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Scandinavian Defense: 4 quick facts

  • The Scandinavian Defense is the oldest recorded chess opening, first described in a Valencian poem from the late 15th century.
  • It was popularized by two Swedish brothers in the late 1800s and continues to be a popular choice among amateurs, though it’s less common at the grandmaster level.
  • It creates an open, asymmetrical game by challenging White’s center immediately, giving it the secondary moniker of the Center-Counter Game.
  • The Scandinavian Defense breaks the traditional opening principle of not bringing the queen out early, but works nevertheless!

Scandinavian Defense: The moves

Here are the moves for the Scandinavian Defense:

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1. e4 d5

A gif showing the opening moves for the Scandinavian Defense: 1. White’s e-pawn moves to e4 and Black’s d-pawn moves to d5.

Take White out of their comfort zone

For an exciting, open game that avoids draws and can throw White off guard and out of opening preparation, try the Scandinavian Defense!

If you’re looking for more openings, check out our guide featuring over 30 options for every skill level!