Scotch Game: Göring Gambit, Bardeleben Variation

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO C44), reached after 12 half-moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 dxc3 5. Bc4 Nf6 6. Nxc3 Bb4.

Black rook — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

Black bishop — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

End of this line

No further variations branch from this position in our database. To explore neighbouring ideas:

About this opening

Scotch Game: Göring Gambit, Bardeleben Variation is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code C44. ECO group C (C00–C99) covers open games (1.e4 e5) and the French Defence, including the Ruy Lopez, Italian, Scotch and King's Gambit. This particular variation is reached after 12 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 dxc3 5. Bc4 Nf6 6. Nxc3 Bb4.

It belongs to the Scotch Game family. Within that family this is a level-2 branch (the Göring Gambit → Bardeleben Variation line). The immediate parent line is Scotch Game: Göring Gambit, transitioned via 6…Bb4.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.e4 e5, 2.Nf3 Nc6, 3.d4 exd4, 4.c3 dxc3, 5.Bc4 Nf6, 6.Nxc3 Bb4. From this position the encyclopaedia records no further canonical continuations — practical play branches into unnamed transpositions or returns to the parent line for alternative ideas.