Qd6 Scandinavian

Learning the Qd6 Scandinavian currently. I am a bit concerned by the possibility of being chased around by Nb5. It looks like d4 and Nf3 are generally more common early moves. Is there a particular reason Nb5 isn't common before a6 or c6? It feels to me that I should be rushing to do either c6 or a6 before Nb5. 

Maybe I am overly concerned. Being forced to do Qb6 isn't too bad. The knight is likely to be pushed back soon after by a6 or c6.

Is there a particular reason Nb5 isn't common before a6 or c6? It feels to me that I should be rushing to do either c6 or a6 before Nb5. 

Smile... Because you probably just equalized

or.... something like this

white plays Nf3, before Nb5

Last... without a kingside fianchetto

Usually White's Nb5 sortie lacks depth. Once you have neutralized whatever threats it presents White has to waste a tempo retreating the knight... the result is Black catches up tempo wise. Worse case scenarios... White get a space advantage.

Good afternoon,

As the saying goes: the devil is in the detail or in this case, the move order. If you are worried about 5.Nb5 as in your example then 4....c6 should be paramount. Yes, 4....Nf6 is playable and has been done so by far better players than I but it has to be understood that the 2....Qd6 system is a surprisingly flexible idea.

As for the possibility of 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nb5 GM Vassilios Kotronias in his book "The Safest Scandinavian" gives 5...Qb6! (As the other poster suggests) 6.c4 a6! 7.Nc3 e5! with initiative to Black. While I have yet to achieve such a position the accompanying analysis does LOOK correct.

Kaplaa.

I have a lot of success against Qd6 lines as white, the queen is often easily harassed and/or trapped, and white ends up with much better development or a queen checkmate on the d file.

4. Nb5 looks really weird and sketchy. I'd just ignore it as a threat and sidestep with 4... Qb6 as mentioned twice above. If you're really worried about it, just play 4... c6 then continue with system moves.

This only applies in the 3...Qa5 scandinavian, he is playing the 3...Qd6 scandinavian. Bd2 doesn't even remotely hit the queen in this line.

Let them hate... They hate on the Center Counter Defense for the same reasons they hate of the London system. There isn't a refutation, and with best play, even with the defense violating an opening principle, White is only slightly better. (IMO it's on par with the Alekhine defense)

The only negative that I see is it's Mono-thematic, which I believe is the real reason why professionals don't play more often. However, the "mono-thematic" nature of the defense also makes it great for a club player. I play both 3... Qd6 and Qa5 variations to thwart anyone in my club from getting a grove on my defense against 1.e4

On Playchess.com and Lichess.com I have a 65% win ratio against people of my elo strength.

I have been playing the Qd6 Scandinavian with black for years at the 2300-2400 level. Virtually nobody plays Nb5, because Qb6 basically wins a tempo. Eventually you will play c6 to bring the queen back to c7 or d8 if necessary.

As a side note, the system is really easy to play for the first 10 moves. Qd6, Nf6, c6, Bf5, e6, Be7, O-O, Nbd7 will be the exact sequence almost every game. Whether or not you enjoy those positions is also something to consider. Most of the time, you're just waiting for your opponent to make mistakes.

This is one of the reasons I never picked up the Scandi. I enjoy variety and novelty and the "here just play these 15 moves for equality" never really appealed to me. Were I to pick up the Scandi it would likely be a Qd6 sideline or some Qd8 off-beat line which is objectively worse than the mainline.