Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, London Defense

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO C44), reached after 8 half-moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 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: Scotch Gambit, London Defense 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 8 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bb4+.

It belongs to the Scotch Game family. Within that family this is a level-2 branch (the Scotch Gambit → London Defense line). The immediate parent line is Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, transitioned via 4…Bb4+.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.e4 e5, 2.Nf3 Nc6, 3.d4 exd4, 4.Bc4 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.