How fun is the scandi?

Ok, so I've been looking into the scandinavian last few hours. It can allow me to play both the french and caro at the same time. I can get the best of these two defences by merging them, using the scandinavian: declining the BDG, declining the tennison. If they push I get a very good french+caro. Question is, how fun and playable is the exd5 variation? What is the most fun and sound way of playing it?

I play it as Black. It challenges White on the very first move, and takes the game into your opening instead of your opponents. After White takes the offered pawn, I follow up with 2. ... Nf6. I have lots of fun with the Scandinavian. When I lose, it’s because I misplay the middle and end game, not because of the opening. This is a fun opening, and seems plenty effective for us amateurs.

I like the Qa5 line. as the other poster said, when I lose it has nothing to do with the opening.

started out with Qxd5, hate the tempi lost getting chased right back to where Q started (WHY play Qa5????!!!) and now play the ...Nf6 marshall variation, which I have fine winning stats with, but I just hate it because it's soooo toothless and 2.e5 is UNACCEPTABLE!

It's fun if you like imposing your game on move one and don't mind suffering in the main line (which is pretty good for White) while punishing side lines.

I've played all four types of the Scandinavian. I started with 3...Qd8, solid and rather low in theory, but everyone and their uncles were pressuring me, so I moved on.

Next I played 3...Qd6 but a lot of players are apparently aware of Shirov's 7 f4 and I always got bad games against it, so I moved on.

Next I played 2...Nf6 so that I could play the Portuguese variation with 3...Bg4 but SF has since pretty much busted it, so I moved on.

I've been playing 3...Qa5 and content with it, one of the key reasons is because of the book The Scandinavian for Club Players that came out in 2021 is written the way I like, the author not only provides a repertoire but actually teaches.

#7, I agree. I have been reading that book. it has revolutionized the way that I view the Qa5 mainline. The old c6 way of playing was just too slow and always having doubled f pawns.

I hate 3.d4 - STATISTICALLY, I'm pretty sure portugese is best, but I just never remember to play it and usually play ...Nxd5 so I can follow up with ...Nc6. I've taken d5 with my queen maybe a couple times. yeah... 3...Bg4 is 43:53 in 880k games rated 1600-2000. that should be your best bet. MY stats are a lousy 65:35 with it in 16 games. overall, my stats are a HIDEOUS 64:32 in all 92 of my 3.d4 games. I hate that line and 2.e5 as well.

stalefish likes 3...Qxd5, but it has unimpressive 50:45 stats in 429k games

I think I tried to study the portugese, but got frustrated by move order nightmares. i just never clicked with it

MY "best stats", actually, at 56:44 are playing 3...c6 scandinavian gambit style to get my knight to c6..

here's a quick portugese summary from the theory I made skimming 1600-2000 games for the best PERFORMING lines

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Bg4 Portugese Variation 43:53@880k+0.9

4.Be2 Bxe2 45:50@326k +0.5

_____5.Nxe2 Qxd5 6.0-0 Nc6 42:52@146k =

_____5.Qxe2 Qxd5 6.Nf3 e6 45:48@12k +0.3

4.f3 Bf5 41:55@213k +1.1

_____5.c4 e6 6.dxe6 Nc6 29:69@67k = (!!!)

_____5.Bd3 Qxd5 39:57@7K +0.2

_____5.g4 Bg6 6.c4 e6 51:46@9.7K +1.0

_____5.Bb5+ Nbd7 51:44@10k +0.7 

_____5.Nc3 Nxd5 6.Nxd5 Qxd5 36:59 @12.5k -0.3

4.Nf3 Qxd5 5.Be2 Nc6 46:49@322k +0.9 “just take with the queen” to get more material on board

_____6.c4 Qh5 43:53@61k +0.9

_____6.c3 0-0-0 7.0-0 h5 48:49@ 19k +0.9 (7...Qh5? 33:64@ 25.5k +3.5)

_____6.0-0 0-0-0 45:51@84k +0.3

_____6.Nc3? Qh5 38:58@21k =

_____6.Be3 0-0-0 47:49@37k +0.7

4.c4?? Bxd1 91%@35k -8.8

4.Bb5+ Nbd7 55:40@12k +0.9 "diffuses black’s aggression, but is OK" (REALLY? Looks like black's losing!)

If you want the Scandi, play Nf6

otherwise just play a french or caro if you want to play them -_-

OR... Play 1...e5!!! I want to play rousseay and jaensish/schliemann gambits sooo bad, but rousseau is a move order maze

ngl if you like excitement just play the sicilian and semi-slav

fuhguggly closed game there!

bishop opened, h-file + g-file open for your rooks potentially, ur king kinda open, queen sac incoming, e for d pawn incoming which opens up more files, etc etc.

I don't do "eventually" I do RIGHT NOW! that's not my kind of game at all.

"main line" is the OPPOSITE of fun for me!