How to Counter the Scotch Game

What moves can be played to counter the scotch game?

So I assume you mean 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 as other moves, like 4.Bc4, would be the Scotch Gambit.

Black has 2 sound responses, 1 unsound but tricky, and 1 offbeat response that had some hype for a brief while.

The 2 sound options:

1) 4...Nf6 - White has basically 2 options. 5.Nc3 leads to the Scotch Four Knights, which can also arrive via 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4. The second option for White is 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4 and now Black can choose between moving the Knight with 8...Nb6 or pinning the pawn with 8...Ba6. You would need to study these lines as they are high theoretical.

2) The other sound option is 4...Bc5, against which White has 3 options. 5.Be3, 5.Nb3, or 5.Nxc6. Against the third one, don't take back. 5...Qf6! And due to the threat of mate, Black gets the piece back without damaging his pawns.

As far as the other two, I cannot give you explanations on how to play them and would advise against using them, but in case you also play the White side, there is:

The unsound 4...Qh4. All I know about this line is White should surrender the e-pawn and gains a bazillion tempi on the Black Queen.

The offbeat line, again not knowing the theory, is 4...Bd6. Ask a Scotch guru as I play the French as Black and when I played 1.e4 as White, it was the Italian I played.

Hope this helps.

One line not mentioned above is the positional 4… Bb4+, after 5. c3 Bc5 this simply looks as if Black is down a full tempo, as White usually plays c3 in the Classical lines anyways. However, even in those cases, Black can well afford to be down a tempo, as White doesn’t have any attack. The main reason for choosing this line (the Malaniuk) is to discourage Nxc6, as after this White’s knight will be poorly placed.

It's very hard to research the scotch from the black side of the board.

If I remember correctly, the Steinitz is one of blacks most aggressive counters

and black is scoring 34:59 in 17k 1600-2000 games -0.8

that is one wide open center!

when black does qh4, and then white does nc3, what if white did pawn g3

?

My primary opening is the scotch gambit the most annoying response is nf6 because it makes it near impossible for me to make any brilliants or win a tempo and it makes it hard to win the pawn back.

There's a loose pawn at e4.