Openings Other answers to 1.e4

Scandinavian Defense: Qa5, Qd6, Qd8 and 2...Nf6 by Rating

1...d5 challenges e4 at once. After 2.exd5 Qxd5 Black’s queen comes out early, but it is easy to find a safe square. You get the same kind of position against almost every White setup, which makes it a great low-theory weapon.

For Black1.e4 d5Seen in 6.1% of rated games

Lichess rating

B01Scandinavian Defense

Games from this position (1600–1999): 381k

Played	Games	White · Draw · Black
77%	292k	49%47%
10%	39k	48%48%
5%	19k	47%49%
3%	13k	50%45%
2%	8,072	50%46%
0.8%	3,184	46%48%
0.3%	1,234	48%48%
0.2%	725	39%56%

Practice as White Practice as Black

Plans for both sides

White

3.Nc3 gains a tempo on the queen; then d4, Nf3 and Bc4 or Bd2.
Your pawn on d4 gives you more space; Ne5 and a quick c4 are typical ways to use it.
Against 2...Nf6, 3.d4 Nxd5 4.Nf3 is simple; holding the pawn with 3.c4 invites the ...c6 or ...e6 gambits.

Black

Choose your queen square: a5 (active), d6 (modern) or d8 (solid).
Develop with ...Nf6, ...c6, ...Bf5 or ...Bg4 and ...e6; this setup works against almost everything.
Do not let White’s pieces gain more tempi on the queen.

Scandinavian Defense at each rating

How often the position after 1.e4 d5 comes up in rated Lichess games, how it scores and what players answer next.

Rating	Games (Share of games)	White · Draw · Black	Top next move
<1200	224k7.4%	50%46%	2.exd547%
1200–1599	389k6.6%	49%47%	2.exd567%
1600–1999	381k5.9%	48%47%	2.exd577%
2000+	75k3.7%	48%46%	2.exd580%
All	1.1M6.1%	49%47%	2.exd567%

What usually comes next

The most played moves from here, all ratings together. Thicker line = played more often.

Main variations

The classical main line. Black plays ...Bf5 or ...Bg4 and ...e6.
6,889 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 46%, 5% were drawn, Black won 49%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6
The queen is safe on d6 and supports ...a6 and ...Nf6. Popular since the 2010s.
19k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 48%, 5% were drawn, Black won 47%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6
Solid but slow; Black gives White a free center.
123k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 51%, 5% were drawn, Black won 45%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8
Black takes back with the knight later. White can keep the pawn with c4 or play d4.
154k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 47%, 4% were drawn, Black won 48%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6

At club level

The Scandinavian is common below 1600 because it avoids theory. From 1200 up most White players answer 2.exd5 and 3.Nc3, so learning one queen retreat and one setup covers most of your games; under 1200, expect 2.e5 too.

Practice it

The trainer answers with the replies people at your rating choose, in the same proportions, and brings back your mistakes on a schedule.

Practice as Black Practice as White

Related openings

Caro-Kann Defense
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5
425k games
French Defense
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5
376k games
Owen Defense
1.e4 b6
187k games
Nimzowitsch Defense
1.e4 Nc6
161k games
Alekhine Defense
1.e4 Nf6
159k games
Modern Defense
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7
141k games