Answers.Body: <p>I only see three alternative moves to defend the f2 square: <strong>6.Be3</strong> Bxe3 7.fxe3 results in doubled isolated center pawns, not something I would like to play with. <strong>6.Qd2</strong> and <strong>6.Qe2</strong> block the bishops.</p>
  
  <p>I guess it's a matter of what you like to play with. If you block one of your bishops, you can later play the queen again or fianchetto the bishop. <strong>6.Qd2</strong> and then fianchettoing your dark-squared bishop requires more moves as the black queen controls the b2 square. <strong>6.Qe2</strong> blocks in your light-squared bishop taking you longer to castle (short).</p>
  
  <p>After <strong>6.Qf3</strong> Qxf3 7.gxf3 you can still castle long and you have quite a strong centrum pawn formation. Perhaps this looks better than the alternatives.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-10-16T10:10:13.520Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2018-10-16T10:10:13.520Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tommiie
Answers.Body: <p>After 6.Qf3, black can </p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>Not initiate Q trade 6... gxc6 7. Be2 or Nd2. In this case black's N has some develop problem as Q is blocking its natural f6 square.</li>
  <li>Trade Qs 6... Qxf3 7. gxf3 bxc6 8 Be3. And normally after that 8... Bxe3 fxe3. In this case, white has better central control. White's K normally stays behind and guards the e/f pawns. Black's weak a pawn can be more problematic than white's h pawn since white's rook has more room to lift and roll over.</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>Of course all these are theoretical and even if they are in white's favor, it's very small.</p>
  
  <p>One variation that's good for white is if black tries to keep pawn formation by taking dxc6. In this case white has a winning king and pawn ending so he can just try and trade everything, starting immediately by trading Qs and dark Bs.</p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2018-10-16T10:53:15.587Z
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Answers.UserDisplayName: jf328
Answers.Body: <p>I don't think white minds gxf3. He gets a half-open g file for his rook and he is capturing towards the center. I suppose black will respond with bxc6 and I would play Nd2 going for Nb3 next move and asking black where his bishop will go. If it goes back to b6 then pawn a4 seems like a very nice position for white, while other moves he will play f4 anyways and establish a slightly better position from what I can see.</p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2018-10-17T20:11:05.207Z
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Matthew Liu
Body: <p>In the following sequence of moves, what are the main ideas of the fashionable 6. Qf3 in the Scotch? Can White hope for a real advantage by letting Black trade Queens so early and worsening (at least from a theoretical point of view) his Pawn structure?  </p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN ""]
  [Startply "11"]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 Qf6 6. Qf3 
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>PS: Another strange-looking early Qf3 by White that has become popular recently! Others are in the Sicilian Taimanov and in the Exchange Alekhine... </p>
  
Tags: <opening><scotch-game><open-games>
Title: What are the ideas of 6. Qf3 in the Scotch?
ThreadText: # What are the ideas of 6. Qf3 in the Scotch?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2018-10-16)
  
  In the following sequence of moves, what are the main ideas of the fashionable 6. Qf3 in the Scotch? Can White hope for a real advantage by letting Black trade Queens so early and worsening (at least from a theoretical point of view) his Pawn structure?  
  [FEN ""]
  [Startply "11"]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 Qf6 6. Qf3 
  
  PS: Another strange-looking early Qf3 by White that has become popular recently! Others are in the Sicilian Taimanov and in the Exchange Alekhine...
  
  **Tags:** opening, scotch-game, open-games
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 3 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2018-10-16. Score: 5
  
  I only see three alternative moves to defend the f2 square: **6.Be3** Bxe3 7.fxe3 results in doubled isolated center pawns, not something I would like to play with. **6.Qd2** and **6.Qe2** block the bishops.
  
  I guess it's a matter of what you like to play with. If you block one of your bishops, you can later play the queen again or fianchetto the bishop. **6.Qd2** and then fianchettoing your dark-squared bishop requires more moves as the black queen controls the b2 square. **6.Qe2** blocks in your light-squared bishop taking you longer to castle (short).
  
  After **6.Qf3** Qxf3 7.gxf3 you can still castle long and you have quite a strong centrum pawn formation. Perhaps this looks better than the alternatives.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2018-10-16. Score: 2
  
  After 6.Qf3, black can
  
  1. Not initiate Q trade 6... gxc6 7. Be2 or Nd2. In this case black's N has some develop problem as Q is blocking its natural f6 square.
  2. Trade Qs 6... Qxf3 7. gxf3 bxc6 8 Be3. And normally after that 8... Bxe3 fxe3. In this case, white has better central control. White's K normally stays behind and guards the e/f pawns. Black's weak a pawn can be more problematic than white's h pawn since white's rook has more room to lift and roll over.
  
  Of course all these are theoretical and even if they are in white's favor, it's very small.
  
  One variation that's good for white is if black tries to keep pawn formation by taking dxc6. In this case white has a winning king and pawn ending so he can just try and trade everything, starting immediately by trading Qs and dark Bs.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2018-10-17. Score: 1
  
  I don't think white minds gxf3. He gets a half-open g file for his rook and he is capturing towards the center. I suppose black will respond with bxc6 and I would play Nd2 going for Nb3 next move and asking black where his bishop will go. If it goes back to b6 then pawn a4 seems like a very nice position for white, while other moves he will play f4 anyways and establish a slightly better position from what I can see.
  
  
  ---
  
  