Aggressive Response to 4...Nf6 in the Scotch

I would rather take an opening where black has to equalize first (Italian, Ruy Lopez, Scotch, ect.) then an opening like the Parham which gives black an advantage to start.

The Parham is akin to leading with your chin in a boxing match.

Uh...thanks.  I will put it next to the other interesting trophies I have received.

Personally, I find that 4.Bc4 is a much more interesting way to play the Scotch (and black has to be much more careful here in how they play).  You can use it to move order your opponent into lines of the Italian they are not familiar with.  In these lines, the better prepared person has a significant advantage, which is generally the white player.

Anyways, back to 4...Nf6.

5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 is as aggressive as you get against the main line 4...Nf6 Scotch.

4.Bc4 Nf6 is at best level (5.0-0 Nxe4 6.Re1 d5 7.Bxd5 Qxd5 8.Nc3 and now both 8...Qh5 and 8...Qa5 are perfectly OK for Black), while 5.Ng5?! d5 6.ed5 Qe7+! is for sure at the very least equal (disregarding the flawed analysis at Goeller's site).

IMO Black i also OK after 4...Bc5 5.0-0 (5.c3 Nf6 is the toothless old Italian by transposition) d6! (Black could also enter  a Max lange proper by 5...Nf6, but why?. White has nothing after 5...d6) 6.c3 and now both 6...dc3 7.Qb3 Qd7 and 6...Bg4 are absolutely fine for Black.

So, white really has to go straight for the mainlines: 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4 and now Black is IMO OK after both 8...Nb6 and 8...Ba6 (both moves have certain positional advantages and disadvntages), but the game is rich, dynamically balanced, and certainly enough far from "drawish".

whatupyodog1, go spamming somewhere else. Nobody wants to hear about your stupid opening, or your rude comments.

Yeah I realized the transposition leads to the famed level game after 5.0-0 Nxe4 (since no one goes into the Max Lange anymore with 5...Bc5).  I have played the Italian from both sides so I am quite comfortable in them, even if they don't offer as much as other lines.

It is a shame the Max Lange isn't played anymore.  It used to be the toast of chess for a long time as was the Evan's Gambit.  Then again, with such a simple variation as Nxe4, there really isn't a need to learn the monsterous theory required to play the Max Lange.

The Scotch main lines are certainly respectful games in there own right, just about (if not already) on par with the Ruy Lopez.

I would call most of those lines equal. Why don't you learn what you're talking about BruceBenedict? Anyways, I do like the scotch, it's VERY open, almost feels like starting the game again. I might give this a try or two, I still do like the Parham however.

stick with this and you may come to love it, but I would say that in the main line white has an advantage, I still don't know why b4 isn't up there, you gain a pretty good center and attacking chances, but I understand that you don't like gambits on principle so will not bother trying to persuade you to try one. I would also say that white has a 14% advantage over the black statistic, and that is significant. more than one tenth more games won,

Yes, but if you play through the mainline, white is actually losing by move 7.

Really? Let's play through to where the line starts to just become random games:

Oh yeah, white's doing great. Why don't you actually look at what you're saying? White is equal at move 4, and losing at move 7, as I've shown above.

I'm assuming that's what you say when you know you're wrong. Lol...

Looking at the Scotch, another common reply is 4...Qh4, which on wikipedia it says "almost wins a pawn by force". Any thoughts?

you do realise that most GM's break theory by move 14 or 15, and you will I garuntee never play that many moves of theory, at most you might play 11 or 12, but not 20.

the longest line I know is the Dragon Yugoslav Attack, 9.0-0-0 /Bc4 because that is arguably the best way to play against the dragon.

Lol not in the ruy lopez... I was just playing through the most common moves.

well the Lopez is a bit different, just like the Najdorf, but if people seriously had time to memorize these lines, they wouldn't play chess.

LOL then there'd be no GM's, they have time to memorize almost every opening in chess.

no look at Fischer, he had the narrowest opening rep as white, 1.e4

as black, Najdorf, KID/Grunfeld

LOL, that's one player, and he still played the ruy, which is an INCREDIBLE amount of theory, not to mention the najdorf. How about the Soviets, who played all sorts of things, Fischer isn't the only chess player in the world.

yes but that was an example of a guy who had an extremely narrow rep that didn't require as much memorizing as you seem to make it out to need.

wow mind boggling logic.

using your logic lets see at the mighty Parham ....

Game: Wayward Queen Attack

 

 

 

 

Move	Games	White Wins Draws Black Wins
2...Nc6	5	20% 20% 60%
2...Bd6	1	Valatsoukis F - Grivas Efstratios (GRE) (1979.??.??)

Using your logic and evidence.... what the conclusion you would draw from this data? I am following MAIN LINE (your words) . i am sure you will give a long list of but but but but.....

The database on chess.com is incomplete and using it to prove your point is a fail. Download SCID if you dont have chessbase and search around The week in chess and download a few years of games then start making some conclusions before you continue to try and make a point from a world of ignorance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another point, Fischer was the world champion and playing at the top level for many years before that.  His level of opening prep was was very deep even for GMs of the time. As a note he wasnt as one sided as people suspect he chose to play his set of openings but he also cracked out a few others in the worldchampionship as well and won. Look at Anand, he played 1. e4 his whole life and recently switched to 1. d4 and is doing quite well..Ivanchuk, Magnus, Nakamura, etc all have a very broad repertiore and can play pretty much anything.

 

Finally since you have already been dressed down for being stubborn...

Let go of the idea that people memorize openings 20 moves deep, they dont! they play moves and 99% of players you meet will be out of book by move 8-12 if not earlier. Someone plays a slightly off move that is perfectly valid and they have to think for themselves. The beauty of chess is that if you dont play the 'theory' move it usually means a lot less than you think. Sometimes its losing by force but that is actually very very rare. 
 

Finally the mainline of the Scotch,... well it was good enough for Kramnik to play against Aronian in their recent match but clearly you must know something they do not.....

Accept that you dont things. trust players that are more knowledgeable than you. We arent trying to trick you or misled you..