I play a lot of Scotch Gambit otb, but I don't really have a fixed opening as black. I want to hear some suggestions from fellow players who often play the scotch gambit too
For player who like the Scotch Gambit as white, what opening do you play as black?
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Oct 9, 2024
0
#3
You can't really gambit as black without being objectively worse (excluding Benko gambit) but if you're looking for an opening which involves tactics, sacrifices and going for mate then the Dragon is perfect. KID against d4 is also in a similar spirit - in terms of going for mate - but there's so many options for white that I like playing the benoni which is more forcing and can result in similar pawn structures and the bishop on g7. You're not going for mate in the benoni but it's sound and can be quite tactical and exciting as you try to avoid getting mated while breaking through on the queenside.
Oct 9, 2024
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#4
This is the critical line in the Benoni, where white has a very slight advantage and more space but Black has nice control over the dark squares and is looking to shuffle the d7 knight to f8, move the c8 bishop to d7 and breakthrough on the queenside.
Oct 9, 2024
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#6
And here's a beautiful checkmate in the dragon that's analysed in Giri's Dragon course on Chessable:
Oct 9, 2024
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#8
I don't really see the connection between playing the scotch and playing something as black. You can play anything as black.
I suppose if you like formulaic tactical lines such as the Scotch... then it could make sense to play e4/e5 or possibly alekhines... and against d4 you could play something like the budapest or albin countergambit.
As Black, a similar opening to the Scotch Gambit could be the Blumenfeld Countergambit which arises naturally after 1. d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 b5 if you don’t mind allowing 3. Nc3 and either playing a Taimanov Benoni or a Nimzo-Indian (my preference would be the Nimzo-Dutch lines, sharp and aggressive)
https://www.chess.com/club/the-scotch-gambit-club/join
See the question ^