Here is a game I have just finished recently. I wasn’t sure whether to post this in “Game showcase” or “Game analysis”, as I would actually like some comments on my play in the opening and some general opening ideas and strategies (I don’t play the Scandinavian that often). Anyway, here is my game, and please feel free to leave comments of all sorts.

whoa this is the first time im joining some chess game

great game. Your sac was timed perfectly.

yes, that tactical blow, while clear, you played it at the right time :) I have to say black blundered the few moves before you did it though; he had MUCH better moves. If this was a slow game shame on him!

I looove the scandinavian, and your annotation "i love gaining a tempo like this" is pretty arrogant, that is the book line, black plays into it knowing he loses this tempo and black has adequate compensation for the tempo as well as a nice pseudo semi-slav pawn structure (whereas white has an isolated dpawn), and is usually able to trade off the knight on e4 then get his own knight on d4 (which he didnt try to do). Also castling queenside as black usually goes along with the scandinavian in the line that you both played into.

Well played, and I would like to play you :) in a slow game.

ok here's my analysis of the opening (from black perspective sorry :D i'm working on white now will edit in :) )

black really doesn't know the 'solid' lines of the scandinavian, he played gimmicky trying to hit b2:

"I choose to play the Bd2-line knowing that I probably have to gambit my b2-pawn, but I expect my resulting development advantage to prove more important."

and yes, as I said, a good scandinavian (and chess!) player will agree with you from the black perspective as well! and will not spend 2 moves to get a mere pawn while you essentially (MORE than) equalize with development. He will play e6 or Bf5 (i like Bf5, e6 later, then develop the black bishop. in this case I would do Bb4 before you do a3 since you played the Bd2 line). So mindset-wise, dont think that he will accept your b2 'gambit' by playing Bd2, that is hoping for him to make what I would actually go as far as to call a mistake. (expecting your opponent to play bad, being the reasoning behind your playing of the Bd2 line) the Bd2 line should be played mostly to force Bb4, a trade, and a quick c6 for the queen to escape after the trade, meaning a slower e6 and Bf5, a slower Nbd7, a slower 0-0-0, basically a slower development for black. (by 1-2 moves)

that isn't 'as expected' (not trying to sound harsh, just letting you know that mindset isn't ideal) and normally indicative of a lower level and/or trappy line player (really, any scandinavian text will say that is an inferior line, even if you take on b2, you lose too much time in this opening critical stage; development is superior). the c6 was way too preemptive and paranoid, c6 is played to let queen move to c7 when you break knight pin with bishop and/or move knight to win a 2nd tempo discovery-attacking the queen, after moving bishop to break pin.

Instead of that super early c6 he should have developed Bf5, this is the best line for Black and it gives the best development while there is still time to play c6 later, e6, and either Bb4 and/or just Qc7 if you threaten it, and B, Nbd2, and 0-0-0. Sorry if this is rambly.

The best way to learn is to teach :D so as I am studying the scandinavian quite deeply to add it to my repertoire i like analyzing your opening. I dont mean to sound harsh. I am ~1800 uscf over the board (studying in us atm) take what i say in that context.

keep in mind, that the scandinavian almost always involves trading off your good knight then putting his own on d4. trading off your good knight, as you said yourself, was a good idea and it would have prevented your attack although with some of his useless/inferior moves the position was good for you anyway.

Hi guys, thanks for the comments.

Nathkumar, I guess you are right about the "I love winning a tempo like this", Black gets his queen to a nice square, so it isn't just a lost tempo. I just meant it always feels good winning a tempo while developing, not necessarily that Black's position is already inferior.

As I said, I am not that experienced in the Scandinavian, and your analysis and explanation of key ideas are therefore much appreciated - thanks! A bit frank sometimes, yes, but better honest than soft ;) For example the Bb4-idea to counter Bd2 makes sense, and the general slow but seemingly solid setup for Black is something I did not know about. So the knight sacrifice was nice in itself, but of course made possible by some Black inaccuracies/mistakes.

I have put a challenge up for a slow game between us - perhaps a Scandinavian? ;) Look forward to learning more during that game.