The Scotch, part 4: what does White do next?

4... Bc5 is one of Black's main options against the Scotch (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4). How should White continue? RB I've done a tiny bit of study on the Scotch and so am not quite the total novice I was when we began this survey. In fact, I've reached this position in a couple of recent casual games. I've tried both of White's two principal continuations here, 5 Nxc6 and 5 Be3 (5 Nb3 is less often seen). The first of these looks appealing for White: 5...dxc6 6 Qxd8+ Kxd8 puts an end to Black's castling rights, while 5...bxc6 messes up his queenside pawns. But Black, as I discovered to my cost in one game, has a nice move in 5...Qf6, threatening mate and forcing White into an awkward defence of f2 (both 6 Qd2 and 6 Qe2 block a bishop). I prefer the second alternative 5 Be3, developing a piece and maintaining the tension. After 5...Qf6 6 c3 Nge7 I would play 7 Bc4, at which point my knowledge of the theory runs out. DK How one continues here is largely a matter of taste. At the London Chess Classic, McShane-Short continued 5 Nxc6 Qf6 6 Qf3 (the latest trend), and the players quickly reached an endgame in which White had a little more space and therefore a theoretical advantage. In the same tournament Howell-Adams continued instead 5 Be3 Qf6 6 c3 Nge7 7 Bc4 b6, and with all the pieces still on the board, a complex struggle lay ahead. Although this line is relatively common, I must admit to feeling uncomfortable with White: the knight can no longer move to c3 to suppress Black's ...d5 break, and I prefer to have more control. 5 Nb3 is rarely played at the top levels, but perhaps that's just fashion. I have a book from 1977 that indicates it as the strongest move. Magnus Carlsen played it four times at the World Blitz Championship in November – winning three. After 5...Bb6, he tried 6 Qe2 followed by Be3, Nc3 and queenside castling. I bet we will see more of that in the future. [email protected]