Scandinavian, Caesar's Pizza Variation

I am nicknaming this variation of the Scandinavian Defense the Caesar's Pizza variation in reference to their Hot-And-Ready $5 pizzas. Like the Hot-And-Ready pizzas, this variation is easy, and can be played with minimal study. Something I would like to note is that I will not be recommending the system recommended in Daniel Lowingers book, or in the series of lectures IM Andrew Martin did that are on youtube. In those works, the authors recommend developing the Bishop to f5, while I prefer placing it on g4. 

The main line of this variation is below.

Something to remember about this line is that Black normally waits to exchange the g4 Bishop until White has forced it with h3, saving him a tempo. The only time I would exchange it before White plays h3 is if the move Ne5 is looking particularly menacing. 

The basic idea of this line is simple; Black sets up an incredibly solid center, and waits for White to impale himself on it. It is as Walter, one of the local players around my area and a strong Class A player calls it, a "rope a dope" line. 

In addition to Black's solid structure, White's pieces are tripping over themselves. The Knight on c3 is blocking the c pawn, the Bishop on e3 is simply an overgrown pawn, and the Queen on f3 looks as awkward as an sixth grade boy at his first dance. The only real way for White to make progress is to play c4 and break in the middle with d5. Of course, this is very lengthy, and gives Black plenty of time to prepare for it. 

Before we continue, I want to show you what Black's main set up will look like

Note in the set up the Queen is still on d8, and the King is uncastled. This is because the Queen has two different squares she can go to with two unique plans that I will explain later. The King is still in the center because he can really castle to either side. Both of these factors (the position of the Queen and King) are largely due to a matter of taste, but also due to what the position calls for. 

Now, if White is to play c4, as stated above, the Knight must move. The most natural square for it to go to is e4, after which Black will exchange it off and "reload" the f6 square with his d7 Knight, gaining a tempo on whichever piece recaptures on e4. Of course since we have less space, exchanges are generally welcome. 

This now leads us to Black's two main plans for the middlegame - Qc7, and Qb6. Lets start with Qc7.

The plan after Qc7 is to fight for the square f4. Black will play Qc7, Nd5, and try to place a piece on f4. Position permitting, he can even play Bd6, although this does loosen his Kingside a litle. I would imagine that this would not be a bad plan should White have castled Kingside, and you Queenside, although it can obviously be played with any combination of White/Black King positions. 

The second plan, and the one I personally prefer when playing this line, is with Qb6. 

I included 0-0-0 for Black simply because it brings the rook immediately to d8, saving Black a tempo, although it can of course be played with 0-0. The Queen on b6 both pressures b2, making the developmnet of White's dark squared Bishop awkard, and adds pressure to d4. In addition, should Black's Knight ever move, he can play Bf6, adding further pressure to d4. Even without the Knight on f6, the two rooks and two pawns should be enough to restrain White's d4-d5 break, holding the pawn in place to be battered and bruised.

The other line that you must be aware of is with Bc4

Here, Black cannot play his plan of Bg4 due to tactical reasons.

Instead, the move 5...a6! is scoring remarkably well for Black. His idea is to play b5, Bb7, e6, Nbd7, and eventually break with c5. Should White prevent b5 with a4, then b6 will suffice with the same plan to follow.

I hope you all find this instructive. Feel free to leave any thoughts or ideas or games in the comments.