Answers.Body: <p>A weakness is only a weakness if it can be attacked. The queen is well placed on d4 and can only be attacked by c5, which weakens the d5 and d6 squares.</p>
  
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Answers.Body: <p>There are two reasons, why this is bad:</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>On a first sight, you attract the opponent's queen and I don't see any drawback.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>I'll give you this: in a &quot;normal&quot; position it is bad to place the queen early on d4. This is because it can be attacked by Nb8-c6, losing a tempo for white and gaining one for black. Since the knight is already exchanged this can't happen any more, though, and therefore the placement of the queen is not bad but good. It is placed on a central square with lots of moving opportunities because of the open character of the position and it cannot easily be harassed by black.</p>
  <p>A second reason why exchanging is bad is: black needs to spend a move actually exchanging the piece. True, the opponent also loses a developed piece (so in this regard it is a par) but while white takes back developing another piece black doesn't get the same.</p>
  <p>Compare the resulting position (white has a queen and a pawn in the center, black is in initial position) with what <em>could</em> come out by <em>not</em> exchanging, for instance 4. ... Bc5 (the plan is to not take back if White takes on c6 but instead play Qf6!, threatening mate. White cannot save the knight and black takes it one move later): White has developed a pawn and a knight, black has two pieces developed. 2:2 instead of 2:0.</p>
  
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Answers.Body: <p>Others noted White's queen is hard to attack (Bc5 drops g7, Nf6 first invites e5). I'd note also that Ne7 and Nc6 is a possible way to attack the White queen, but White should see that threat, and there are a few good squares to go to. Plus it takes 2 moves, and Qe3 or Qd3 are both quite good squares. White can play Bd2 and castle queenside, lining the rook up with Black's queen. Thus there is always a threat of e5.</p>
  <p>White simply has better development in the position given--a piece on a strong central square, a pawn in a central square, and both center pawns off their initial square. Black has tricks to equalize, so ...Nxd4 is not fatal, but White's play is relatively easy. The Qe3/g3 maneuver can even start a kingside attack.</p>
  <p>And what can Black do about the f8-bishop? A quick d6 makes it awkward.</p>
  <p>Black just has a space disadvantage. This can be eliminated if White plays too slowly or too quickly, but White is having all the fun.</p>
  
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Answers.Body: <blockquote>
  <p>On a first sight, you attract the opponent's queen and I don't see any drawback.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>On the contrary, you are attracting the queen to the best square on the board, thus giving white a lead in development, and there are no drawbacks <em>for white</em>.</p>
  <p>How is black going to take advantage of white's queen being in the center? Bc5 hangs a bishop (and the g7 pawn). Nc6 requires black to take two moves in order to place the knight on a worse square than f6. c5 is purely a weakening move: you create weaknesses on the d file (d5 and d6 become permanent outposts for white), it makes your DSB worse, and creates a backwards pawn on d7. The queen in the center of the board should not be seen as a weakness unless the opponent has a way to develop their pieces with tempo against her.</p>
  
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Answers.Text: Just to add some context, compare the white Queen in d4 in the position OP posted with the queen in d5 in the Scandinavian.
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Answers.Text: More context: normal move Nf6 +0.1, Nxd4 +0.5. Bad but not catastrophically so. LiChess Stockfish suggest 5...Qf6 to immediately contest the Q. (If e5, Qb6.)
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Answers.Text: ...Ne7-c6 would be nice but White can reply to ...Ne7 with Be3 so that retreating the queen to d2 becomes a great option
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Body: <p>This line in the Scotch opening</p>
  <p>1 e4 e5<br />
  2 Nf3 Nc6<br />
  3 d4 exd4<br />
  4 Nxd4 Nxd4<br />
  5 Qxd4</p>
  <p>doesn't seem to be used a lot and I've talked with some people that claimed that it was bad, but they couldn't give me a clear reason why.</p>
  <pre><code>[StartPly &quot;9&quot;]
  [FEN &quot;&quot;]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nxd4 5. Qxd4   
  </code></pre>
  <p>At first sight, you attract the opponent's queen and I don't see any drawback.</p>
  
Tags: <opening><analysis><scotch-game>
Title: Why is retaking with 4...Nxd4 bad for black in the Scotch opening?
ThreadText: # Why is retaking with 4...Nxd4 bad for black in the Scotch opening?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2024-10-30)
  
  This line in the Scotch opening
  1 e4 e5
  2 Nf3 Nc6
  3 d4 exd4
  4 Nxd4 Nxd4
  5 Qxd4
  doesn't seem to be used a lot and I've talked with some people that claimed that it was bad, but they couldn't give me a clear reason why.
  [StartPly "9"]
  [FEN ""]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nxd4 5. Qxd4   
  
  At first sight, you attract the opponent's queen and I don't see any drawback.
  
  **Tags:** opening, analysis, scotch-game
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 4 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2024-10-30. Score: 12 | Accepted answer
  
  > On a first sight, you attract the opponent's queen and I don't see any drawback.
  
  On the contrary, you are attracting the queen to the best square on the board, thus giving white a lead in development, and there are no drawbacks *for white*.
  
  How is black going to take advantage of white's queen being in the center? Bc5 hangs a bishop (and the g7 pawn). Nc6 requires black to take two moves in order to place the knight on a worse square than f6. c5 is purely a weakening move: you create weaknesses on the d file (d5 and d6 become permanent outposts for white), it makes your DSB worse, and creates a backwards pawn on d7. The queen in the center of the board should not be seen as a weakness unless the opponent has a way to develop their pieces with tempo against her.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_5**: Just to add some context, compare the white Queen in d4 in the position OP posted with the queen in d5 in the Scandinavian.  
  > **username_6**: More context: normal move Nf6 +0.1, Nxd4 +0.5. Bad but not catastrophically so. LiChess Stockfish suggest 5...Qf6 to immediately contest the Q. (If e5, Qb6.)  
  > **username_7**: ...Ne7-c6 would be nice but White can reply to ...Ne7 with Be3 so that retreating the queen to d2 becomes a great option  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2024-10-30. Score: 5
  
  A weakness is only a weakness if it can be attacked. The queen is well placed on d4 and can only be attacked by c5, which weakens the d5 and d6 squares.
  
  
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  ### Answer by username_2 on 2024-10-30. Score: 5
  
  There are two reasons, why this is bad:
  
  > On a first sight, you attract the opponent's queen and I don't see any drawback.
  
  I'll give you this: in a "normal" position it is bad to place the queen early on d4. This is because it can be attacked by Nb8-c6, losing a tempo for white and gaining one for black. Since the knight is already exchanged this can't happen any more, though, and therefore the placement of the queen is not bad but good. It is placed on a central square with lots of moving opportunities because of the open character of the position and it cannot easily be harassed by black.
  
  A second reason why exchanging is bad is: black needs to spend a move actually exchanging the piece. True, the opponent also loses a developed piece (so in this regard it is a par) but while white takes back developing another piece black doesn't get the same.
  
  Compare the resulting position (white has a queen and a pawn in the center, black is in initial position) with what *could* come out by *not* exchanging, for instance 4. ... Bc5 (the plan is to not take back if White takes on c6 but instead play Qf6!, threatening mate. White cannot save the knight and black takes it one move later): White has developed a pawn and a knight, black has two pieces developed. 2:2 instead of 2:0.
  
  
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  ### Answer by username_3 on 2024-11-09. Score: 1
  
  Others noted White's queen is hard to attack (Bc5 drops g7, Nf6 first invites e5). I'd note also that Ne7 and Nc6 is a possible way to attack the White queen, but White should see that threat, and there are a few good squares to go to. Plus it takes 2 moves, and Qe3 or Qd3 are both quite good squares. White can play Bd2 and castle queenside, lining the rook up with Black's queen. Thus there is always a threat of e5.
  
  White simply has better development in the position given--a piece on a strong central square, a pawn in a central square, and both center pawns off their initial square. Black has tricks to equalize, so ...Nxd4 is not fatal, but White's play is relatively easy. The Qe3/g3 maneuver can even start a kingside attack.
  
  And what can Black do about the f8-bishop? A quick d6 makes it awkward.
  
  Black just has a space disadvantage. This can be eliminated if White plays too slowly or too quickly, but White is having all the fun.
  
  
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