Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, Göring Gambit Declined
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 d5
The Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, Göring Gambit Declined is a chess opening classified as ECO C44, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 d5. 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 955 times by this move order. White won 48%, 5% were drawn and Black won 47%. The most popular continuation is 5. exd5 (66% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 5. exd5 Qxd5 6. cxd4 Bg4 7. Be2 Bb4+)
- ECO
- C44
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/ppp2ppp/2n5/3p4/3pP3/2P2N2/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 5- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 d5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 91 | |
| 1500-1999 | 497 | |
| 2000+ | 367 | |
| All | 955 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. exd5 | 632 (66%) | |
| 5. e5 | 188 (20%) | |
| 5. cxd4 | 43 (5%) | |
| 5. Bd3 | 35 (4%) | |
| 5. Bb5 | 22 (2%) | |
| 5. Bc4 | 13 (1%) | |
| 5. Nxd4 | 11 (1%) | |
| 5. Qb3 | 6 (1%) |
Master games
442 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 41%, draw 18%, Black 41%). The strongest:
- GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2757) – GM Alexander Grischuk (2766) 1-0 · chess.com Speed 1m+1spm 2017 · 2018-08-07
- GM Vasyl Ivanchuk (2678) – GM Sanan Sjugirov (2680) 1-0 · Chess.com Rapid Wk2 Swiss · 2022-02-19
- GM Klementy Sychev (2517) – GM Erigaisi Arjun (2745) 0-1 · 1st 3-0 Thu 5th Mar 2026 · 2026-03-05
- IM Matvey Galchenko (2440) – GM So, W. (2774) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 1st Sep 2026 · 2026-09-01
- IM Matvey Galchenko (2438) – GM Anish Giri (2762) 1-0 · Titled Tue 12th Mar Early · 2024-03-12
Search all games of the Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, Göring Gambit Declined and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM Guary1 (2864) – GgangbuVip (2692) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- Blagoslavlenny_Bogom (2521) – Gertrude_Weichsel (2621) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- Not_Strong_Enough (2506) – BEWATER_2005 (2541) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Scotch Game: Göring Gambit 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3
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, 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
- Scotch Game: Lolli Variation (4… exd4 5. Qxd4) 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.