Replace the Portuguese
Play 3...Nxd5 against 3.d4 for your next 20 Scandinavian games. You are scoring 34.6% in the line you use now.
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Scandinavian Defense
Ambitious gambit Scandinavian, slow start, and too many losses by move 15.
Score45%−4% vs your average
Win chance after move 1250%−2% vs your average
Blunders per game1.27+0.04 vs your average
Clock left at move 102:28−12s vs your average
1
23
4
5
6
7
h8g
f
e
dcba1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6
What it says about you
1...d5 against 1.e4 means you want to decide what kind of game it is from move one and avoid main-line theory. Choosing the Modern 2...Nf6 over the quiet 2...Qxd5 lines shows you like counterplay and gambits. The data suggests your taste for adventure is ahead of your preparation.
How you play it
You come out level: a win chance of 49.8 at move 12 and 53.3 at move 20, slightly under your baselines. You use a lot of early time, with 147.6s left at move 10 against your usual 159s. You make 0.74 errors per game in moves 1-15, and 28 of your 153 losses are decided in the opening, the highest share in your repertoire. The gambit lines hold up (Scandinavian Gambit 51.9%, Icelandic 52.3%), but the Portuguese (3.d4 Bg4) scores 34.6% over 26 games and the 2...Qxd5 main lines 43-45%. Overall you score 45.2%, 47.5% over the last 90 days.
Last 90 days: 40 games, 48% score.
What you're missing
- 01
The clock is your worst problem here: 86 of 153 losses were timeouts, 34 of them in playable positions. You start slow (147.6s at move 10) and pay for it later.
- 02
Early tactics: 9...Qxd4 instead of 9...exd4 walked into a fork and dropped you from 44 to 7 with nearly the full clock (171s). Your queen is still on d4 in these lines, and taking back with it lets White attack it again.
- 03
The Portuguese is not working: 34.6% over 26 games. White's 4.f3 and Bb5+ lines punish loose play in blitz.
- 04
You miss opponent combinations: 12...Qd7 (49 to 22) and 14...Bg4 (38 to 6) both allowed White a combination. Missed tactics decided 32 losses.
How to improve it
- 01
After 2...Nf6 3.d4, consider playing 3...Nxd5 (the Modern main line) instead of 3...Bg4. You get a normal game with ...Bf5 or ...g6 and do not have to remember gambit lines at speed.
- 02
In the 2...Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 lines, use one setup: ...Nf6, ...c6, ...Bf5, ...e6, ...Nbd7, ...Bb4 or ...Be7. It is solid and you can play it quickly, which is what you need.
- 03
Before moving your queen, check whether it can be attacked with tempo by Nc3, Be3, Nb5 or Bd2. Scandinavian queens get chased around, and each chase gives White a free developing move.
- 04
Since the Icelandic and Scandinavian gambits score over 50%, keep them against 3.c4 and just make sure you know the first 8 moves by heart.
Where it goes wrong
Your losses in this opening, by where and how the decisive mistake happened.
Phase of the decisive mistake
What the mistake was
Variations you reach
| Main line | 85 | 45% |
| Modern Variation | 51 | 44% |
| Mieses Kotrc Main Line | 36 | 43% |
| Modern Portuguese Variation | 26 | 35% |
| Modern Scandinavian Gambit | 26 | 52% |
| Modern Icelandic Palme Gambit | 22 | 52% |
Winning positions converted here: 54% (113 of 211).
Recent mistakes in this opening
Your move in red, Stockfish's in black.
1
23
4
5
67
h8
gfe
dc
b
avs OmerAnar (1527) · 20-09-26 →
123
4
5
6
7h8g
f
edc
b
avs Pikooooo88 (1498) · 20-09-26 →
1
23
4
5
67
h8
gfe
d
c
b
avs Pikooooo88 (1498) · 20-09-26 →
1
23
4
5
67
h8
gfe
d
c
b
avs Pikooooo88 (1498) · 20-09-26 →
Next steps
Speed up the first 10 moves
Target 160s at move 10 by preparing one setup against each White third move. At 147.6s you are already behind your usual pace.
Check queen safety every move
Before every queen move, ask what attacks it next move. 9...Qxd4 walking into a fork is the kind of loss this prevents.
Drill it
Puzzles built from your own mistakes in the Scandinavian Defense, and every game you've played in it.