Chess Openings Lab
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Scotch Game: Paulsen Attack

The Paulsen Attack is the Classical Scotch with 6.c3 Nge7 7.Bb5, putting the bishop on b5 to pin the c6 knight. White aims for castling, Kh1 and a4 with solid central control, while Black plans ...d6, ...O-O and ...Bb6.

Moves
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Be3 Qf6 6.c3 Nge7 7.Bb5
ECO
C45
Engine
+0.18 · level (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
152 games in our lichess sample
White scores
48.0%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • Castle and play Kh1, as in the engine line, taking the king off the a7-g1 diagonal.
  • Push a4 and a5 to gain space and harass a bishop on b6.
  • Use Nd2 and Re1 to support e4, then prepare the f4 push for kingside space.
  • Keep the d4 knight strong with c3 and the e3 bishop, so Black's attack on d4 goes nowhere.

Black

  • Play ...d6 and ...O-O to finish development and keep the e5 square covered.
  • Retreat ...Bb6 early to keep the bishop safe before White's a4-a5 comes.
  • Use ...Qg6 to hit e4 and g2 once White castles and the queen has room.
  • Strike with ...d5 when White's pieces are not ready to hold e4.

Plans and pawn structure

This is a slow, maneuvering line. White castles, plays Kh1, a4 and Nd2, and sometimes Bf1 to re-route the bishop toward a safer square. Black castles, plays ...d6 and ...Bb6, and looks for ...Qg6 and ...d5 to free the game. The key question is whether Black can open the center with ...d5 before White plays f4 and gains space on the kingside. If White gets f4 in safely, Black's queen on f6 or g6 gets pushed around.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.18: level. Its three top choices for Black:

  1. +0.18 7...d6 8.O-O O-O 9.Kh1 Bb6 10.a4
  2. +0.19 7...O-O 8.O-O d6 9.Kh1 Bb6 10.a4
  3. +0.22 7...Bb6 8.O-O O-O 9.a4 d6 10.Re1

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

152 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 48.0%.

1200–159945.0%
1600–199948.3%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

Where it goes next

  • Paulsen, Gunsberg Defense7...Nd8 · rare

How to play against it

As Black, play ...d6, ...O-O and ...Bb6 and do not rush. The ...d5 push comes once your pieces support it. As White, keep calm with O-O, Kh1 and a4, and avoid trading on c6 too early, which frees Black's bishop.

Questions

What are the moves of the Scotch Game: Paulsen Attack?

The Scotch Game: Paulsen Attack starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Be3 Qf6 6.c3 Nge7 7.Bb5. Its ECO code is C45.

Is the Scotch Game: Paulsen Attack good for White?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.18 at depth 20, which is level. A solid but slow choice for patient White players who enjoy maneuvering, and Black needs a good feel for timing the ...d5 break.

What is the main idea of the Scotch Game: Paulsen Attack?

White develops the bishop to b5 to put pressure on c6, then castles and plays Kh1 and a4. Black castles, retreats ...Bb6 and looks for ...d5 or ...Qg6.

What should Black play next?

The engine's first choice is d6, with O-O and Bb6 close behind. 7...d6 covers e5 and frees the c8 bishop before Black castles.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.