The Scandinavian Defence, also known as the Centre Counter Defence, arises after 1.e4 d5. ECO code: B01.

History

The Scandinavian is the oldest recorded opening by Black in modern chess, first documented in the poem Scachs d'amor around 1475 between Francesc de Castellví and Narcís Vinyoles in Valencia. Luis Ramírez de Lucena also catalogued it in his 1497 treatise. Scandinavian masters of the late 1800s demonstrated its viability. A resurgence occurred when Bent Larsen defeated Anatoly Karpov at Montreal 1979. Viswanathan Anand played it in the 1995 World Championship match against Garry Kasparov—its first appearance in a World Championship match.

Main Lines & Variations

After 2.exd5, Black has two principal approaches:

• 2...Qxd5 – The Mieses-Kotr? Variation. Black develops the queen early, then retreats: 3.Nc3 Qa5 (Main Line), 3...Qd8 (Valencian Variation), or 3...Qd6 (Gubinsky-Melts Defence).

• 2...Nf6 – The Modern Variation. Black avoids the tempo loss of the early queen move: 3.d4 Nxd5 (main), or the sharp 3...Bg4!? (Portuguese/Jadoul Variation).

Key Positions

After 1.e4 d5 – Black immediately challenges White's central pawn.

Strategic Themes & Plans

Black aims to prevent White from controlling the centre with pawns, forcing an open game while building a strong pawn structure. The opening forces White "to a relatively small number of options," making it popular at club level. Notable modern practitioners include Ian Rogers, Magnus Carlsen, and Viswanathan Anand.