The Scotch Game, or Scotch Opening, is a chess opening that begins with the moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 Ercole del Rio, in his 1750 treatise Sopra il giuoco degli Scacchi, Osservazioni pratiche d’anonimo Autore Modenese, was the first author to mention what is now called the Scotch Game.