In this post, we consider the Center counter defense.
1. e2e4, d7d5.
2. e4d5, d8d5.
3. b1c3, d5a5.
4. d2d4, g8f6.
5. g1f3, c8g4.
The Center Counter Defense, commonly known as the Scandinavian Defense, is a chess opening for blacks that begins 1. e2e4 d7d5. It forces an immediate, asymmetrical open game by challenging whites e4 pawn on move one. While leading to an early Queen exposure after 2. e4d5 d8d5, it guarantees an unbalanced game and is popular for avoiding extensive theory.
The opening appears in what is considered the first recorded game of modern chess, a 1475 match between Francesc de Castellví and Narcís Vinyoles in Valencia. It was listed in Luis Ramires Lucena’s 1497 book, the first European book on chess. While it was played occasionally, many masters in the 19th century, including Howard Staunton, viewed it with skepticism, though it was recognized as a serious attempt to fight for the center.
The name "Scandinavian Defense" originated from the Swedish brothers Ludvig and Gustav Collijn, who heavily employed it in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Early practitioners who developed its theory included Joseph Blackburne and Jacques Mieses. Alexander Alekhine used it to draw against Emanuel Lasker in 1914, while Jose Raul Capablanca used it successfully in 1915.
Bent Larsen popularized the opening in the 1960s and 70s, famously using it to defeat Anatoly Karpov in 1979. In 1995, Viswanathan Anand became the first player to use the Scandinavian in a World Championship match, playing it against Garry Kasparov.
Current Standing: The Scandinavian is considered a perfectly sound opening today, frequently used by top-level players such as Magnus Carlsen and Sergei Tiviakov to avoid heavily analyzed lines like the Sicilian or Ruy Lopez.
For more info, see [3-7].
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References:
1. https://www.dynpass.online/tools/chess/start.html
3. https://www.chess.com/openings/Scandinavian-Defense
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BKl2zCqBdo
5. https://lichess.org/video/Wpd8jcVKcJw
6. https://www.365chess.com/chess-openings/Scandinavian-Defense
