Scotch Game: Paulsen Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nf5
The Scotch Game: Paulsen Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C45, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nf5. It is a line of the Scotch Game. Black is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 10 times by this move order. White won 40%, 20% were drawn and Black won 40%. The most popular continuation is 5… Qxe4+ (100% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.49 (Stockfish, depth 32; best line 5… Qxe4+ 6. Ne3 Qe5 7. Bc4 Bb4+ 8. Nd2)
- ECO
- C45
- Moves
- 9 plies
- FEN
r1b1kbnr/pppp1ppp/2n5/5N2/4P2q/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 2 5- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Nf5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 10 | |
| All | 10 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5… Qxe4+ | 10 (100%) |
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Destroyerofworlds778 (1414) – highevolution (1415) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 600 + 0s
- Ant66 (1354) – MwicheMumba (1424) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-04 · 300 + 0s
- Archieshka0 (1352) – theNormalGalaxy (1360) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-07 · 600 + 0s
Comes from
Scotch Game: Steinitz Variation (4. Nxd4 Qh4) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4
More Scotch Game lines (all)
- Scotch Game (2… Nc6 3. d4) C44
- Scotch Game (3. d4 exd4) C44
- Scotch Game: Benima Defense C44
- Scotch Game: Cochrane Variation C44
- Scotch Game: Cochrane-Shumov Defense C44
- Scotch Game: Göring Gambit C44
- Scotch Game: Göring Gambit, Bardeleben Variation C44
- Scotch Game: Göring Gambit, Double Pawn Sacrifice C44
- Scotch Game: Göring Gambit, Main Line C44
- Scotch Game: Hanneken Variation C44
- Scotch Game: Haxo Gambit C44
- Scotch Game: Lolli Variation (3. d4 Nxd4) C44
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.