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Scandinavian Defense: what to play after Bf5?
Best move
Qf3+1.02
By playing Qf3, you create an immediate double-threat. You are pressuring the f5 while eyeing the b7 pawn. This forces Black to make a difficult choice: defend their piece or…
- Games played
- 733K
- To move
- White
- Evaluation
- +1.02
- Depth
- 25
Game counts: Lichess opening book. Move ranking and evaluation: Stockfish. How this page is built
Why Qf3 is the best move
Qf3! — Excellent Choice!
✅ One of 4 top moves — You found a rare, high-level resource that most players miss!
Why this move is excellent:
By playing Qf3, you create an immediate double-threat. You are pressuring the f5 while eyeing the b7 pawn. This forces Black to make a difficult choice: defend their piece or allow you to disrupt their queenside development.
Multiple Valid Strategies
This position is unique because you have four distinct ways to maintain a significant advantage. Each move represents a different chess philosophy:
| Move | Eval | Style / Strategic Idea |
|---|---|---|
| Qf3 | +1.02 | Aggressive: Direct piece pressure and double attacks. |
| Bb5+ | +1.01 | Forcing: Disrupts Black's king safety or development. |
| d4 | +1.00 | Classical: Solidifies the center and opens lines for the c1. |
| Nc3 | +0.89 | Developmental: The most natural human move, focusing on the d5 pawn. |
Different paths, same destination: While most humans (29%) instinctively play Nc3 to develop a piece, your choice of Qf3 is much sharper. Only 9% of players find this queen sortie. Whether you prefer the tactical complications of the Queen move or the solid central control of d4, White remains firmly in the driver's seat.
Your Continuation
After Qf3, the engine expects a tactical skirmish:
Bxc2 Bb5+ Nd7 Nc3
What Made This Move Good
You correctly saw: That the f5 is momentarily loose. Even though Black can capture your pawn on c2, you gain a massive lead in development and initiative by forcing their pieces into awkward squares.
📚 Takeaway: When you have multiple "best" moves, choose the one that fits your style. Today, you chose the most ambitious and testing path!
What else gets played here
Move choices from 733K games in the opening book, with the engine's evaluation of each.
| Move | Evaluation | Played | Games | White score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nc3 | +0.89 | 522K | 55% | |
| c4 | +0.70 | 98K | 54% | |
| d4 | +1.00 | 82K | 56% | |
| Qf3Engine pick | +1.02 | 17K | 57% | |
| Bb5+ | +1.01 | 13K | 58% |
The line
More positions in the Scandinavian Defense
- Best moveexd5Pawn e4 → d5Scandinavian Defense153M games
- Best moveNc3Knight b1 → c3Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation71M games
- Best moved4Pawn d5 → d4Scandinavian Defense26M games
- Best moveNxd5Knight f6 → d5Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation22M games
- Best movec5Pawn c7 → c5Scandinavian Defense22M games
- Best moveNb1Knight c3 → b1Scandinavian Defense13M games
Frequently asked questions
What is the best move for White in the Scandinavian Defense?
Qf3 (+1.02). By playing Qf3, you create an immediate double-threat. You are pressuring the f5 while eyeing the b7 pawn. This forces Black to make a difficult choice: defend their piece or…
Why is Qf3 the best move here?
By playing Qf3, you create an immediate double-threat. You are pressuring the f5 while eyeing the b7 pawn. This forces Black to make a difficult choice: defend their piece or allow you to disrupt their queenside development.
How often does this position occur?
This position has been reached 733K times in the opening book.