Beat the Scotch: Schmidt - Scotch: 5.Nxc6 Mieses

Main line

The chapter's main line, with the comments from the course.

1. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4

   White opens the center, offering a pawn trade that leads to sharp tactical play.

2. 3... exd4

   We grab the pawn. Anything else just gives White a free center.

3. 4. Nxd4

   White recaptures and threatens our knight on c6, forcing us to make a choice about the position's direction.

4. 4... Nf6

   We develop the knight, attacking e4 and keeping our options open.

5. 5. Nxc6

   The Mieses Variation begins. White trades knights and hopes we'll mess up our pawn structure on the recapture.

6. 5... bxc6

   We recapture toward the center, opening the b-file and keeping control of the key d5 square.

7. 6. e5

   White advances, kicking our knight and claiming space in the center.

8. 6... Qe7

   We pin the advanced pawn. White's e5 might become a target instead of a strength.

9. 7. Qe2

   The only move. Anything else lets us undermine with d6.

10. 7... Nd5

    We jump to the center, meeting White's pawn storm with active pieces.

11. 8. c4

    White kicks our knight while grabbing space and getting ready to meet our d6 break.

12. 8... Ba6 9. b3

    White defends c4 and opens the long diagonal for Bb2 or Ba3. Good news, this lets us advance our a-pawn later.

13. 9... g6

    Standard fianchetto setup, aiming the bishop at White's kingside.

14. 10. Bb2!?

    Natural development. The sharper f4 is also fine if you want to skip the coming endgame.

15. 10... Bg7

    Our bishop aims straight at e5, keeping up the pressure.

16. 11. g3!?

    White needs to get that bishop out and castle. From g2, it'll fight for the key d5 square.

17. 11... O-O

    We castle and get ready to double rooks on the e-file.

18. 12. Bg2

    White finishes the fianchetto and clears the way to castle. This usually leads straight to an endgame.

19. 12... Rae8

    The a8 rook MUST move here, not the f8 rook. That a8 rook could hang after a later Bxd5 trick.

20. 13. O-O

    No real alternative here.

21. 13... Bxe5

    Let's grab that pawn now! If we play slowly, White gets the better pawn structure.

22. 14. Qxe5

    The sharpest way to recapture, leading to more trades.

23. 14... Qxe5

    Forced.

24. 15. Bxe5

    The only move.

25. 15... Rxe5

    We're up a pawn for now, but White takes on d5 next. We get rook and two pawns against bishop and knight, solid practical chances.

26. 16. cxd5

    White's best try.

27. 16... Bxf1

    You must play this.

28. 17. Kxf1

    White keeps the bishop active and brings the king forward.

29. 17... cxd5

    The position settles into a balanced theoretical endgame. Our plan: c6, a5, then Rb8 or Rfe8 while centralizing our king. White tries Rd1-Rd4 or Nc3-Na4-Nc5, but these don't threaten much.

30. 18. Nc3

    Good thing we played Rae8 earlier! Had we gone Rfe8 instead, f4 would hurt us more than this Nc3 does.

31. 18... c6

    We keep our pawns together and reach a solid endgame despite White's practical results.

32. 19. Rd1

    White brings the rook to d1, eyeing d4 but stuck defending the back rank.

33. 19... a5

    We lock down White's queenside and cut off any rook invasions via a4.

Other chapters

• Scotch: Four Knights
• Scotch Gambit (4.Bc4)
• Göring Gambit & Sidelines