Scandinavian question 2.e5

Hi all, I've recently started playing the Scandinavian. I've had white respond several times with 2.e5. I'm a little puzzled as the best approach. White's obvious 3rd move..at least seems obvious to me is 3.d4.

As black, I've tried 2...d4 to take that away. I've also tried 2..Nc6.

I think that I prefer 2..d4.

Thoughts from you Scandinavian experts?

Originally posted by MrHand
[fen]rnbqkbn1/ppppppp1/8/8/4P3/8/PPPPPPP1/RNBQKBN1 w Qq - 0 1[/fen]


Hi all, I've recently started playing the Scandinavian. I've had white respond several times with 2.e5. I'm a little puzzled as the best approach. White's obvious 4th move..at least seems obvious to me is 3.d4.

As black, I've tried 2...d4 to take that away. I've also tried 2..Nc6.

I think that I prefer 2..d4.

Thoughts from you Scandinavian experts?

...e3 is safe. Go into the French.

I don't play Scandinavian though.

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
...e3 is safe. Go into the French.

I don't play Scandinavian though.

I used to play Scandinavian quite frequently. c5 is the best move, stops d4 and gives black a pretty easy game. Normal moves after c5 are Nc6, Bg4, e6, then f6 and black ends up with a huge center. You could, of course, play into the french, but usually one plays the scandinavian to avoid closed games.

Bf5 followed by e6 gives black a very nice French position with the light squared bishop outside the pawns. I don't think 2.e5 is great for white.

The is often a fun pawn sac for white (e6!?) after 2... d4. 2... c5 seems like the correct option.

I think 2. ... Bf5 is the most accurate move for Black, though 2. ... c5 is interesting and certainly worth a look.

After 1. e4 d5 2. e5 Bf5 3. d4 then Black can, as pointed out by Schumi above, play 3. ... e6 and have a very comfortable French Defence type position. The pressure on White's d4 and e5 pawns suggest that Black is slightly better already.

Thanks for all of the suggestions folks! I'm likely to try all of them. Though, as moetusch (sp?) pointed out, the reason I've started trying the Scandinavian is to avoid French type closed positions.

Originally posted by Fat Lady
I think 2. ... Bf5 is the most accurate move for Black, though 2. ... c5 is interesting and certainly worth a look.

After 1. e4 d5 2. e5 Bf5 3. d4 then Black can, as pointed out by Schumi above, play 3. ... e6 and have a very comfortable French Defence type position. The pressure on White's d4 and e5 pawns suggest that Black is slightly better already.

Both 2...c5 and 2...Bf5 are both moves that probably equalize for Black. In his The Chess Opening for You, GM Larry Evans recommends 2...c5 because it is more flexible than 2...Bf5 since the QB might be better posted on g4 rather than f5, depending upon what White does.

Originally posted by gaychessplayer
Both 2...c5 and 2...Bf5 are both moves that probably equalize for Black. In his The Chess Opening for You, GM Larry Evans recommends 2...c5 because it is more flexible than 2...Bf5 since the QB might be better posted on g4 rather than f5, depending upon what White does.

Originally posted by MrHand
[fen]rnbqkbnr/ppp1pppp/8/3pP3/8/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1"[/fen]

Hi all, I've recently started playing the Scandinavian. I've had white respond several times with 2.e5. I'm a little puzzled as the best approach. White's obvious 3rd move..at least seems obvious to me is 3.d4.

As black, I've tried 2...d4 to take that away. I've also tried 2..Nc6.

I think that I prefer 2..d4.

Thoughts from you Scandinavian experts?

I rarely play the Scandinavian, but 2..c5 looks like the obvious move to me.

Originally posted by clandarkfire
I rarely play the Scandinavian, but 2..c5 looks like the obvious move to me.