Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, Sarratt Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. Ng5
The Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, Sarratt Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C44, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. Ng5. It is a line of the Scotch Game. Black is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1,296 times by this move order. White won 55%, 4% were drawn and Black won 41%. The most popular continuation is 5… Nh6 (61% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 72; best line 5… Nh6 6. Nxf7 Nxf7 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7 8. Qh5+)
- ECO
- C44
- Moves
- 9 plies
- FEN
r1bqk1nr/pppp1ppp/2n5/2b3N1/2BpP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQK2R b KQkq - 3 5- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. Ng5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 574 | |
| 1500-1999 | 617 | |
| 2000+ | 105 | |
| All | 1,296 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5… Nh6 | 795 (61%) | |
| 5… Ne5 | 229 (18%) | |
| 5… d5 | 188 (15%) | |
| 5… Qf6 | 27 (2%) | |
| 5… f6 | 12 (1%) | |
| 5… Nf6 | 11 (1%) | |
| 5… Qe7 | 10 (1%) | |
| 5… d3 | 6 (0%) |
Master games
165 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 50%, draw 16%, Black 34%). The strongest:
- GM Gadir Guseinov (2661) – GM Sanan Sjugirov (2712) 1/2-1/2 · Airthings Masters Div 3 W · 2023-02-06
- GM Gadir Guseinov (2661) – GM Sanan Sjugirov (2712) 1-0 · Airthings Masters Div 3 W · 2023-02-06
- GM Rauf Mamedov (2703) – GM Viktor Erdos (2605) 1-0 · European Blitz 2018 · 2018-12-07
- GM Davorin Kuljasevic (2556) – GM Rauf Mamedov (2703) 0-1 · European Blitz 2018 · 2018-12-07
- GM Aleksandra Goryachkina (2610) – GM Vahap Sanal (2593) 0-1 · Titled Tue 19th Apr Early · 2022-04-19
Search all games of the Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, Sarratt Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- discasting (2607) – IM mmsanchezchess (2719) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- RomChartres (2524) – Yaponets (2574) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- RomChartres (2506) – Yaponets (2575) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Scotch Game: Haxo Gambit 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5
Continuations
- Scotch Game: Vitzthum Attack C44 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. Ng5 Nh6 6. Qh5
- Scotch Game: Cochrane-Shumov Defense C44 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. Ng5 Nh6 6. Nxf7 Nxf7 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7 8. Qh5+ g6 9. Qxc5 d5
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: 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: Lolli Variation (3. d4 Nxd4) C44
- Scotch Game: Lolli Variation (4… exd4 5. Qxd4) C44
- Scotch Game: Napoleon Gambit 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.