Scandanavian Nf6 line

Does anyone know a good line/plan for white after1.e4 d5 2.pxp 2.Nf6? I've been pretty much winging it with mixed results.

oops, I spelled Scandinavian wrong. They don't let you edit the titles for some reason.

Bb5+ and you will make Black miserable. I "know" this as a former Nf6 Scandi player.

 Against strong players OTB as well as on chess.com, I get regularly murdered and am often struggling to escape with a draw when they play Bb5+ as White.

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. Bb5 Bd7 4. Bc4 Bg4 5. f3 Bf5 6.g4 

is one such line. 

Skip the c4 lines and you'll be all right.

Nf6'ers always want to give the Icelandic a punt, so deny them that fun.  d4 works well too, since the gambiteers will probably go for Bg4 and a Portuguese variation, when the f3 lines lead to misery for black as well.

But the poster who said Bb5+ tends to lead to annoyance for black are right.  Even if it's not objectively strongest, it spoils their fun the best.

As a Scandinavian player, I don't get miserable from Bb5+, but I know that apparently alot other scandinavian players are, so that's probably your best bet, if your aim is to make the opponent miserable.

For sure I would play e4 d5 exd5 Nf6 c4 c6 d4 cxd5 Nc3 transposing to the Panov-Botvinnik attack in the Caro-Kann, which I likely know better than my opponent.

I appreciate the tips guys. Thanks. I will study the bishop check. Panov-Botvinnik is interesting, Lots of theory though no?

Are you assuming that if they go Icelandic on you (c4 e6), they are already dead lost? I've seen + had a lot of fun with that line as Black.

Well, you could follow the same moves, just inserting e6 and exd5 for black, and you're in a French exchange sideline.

If you played both those lines as white, you'd be a step closer to a compact repertoire.  But not many people would prefer that as their main weapon against the French, I wouldn't think.

@Teacup: Nice! I actually play the Panov and Monte Carlo (French Exchange with c4) because they appear similar in terms of IQP play.   It's embarrassing how little I realize that these things transpose into one another.

@Shivsky I'm assuming that I play IQP positions, especially those in the Panov, better than my opponent. Of course I'm not saying that the opening is lost for black (I play it for both sides, which is why I probably know it much better than my opponent).

@Ozzie: Got it ... with Teacup's transpositional idea (in case I try to divert away from the Panov via e6 instead of c6), you still get to play an IQP. 

I thought the whole point of ...c6 was that after dxc6 Nxc6 that white's d pawn is weak - so isn't ...e6 a lot more dubious? dxe6 Bxe6 d4.. right?

I don't play e4 so I haven't studied such things. Then again I've sometimes played this way against the Accelerated Panov:

e4 c6 c4 d5 exd5 Nf6?! and usually white plays d4, getting a Panov, while I avoid the lines special to the Accelerated Panov.

So much shadow boxing, just to avoid opening study. Meh.

Well, dxe, Bxe is the Icelandic gambit.  I agree that it's always looked a bit dodgy to me.  Less about exploiting anything in particular, and more about simply mobilizing forces quickly.  Bit of a black BDG in that respect.

But in practice, even at the GM level, it scores pretty well for black.  So, what's to be done?

@ OP: You play that line v. the French?  Manna from heaven, then.  Go to it.

I guess I have an inherent distrust of gambits, especially from the black side, which seem to just give away a pawn for no reason. But it might make sense to look at some of the games to see how they continue.

Strong players I face almost all go for what ozzie is recommending... playing c4 and d4 and letting black recapture on d4 with a pawn.  As he said it transposes into familiar territory for the stronger player.

In the lines where black goes down a pawn, he does get development, and compensation for it.

I also play the Nf6 line. Basically if black is well prepared there are no 'good lines' for white.  All of the above suggestions have some adequate reply. For example Bb5+ can be met with Nbd7! You just have to play better chess - you cant expect to just beat all of your opponents in the opening! The Scandinavian is ultimately sound and playable.  I agree with the comment of not playing c4 so allowing an icelandic gambit as there doesnt seem to be any good lines at all for white but plenty of bad ones.  Also, playng conservatively and delaying pawn advances in the centre does take away some of blacks ideas as the opening is based on counter attack against whites pawn centre. But with correct play black will allways have a playable position

Which is why I stopped trying this stuff at the tournament level... it's not losing, but (at least for me) equality for black is an uphill battle while advantage to white is easy to fall into.

The highlighted part, IMO, is especially dangerous for a class player to allow because things like defensive ability and patience are in short supply.

This is really the heart of it. One of the "nice-to-haves" about playing the Nf6 Scandi. should be that you expect your average opponent to burn his clock and/or make inaccuracies figuring things out.  

One of the worst things you can do vs. a strong player is give your "slightly booked (Bb5+)" opponent a straightforward way of playing the position.