steinitz variation

I've always liked playing the steinitz when facing the scotch game. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3

2...Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qh4!? Can a class A or higher player tell me whether they think that this is sound? I like the variation, but Im not sure if it's good against very strong players.

Sure it's very playable... here are some high level examples

you can follow the games of Nikola Mitkov ... in my opinion, he plays this system in the best possible way

(3187026) Gliksman,David N (2335) - Mitkov,Nikola (2547) [C45]

Santa Monica IBAR Santa Monica (3), 24.02.2005

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qh4 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Ndb5 Ba5 7.Be2 Nf6 8.0–0 d6 9.Nd5 Nxd5 10.exd5 Ne5 11.Qd4 Qxd4 12.Nxd4 0–0 13.Be3 Ng4 14.Bxg4 Bxg4 15.f3 Rfe8 16.Kf2 Bd7 17.Nb3 Bb6 18.Bxb6 axb6 19.Rfe1 Kf8 20.Rxe8+ Bxe8 21.a3 Bb5 22.Nd2 Bd7 23.Re1 Ra5 24.c4 b5 25.Nb3 Ra4 26.c5 Be8 27.cxd6 cxd6 28.Re4 Ra8 29.Nd4 Bd7 30.Nc2 g6 31.Re3 Rc8 32.Rc3 Rc5 33.Nb4 Ke7 34.Ke3 Rxc3+ 35.bxc3 Kd8 36.Kd4 Kc7 37.c4 bxc4 38.Kxc4 Kb6 39.Na2 Bb5+ 40.Kd4 Bf1 41.g3 Bg2 42.f4 Ka5 43.Nc3 f5 44.Kc4 b5+ 45.Kd4 Bf1 46.Ke3 Kb6 47.Kd4 Ka5 ½–½

(2425202) Yarmysty,Mikhail (2117) - Tikhomirov,Sergei (2357) [C45]

Kishinev ULIM Cup Kishinev (5), 11.10.2001

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qh4 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Ndb5 Ba5 7.Be2 Nf6 8.0–0 d6 9.Nd5 Nxd5 10.exd5 Ne5 11.c4 0–0 12.Be3 a6 13.Nd4 Bb6 14.b4 Bg4 15.f3 Bd7 16.Qd2 h6 17.Rac1 Rfe8 18.Bf2 Qf6 19.c5 Ba7 20.Rc3 Rad8 21.c6 bxc6 22.dxc6 Bc8 23.Ra3 d5 24.Rc1 Bb6 25.Bxa6 Bxa6 26.Rxa6 Nc4 27.Qd3 Qg5 28.Rf1 Ne3 29.Bxe3 Rxe3 30.Qd1 Rde8 31.Rxb6 cxb6 32.Qc1 Qe5 33.Rd1 h5 34.a4 h4 35.h3 Qg3 36.c7 Re1+ 0–1

(1108804) Campora,Daniel Hugo (2560) - Mitkov,Nikola (2495) [C45]

Moscow ol (Men) Moscow (3), 1994

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qh4 5.Nb5 Bc5 6.Qe2 Nf6 7.Be3 Bxe3 8.Qxe3 Nb4 9.Bd3 Na6 10.Nd2 0–0 11.0–0 d6 12.h3 Bd7 13.Nc3 Nc5 14.f4 Rfe8 15.b4 Ne6 16.Ne2 a5 17.f5 Nf8 18.b5 b6 19.Nf3 Qh6 20.Qd4 Re7 21.Nh2 Rae8 22.Nc3 Bc8 23.Nd5 Nxd5 24.Ng4 Qh4 25.Qxd5 Nd7 26.Rf4 Nf6 27.Qd4 Re5 28.Raf1 Nxg4 29.Rxg4 Qf6 30.Kh2 Bb7 31.Rf3 h5 32.Rgf4 Kf8 33.h4 Ke7 34.Rg3 Kd8 35.Rg5 Qh6 36.Qf2 Bxe4 37.Bxe4 Rxe4 38.Rxe4 Rxe4 0–1

in the third game, can someone explain how 6. ...Nf6 is played ?

If you are a hard core pawn grabber you can sure do it. It is of my opinion though that whites game is far easier than blacks. Don't be suprised if the game falls apart to a weaker opponent.

I don't play it because I like to grab pawns but because I like the surprize effect it has on many people who expect the 'normal' Scotch. But I am a little wary of playing it against high rated opponents.

thanks for the advice!