your opponent's king

Obtain perfect piece placement and solid pawn structure

Shock your opponents from Move 1 with this simple but effective opening with the Black pieces: The Scandinavian Defense

The Scandinavian is a particular opening in the sense that it breaks an opening rule: getting the queen out early. However, this unorthodox approach can become an extremely powerful weapon if used in the correct way!

In Chapter 1, we'll take a look at an approach by White that occurs in 38% of all games: getting the two knights out to c3 and f3 by move 5. 

You can play it safe or be aggressive. The Scandinavian allows you to attack in various ways or, positionally, go into a solid endgame!

Video 1 

Study 1: The Scandinavian - Classical Line With 6.Bd2, Be2 and Bd3

Drill 1: The Scandinavian - Classical with 6.Be2

Drill 2: The Scandinavian - Classical with 6.Bd3

Drill 3: The Scandinavian - Classical with 6.Bd2 and 7.Ne5

Drill 4: The Scandinavian - Classical with 6.Bd2 and 7.Be2

Drill 5: The Scandinavian - Classical with 6.Bd2 and 7.Ne4

Quiz 1 

Quiz 2 

Quiz 3 

Strategy Quiz 1 

Strategy Quiz 2 

Video 2 

Study 2: The Scandinavian - White's Aggressive 6.Bc4

Drill 6: The Scandinavian - Classical with 6.Bc4, 7.0-0 and 9.Re1

Drill 7: The Scandinavian - Classical with 6.Bc4, 7.0-0 and 9.Nd5

Drill 8: The Scandinavian - Classical with 6.Bc4, 7.Bd2 and 8.Ne5

Drill 9: The Scandinavian - Classical with 6.Bc4, 7.Bd2 and 8.Qe2

Drill 10: The Scandinavian - Classical with 6.Bc4, 7.Bd2, 8.a3, 10.0-0 and 11.Re1

Drill 11: The Scandinavian - Classical with 6.Bc4, 7.Bd2, 8.a3, 10.0-0 and 11.d5

Drill 12: The Scandinavian - Classical with 6.Bc4, 7.Bd2, 8.a3, 10.0-0 and 11.a4

Drill 13: The Scandinavian - Classical with 6.Bc4, 7.Bd2, 8.a3, 10.0-0 and 11.b4

Drill 14: The Scandinavian - Classical with 6.Bc4, 7.Bd2, 8.a3, 10.0-0 and 11.Qe2

Drill 15: The Scandinavian - Classical with 6.Bc4, 7.Bd2, 8.a3, 10.d5

Drill 16: The Scandinavian - Classical with 6.Bc4, 7.Bd2, 8.a3, 10.Qe2

Quiz 4 

Quiz 5 

Quiz 6 

Quiz 7 

Quiz 8 

Quiz 9 

Strategy Quiz 3 

Strategy Quiz 4 

Strategy Quiz 5 

Strategy Quiz 6 

Chapter 1: The Qa5 Scandinavian - The 3.Nc3 Classical Line

You have been introduced to the 3.Nc3 Classical Scandinavian and are now acquainted with many of the main ideas of this opening. White’s most popular Nc3 and Nf3 setup shouldn’t scare you. 

You can beat it either with an attack on the king or positional endgames in some lines. Let’s move on to the next chapter! 


In the second chapter of our course, we'll analyze a unique approach by White, including centralizing the knight on e5 in the early game.

This approach is only played 3% of the time under 2000 ELO, but is much more popular among masters, and it is supported by the computer!

It opens the door for multiple different strategies and threats for White, and could catch you off guard if you're not prepared.

Study 1: The Critical 6.Ne5

Drill 1: White plays 7.Bd2

Drill 2: White plays 7.Bf4

Drill 3: White plays 7.Nc4

Drill 4: White plays 7.Bd3

Drill 5: White plays 7.g4

Drill 6: White plays 7.Bc4 and 8.Qe2

Drill 7: White plays 7.Bc4 and 8.Bd2

Drill 8: White plays 7.Bc4 and 8.O-O

Drill 9: White plays 7.Bc4, 8.g4 and 9.Nxg6

Drill 10: White plays 7.Bc4, 8.g4 and 9.Bd2

Drill 11: White plays 7.Bc4, 8.g4, 9.h4 and 10.Qe2

Drill 12: White plays 7.Bc4, 8.g4, 9.h4 and 10.Nxd7

Quiz 1

Quiz 2

Quiz 3

Quiz 4

Quiz 5

Quiz 6

Quiz 7

Quiz 8

Quiz 9

Quiz 10

Quiz 11

Quiz 12

Strategy Quiz 1

Strategy Quiz 2

Strategy Quiz 3

Chapter 2: The Qa5 Scandinavian - The Critical 6.Ne5

In Chapter 2, we learned how to deal with White's aggression after 6.Ne5.

We showed how Black needs the c-pawn on c6 for the queen to be safe.

We learned moves to neutralize White's potential threats and to develop successfully.

In this chapter, we'll take a look at White's most popular approach: 5.Bd2! This move is played nearly 43% of the time under 2000 ELO. White players love to pose the threat of a discovered attack on the queen.

What many White players don't know is, this move actually isn't dangerous at all if we know the right moves. 

Aside from 5.Bd2, we are going to cover other options for White that follow a similar setup by us.

Study 1: White Quickly Threatens the Queen With 5.Bd2

Drill 1: White plays 5.Bd2

Drill 2: White plays 5.Bd2, with 11.d5

Drill 3: White plays 5.Bd2 with 10.Qd2

Drill 4: White plays 5.Bd2 with 10.O-O

Drill 5: White plays 5.Bd2 with 6.Nf3 and 7.Bd3

Drill 6: White plays 5.Bd2 with 6.Nf3 and 7.Be2

Drill 7: White plays 5.Bd2 with 6.Be2 and 7.Qxe2

Drill 8: White plays 5.Bd2 with 6.Be2 and 7.Ngxe2

Drill 9: White plays 5.Bd2 with 6.Be2 and 7.Ncxe2

Drill 10: White plays 5.a3 with 7.Ne2

Drill 11: White plays 5.a3 with 7.f3

Drill 12: White plays 5.a3 with 7.Nf3

Drill 13: White plays 5.Bf4

Drill 14: White plays 5.h3

Drill 15: White plays 5.Bd3 with 6.Ne2

Drill 16: White plays 5.Bd3 with 6.Nf3

Chapter 3: The Qa5 Scandinavian -  The 5.Bd2 line & others

Having learned that our queen basically always has space to retreat to if threatened, playing against White's options on move 5 becomes much easier.

The most important aspects of this chapter are to know how to pinpoint when White has played in a more passive manner, and reply aggressively.

Whether they play passive or try to attack, you should now have enough tools to counter White's plans.

In this chapter, we'll dive deep into a variation that I recommend after the most natural moves by White, and that is 5...Bg4!

It is played nearly 35% of the time, and is a great weapon to surprise White in the Scandi.

As you'll see, our approach will give us a lot of easy targets that our setups will revolve around, the main one being the pawn on d4.

Study 1: White plays 5.Bc4 Bg4 - White Blocks On f3

Drill 1: White plays 6.Nf3, 7.Be3 and 8.d5

Drill 2: White plays 6.Nf3, 7.Be3, 8.dxe5 and 10.Bd2

Drill 3: White plays 6.Nf3, 7.Be3, 8.dxe5 and 10.Qc1

Drill 4: White plays 6.Nf3, 7.Bd2 and 8.Nb5

Drill 5: White plays 6.Nf3, 7.Bd2 and 8.Nd5

Drill 6: White plays 6.Nf3, 7.h3 and 8.Be3

Drill 7: White plays 6.Nf3, 7.h3, 8.Be2 and 9.O-O

Drill 8: White plays 6.Nf3, 7.h3, 8.Be2 and 9.Be3

Drill 9: White plays 6.Nf3 and 7.O-O

Drill 10: White plays 6.f3 and 7.Bd2

Drill 11: White plays 6.f3, 7.Ne2 and 8.Be3

Drill 12: White plays 6.f3, 7.Ne2 and 8.dxc5

Drill 13: White plays 6.f3, 7.Ne2 and 8.O-O

Drill 14: White plays 6.f3, 7.Ne2 and 8.d5

Study 2: White plays 5.Bc4 and 6.Ne2

Drill 15: White plays 7.Bd2 and 10.b3

Drill 16: White plays 7.Bd2 and 10.Bb3

Drill 17: White plays 7.Be3 and 9.fxg4

Drill 18: White plays 7.Be3 and 9.d5

Drill 19: White plays 7.Be3 and 9.O-O

Drill 20: White plays 7.f3 and 8.Bd3

Drill 21: White plays 7.f3 and 8.Bb5

Drill 22: White plays 7.f3, 8.Bxe6 and 9.Nf4

Drill 23: White plays 7.f3, 8.Bxe6, 9.Bd2 and 10.Ne4

Drill 24: White plays 7.f3, 8.Bxe6, 9.Bd2 and 10.d5

Drill 25: White plays 7.f3, 8.Bxe6, 9.Bd2 and 10.dxe5

Drill 26: White plays 7.f3, 8.Bxe6, 9.O-O and 10.f4

Drill 27: White plays 7.f3, 8.Bxe6, 9.O-O and 10.Be3

Drill 28: White plays 7.f3, 8.Bxe6, 9.O-O and 10.Qd3

Drill 29: White plays 7.f3, 8.Bxe6, 9.O-O and 10.Qe1

Quiz 13 

Quiz 14

Quiz 15 

Quiz 16

Strategy Quiz 6

Strategy Quiz 7

Strategy Quiz 8

Strategy Quiz 9 

Strategy Quiz 10

Chapter 4: The Qa5 Scandinavian - 5.Bc4 Bg4

The two studies in this chapter showed us how to create, isolate and fight against a weakness in the center that is the d4-pawn!

Often, we will castle queenside and look to challenge the center with ...e5.

Other times, a positional approach with short castling and calm development will suffice.

A lot of players don't want to go into the main lines, because they don't feel they would have enough theoretical knowledge to play.

So, they learn a couple of sidelines and think they can surprise and outplay anyone who comes their way.

However, chapter 4 will teach us how to fight against this, too! 

Our setups will consist of many ideas we've been through so far, combined with some new ones. Let's see!

Study 1: Sidelines Part 1 - Minor Piece Moves (4.Nf3 and 4.Bc4)

Drill 1: Scandinavian - Sideline with 4.Nf3 and 5.h3

Drill 2: Scandinavian - Sideline with 4.Nf3 and 5.Be2

Drill 3: Scandinavian - Sideline with 4.Nf3, 5.Bc4 and 6.d4

Drill 4: Scandinavian - Sideline with 4.Nf3, 5.Bc4 and 6.h3

Drill 5: Scandinavian - Sideline with 4.Nf3, 5.Bc4, 6.0-0 and 8.g4

Drill 6: Scandinavian - Sideline with 4.Nf3, 5.Bc4, 6.0-0 and 8.d4

Drill 7: Scandinavian - Sideline with 4.Nf3, 5.Bc4, 6.0-0 and 8.Bb5

Drill 8: Scandinavian 4.Bc4 Sideline - With 6.Ne2

Drill 9: Scandinavian 4.Bc4 Sideline - With 6.Nf3

Drill 10: Scandinavian 4.Bc4 Sideline - With 6.Bd2 and 7.Qe2

Drill 11: Scandinavian 4.Bc4 Sideline - With 6.Bd2 and 7.Nge2

Study 2: Move 4 Sidelines - Pawn Moves and 4.Rb1

Drill 12: Scandinavian with 4.d3

Drill 13: Scandinavian with 4.b4

Drill 14: Scandinavian with 4.a3

Drill 15: Scandinavian with 4.g3 and 6.Nge2

Drill 16: Scandinavian with 4.g3, 6.Nf3 and 7.h3

Drill 17: Scandinavian with 4.g3, 6.Nf3 and 7.h4

Drill 18: Scandinavian with 4.g3, 6.Nf3 and 7.d3

Drill 19: Scandinavian with 4.g3, 6.Nf3 and 7.0-0

Drill 20: Scandinavian with 4.Rb1

Drill 21: Scandinavian with 4.b4, 5.Nb5 and 6.Bc4

Quiz 10 

Quiz 11 

Strategy Quiz 7 

Chapter 5: Qa5 Scandinavian - Move 4 Sidelines

Besides knowing how to deal with funny business from White's side on move 4, we proved that the setups we learned in the previous chapters combine and work against the sidelines as well!

Mixing positional and central play with tactical sacrifices and attacking, depending on what White chooses to play, is what will get you far in the Scandi.

Chapter 6 will teach us how to exploit and punish White not attacking our queen immediately with 3.Nc3. 

These positions are a lot more aggressive and tactical, because our queen often stays in the center or extremely active! 

In many lines, we'll learn how to take advantage of all the benefits the Scandinavian can give us.

Study 1: White plays 3.Nf3 - A Popular Deviation

Drill 1: White plays 4.Nc3 and 5.Be2

Drill 2: White plays 4.Nc3 and 5.Qe2

Drill 3: White plays 4.Be2 and 5.h3

Drill 4: White plays 4.Be2, 5.O-O and 6.Nc3

Drill 5: White plays 4.Be2, 5.O-O, 6.h3 and 7.hxg4

Drill 6: White plays 4.Be2, 5.O-O, 6.h3, 7.Nc3 and 8.hxg4

Drill 7: White plays 4.Be2, 5.O-O, 6.h3, 7.Nc3 and 8.d3

Drill 8: White plays 4.Be2, 5.Nc3 and 6.O-O

Drill 9: White plays 4.Be2, 5.Nc3 and 6.h3

Drill 10: White plays 4.Be2, 5.d4 and 6.Nc3

Drill 11: White plays 4.Be2, 5.d4 and 6.c3

Drill 12: White plays 4.Be2, 5.d4 and 6.O-O

Drill 13: White plays 4.Be2, 5.d4, 6.Be3 and 8.Bd2 Bb4

Drill 14: White plays 4.Be2, 5.d4, 6.Be3 and 8.Bd2 Qa6 9.d5

Drill 15: White plays 4.Be2, 5.d4, 6.Be3 and 8.Bd2 Qa6 9.c5

Drill 16: White plays 4.Be2, 5.d4, 6.c4 and 7.O-O

Drill 17: White plays 4.Be2, 5.d4, 6.c4, 7.Be3 and 9.Bg4

Drill 18: White plays 4.Be2, 5.d4, 6.c4, 7.Be3 and 9.Bxd4

Quiz 13

Quiz 15

Quiz 17

Quiz 18

Quiz 19

Quiz 20

Strategy Quiz 4

Strategy Quiz 5

Study 2: Other Move 3 Sidelines

Drill 19: White plays 3.Qf3

Drill 20: White plays 3.c4 and 4.Ne2

Drill 21: White plays 3.c4 and 4.Be2

Drill 22: White plays 3.c4, 4.Qe2 and 5.Nxe2

Drill 23: White plays 3.c4, 4.Qe2 and 5.Bxe2

Drill 24: White plays 3.d4 and 4.Nc3

Drill 25: White plays 3.d4 and 4.c3

Chapter 6: Move 3 Sidelines

If there was one key takeaway from this chapter, it would probably be to understand how quickly we can grasp an advantage in the position we covered, and how quickly White's position could collapse!

Not attacking our queen right away can certainly backfire.