Chess Openings Lab
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Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, London Defense

The London Defense of the Scotch Gambit is 4...Bb4+, where Black checks to disrupt White's development. White blocks with c3, Bd2 or Nbd2, and Black aims to grab material or trade bishops and develop quickly.

Moves
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bb4+
ECO
C44
Engine
−0.05 · level (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
1,271 games in our lichess sample
White scores
55.6%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • Block with c3, then castle and push e5, as in the top engine line.
  • Bd2 trades bishops and leads to a calm position where White wins back d4 later.
  • Nbd2 keeps pieces on the board and prepares e5 to kick Black's knight.
  • Use the c4 bishop against f7 when Black's king stays in the center.

Black

  • Take on c3 with ...dxc3 and develop with ...Nf6 before grabbing anything else.
  • Against Bd2, trade bishops on d2 and castle short with a solid position.
  • Against Nbd2, play ...Nf6 and answer e5 with ...Ng4 to hit the pawn.
  • Use ...d5 to free the game when White pushes e5 and hits the f6 knight.

Plans and pawn structure

After 5.c3 dxc3 6.O-O Nf6 7.e5 d5 8.exf6 dxc4, the game gets sharp with open lines and material imbalances. After Bd2 or Nbd2, the play is calmer, with both sides castling and fighting over the e5 square. Black's main idea is quick development with ...Nf6 and ...d5, while White uses the e5 push and the e-file with Re1 to keep the initiative.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position −0.05: level. Its three top choices for White:

  1. −0.05 5.c3 dxc3 6.O-O Nf6 7.e5 d5
  2. −0.36 5.Bd2 Bxd2+ 6.Nbxd2 Nf6 7.O-O O-O
  3. −0.51 5.Nbd2 Nf6 6.e5 Ng4 7.O-O O-O

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

1,271 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 55.6%.

under 120050.8%
1200–159959.8%
1600–199954.8%
2000 and up50.3%

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

Where it goes next

  • Hanneken Variation5.c3 · rare

How to play against it

As White, play c3 and castle for an active position, using e5 to kick Black's knight. As Black, take on c3 and develop with ...Nf6, or trade bishops against Bd2 and castle. Do not grab more pawns before the king is safe.

Questions

What are the moves of the Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, London Defense?

The Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, London Defense starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bb4+. Its ECO code is C44.

Is the Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, London Defense good for Black?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position −0.05 at depth 20, which is level. In 1,271 lichess games from our sample, White scored 55.6%. A sharp choice for Black players who like material, and White needs to know the c3 and e5 ideas.

What is the main idea of the Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, London Defense?

Black checks on b4 to make White block. After c3, Black takes another pawn and White plays for an attack with castling and e5.

What should White play next?

The engine's first choice is c3, with Bd2 and Nbd2 close behind. 5.c3 blocks the check and offers another pawn for development.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.