the scotch

I dont think I have played the scotch with 4 Nxd4 as white yet but have faced it as black. I always play either 4 Bc4 or   4 c3 when I play scotch..... :-) 

 Aye, I ran some database numbers and came up with the following.

The Bc5 line scores:

37% win for white

39% draw

24% win for black

An instructive game on this line might be Kasparov - Yusupov in Horgen 1994.

I'm not sure about the other lines but I compared it to ruy lopez in general wich scores something like:

39% win for white

36% draw

26% win for black

By the looks Scotch Game seems more drawish but with similar win/loss ratio.

I'm not sure about how the Scotch holds up in CC though.

The Scotch is fine, especially below GM level.  Black isn't going to refute it, the closest try is the Steinetz Variation.

I like Scotch. I also like Bourbon, but not as much. I do enjoy a good Rum, but not all Rum is good.

Mmmmm, beer.

Hmm, that is odd. There are several sources that claim the steinitz variation to be really bad. Sam Collins, amongst others, mentions it being really unplayable for black in his "Attacking Repetoir for White" book and I'm pretty sure I heard IM Andrew Martin say something similar in one of his Play the Scotch DvDs.

As far as I can gather the steinitz variation is something offbeat you might want to try against someone at the local chess club when playing black and not at master level. The other Scotch lines seem fine at all levels from what I've understood for white.

Yes, you can beat masters with the Scotch

AtahanT:

I meant to say that it's good for white.  But you have to understand the positions.  It's not a forced win for white, although white has all the fun.

 Yeah it's never a forced win ofcourse. I just misunderstood you on steinitz variation then. It's not a good choice for black it seems but white needs to understand the lines that is true. But if white is playing the Scotch he probably should know the lines better then the defender.

In my somewhat dated dBase (2006) 3. d4 scores 54%, 3. Bc4 54% and 3. Bb5 57%. The performance rating for each is 2609, 2616 and 2645.  While the point spread seems minimal down here in the trenches, at the upper levels 10 elo points is a significant gap.

And quality scotch is never offensive, it is a smooth, mellow beauty to be quietly appreciated.

For anyone who doesnt know this is the mainline scotch. Know who thinks who is better

 Until Kasparov changed it to 5. Nxc6. That is the main line in my book.

I prefer this mainline though

 Preference ofcourse. Your line is fine too. :-)

I have to admit the scotch was a secret untill kasporav started using it

LOL!! i am SO gona use this as a quote. :) :)

If we cannot base anything on data base percentages then what good are data bases and what shall we base things on ? I think there is a great deal of dogma in chess and its easy for anyone to get caught up in it. Here on chess.com after 1 e4 e5 I have played 2 Nf3 140 times and scored 87.9%, I played 2 f4  27 times for 92.6 % and 2 Bc4 12 games for 91.7 % ...... I have played the goring gambit 6 times and scored 100% ! I have not taken into account ratings and since I play lower rated players a lot more often than higher rated ones the percentages are gonna be skewed, ofcourse. However, this applies to all the openings I play across the board so I am amazed that playing the goring gambit has given me 100 % ! I have pur certain popular opening positions on the beasts that oepning theory rates better for one side or the other and the beasts often disagree completely !

I love the Scotch, and it's my current main opening  for White. For one thing, there are a number of good traps after the first pawn capture. Also, the center can be quickly controlled and all the pieces are encouraged to develop smoothly. There is much space for White too.  If you've got a better opening for White other than the Ruy, tell me.

 Yup, there are many ways to go wrong for black. And they do, quite often.

Uhm, that first one isn't a Scotch :-)

Oops, you're right. It's a Philidor. Still, it happens often when you AIM for the scotch haha.