Qf3 in the Scandinavian

hello all,

I am looking for ideas for black when white plays 1.e4,d5 2.exd5,Qxd5 3.Qf3,...

I only face it in blitz chess. I have been playing 3...,Qd6 which I don't know whether it transposes to a book line in the Qd6 variation after 4.Nc3,... or not.

I have also considered playing 3...,Qc5 or 3...,Qd8. any comments, recommendations, or personal experiences would be helpful thanks.

Hi!

3...Qd6 looks fine and I don't think it trasposes to a 3. Nc3 line. On the other hand the Queen of f3 doesn't seem to be very well placed as could be harrassed with ... Nf6 and....Bg4

For an uncomplicated game perhaps 3...Qf3 is to be considered.

Good luck!

thanks for your response. I think you are right about not transposing to a known line in the Qd6 variation. if 1.e4,d5 2.exd5,Qxd5 3.Nc3,Qd6 then 4.Qf3,... does not seem to be the most profitable move.

and yes 3...,Qxf3 does seem reasonable as well. At most white just retains his first move advantage.

Developing with 3...Nf6 looks just fine. Don't be afraid of getting the Queens off the board. There is lot of pieces left, so the best player will still win.

It's very good move

3...Qd6 looks best: Qf3 then obstructs the natural square for Ng1.

I was looking at 3...,Nf6

if 4.QxQ,Nxd5 5.c4,Nf6 6.d4,c6 does this transpose into the Panov Caro Kann endgame line? or something similar?

another friend suggested that one of the machines liked if 5.c4,Nb5

I like 3...Nf6 too. White usually continues 4.Nc3, when black has Qa5, Qd8 or Qe6, and can then play it like the more usual lines of the Scandi. The difference is that white's queen on f3 blocks the knight's normal developing square, as mentioned in the previous post.

Doesn't look like it has become a Panov. In the Panov the c6 pawn has exchanged to the d5 square after exd5 cxd5, isn't sitting on c6 anymore but it is at the end of your line. Also, I don't think queens come off so early in the Panov. but in any case the c6 to d5 pawn setup difference is the main thing. Just an offbeat Scandinavian line it seems.

But why Nf6 after c4? Why not Nb4, threatening the fork on c2? White is almost forced to play Na3 (if Kd1 then Bf5) and black can then continue with e5 and Nc6.

True. I was just directly addressing the line mentioned, didn't try to evaluate it. There is something to be said for trying to keep patterns recognizable with moves such as ....Nf6 (instead of ...Nb4) and ...c6, and black can do it and still be in the game, but it does allow white to get away with sloppy play.

Doesn't 3...Nf6 seem almost automatic? Why retreat your queen? 4.Qxd5 Nxd5 seems fine for Black, and so does 4.Nc4 Qa5 There is no magic refutation of 3,Qf3, but black equalizes easily

Qd6 looks natural to me and gives you a better long castles setup due to their being no knight on f3 or queen on d1 to support d4 as well as a target on f3 to gain tempos with

There is a tricky line, after 4...Qa5 5.b4!? (a common pawn sac in the Scandi) that folks on my lowly level may fall into. Black can snatch the pawn, but must follow up with 6...Qg4 or get into big trouble.

thanks for the responses gentlemen!

I think that I have figured out that black has 3 main philosophies on how to reply to 3.Qf3

1) initiate the trade with 3...,Qxf3

2) decline the trade by moving the Queen with 3...,Qd6

3) ignore the threat by developing with 3...,Nf6 and allow white to initiate the trade.

if white plays Nc3 follow the general principles of the Scandinavian opening, understanding that white has misplaced their Queen and respond accordingly.

I think the birds eye view of all three of those options shows that there are multiple avenues of play.