Scotch Game: Romanishin Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nb3 Bb4+
The Scotch Game: Romanishin Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C45, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nb3 Bb4+. It is a line of the Scotch Game. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 36 times by this move order. White won 64%, 11% were drawn and Black won 25%. The most popular continuation is 6. c3 (67% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.33 (Stockfish, depth 40; best line 6. c3 Be7 7. f4 d6 8. Bd3 d5)
- ECO
- C45
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
r1bqk1nr/pppp1ppp/2n5/8/1b2P3/1N6/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 3 6- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nb3 Bb4+
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 5 | |
| 1500-1999 | 13 | |
| 2000+ | 18 | |
| All | 36 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. c3 | 24 (67%) | |
| 6. Bd2 | 9 (25%) | |
| 6. Nc3 | 3 (8%) |
Master games
368 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 40%, draw 24%, Black 36%). The strongest:
- GM Alexander Grischuk (2772) – GM Dmitry Andreikin (2712) 1/2-1/2 · 2nd IMSA Blitz 2017 · 2017-12-13
- GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2714) – GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2765) 1-0 · SportAccord Blitz 2014 · 2014-12-13
- GM Anish Giri (2764) – GM Vladislav Artemiev (2708) 0-1 · chess.com Speed 2020 · 2020-11-16
- GM Anish Giri (2764) – GM Vladislav Artemiev (2708) 1-0 · chess.com Speed 2020 · 2020-11-16
- GM Sam Shankland (2649) – GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2750) 0-1 · 15th London Classic Elite · 2025-12-01
Search all games of the Scotch Game: Romanishin Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Normal_one (2673) – FM boorchess (2536) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- ludwis (2516) – eugmind (2531) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- ludwis (2475) – Hammurapi65 (2482) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 600 + 0s
Comes from
Scotch Game: Potter Variation 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nb3
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.