Scandinavian Defense Variation - Mieses Kotrč Origin?

Does anyone know where the name for the Mieses Kotrč variation of the Scandinavian Defense comes from? Any help in finding out is appreciated!

I know Mieses is the old master Jacques Mieses who was the first master to use the Scandinavian if my memory serves me correctly 

What I'd like to know is whether it is a smart play for Black?

I think it can be under certain conditions! I really like to play the continuation:

• 3. Nc3, Qd6 (The Bronstein Variation)

In many circumstances, white's d-pawn can be a weak target. The only problem being that it can be somewhat tricky to develop the dark-squared bishop. It's a super fun opening, nonetheless! I'd like to spend more time learning about the 3. Nc3, Qa5 variation as well.

3. Nc3, Qd6: The Analysis board called that the "Gubinsky Melts Defense".  I don't see that very often, if at all.  But when they 3. Qa5, I like to 4. d3 right away so I can get my bishop onto d2.  Probably a cheap trick, but it works in 3 minute games for me sometimes.

It’s named after Jacques Mieses (FR) and Jan Kotrč (CZ). https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Kotrč

I am not sure whether the current name is a revival, but it's only when I took up chess again this year that I saw it applied to the whole 2..., Qxd5 variation. Back in the 1970s and 80s the only use of this name which I encountered was that 2..., Qxd5; 3. Nc3, Qa5; 4. b4 was known as the Mieses-Kotrc Gambit. I owned a fair old range of opening books of differing ages back then (MCOs from 4-12, Freeborough & Ranken, several of Staunton's books, "modern" works on what was then the Centre Counter, and so on), and I have no recollection of the 2..., Qxd5 variation having any specific name as-whole. So I think this designation is recent but am receptive to being corrected by any Proper Opening Historians out there.

Great question!!!!!

Jacques Mieses was born in Leipzig. He won the chess championship of Berlin at the age of 17, and in 1888 he placed joint second at Leipzig and third at Nuremberg. Played

Played the Center Counter Defense and essayed 3...Qa5 on a consistent basis. (between 1900-1910 is when he played his best ) IMO his games look very modern. He had some notable wins against Carl Schlechter and other masters in and around the Baltic States.

 Jan Kotrč was born in Bielsko (then Austrian Silesia, now Poland) on August 23, 1862. He was also a problemist. His name is associated with the Kotrč-Mieses gambit, 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.b4!?

I'm 59 and I've always referred to 3...Qa5 as the Anderssen Var (the first game most data bases I see with 3...Qa3 was played by Anderssen, and he too played the Center Counter Defense a lot.

Between 1890s and pre WWI The Center Counter Defense was a popular defense and was seen with much more frequently in the major tournaments of that era. Due to the upheaval of WWI the opening trends and overall chess culture would experience a change (same would happen after WWII )

After WWI The Center Counter fell out of favor.

In the 1960s masters in and around Northern Europe (hence the new name "Scandinavian Defense" picked it up and started playing it again, driving interest to the point where the professional elites like Larsen, Bronstien etc started playing it on occasion. IMO... I think the defense reached its current peak in popularity in the 1990s being played in the Chess Bundesliga (a professional team chess league ) with frequency

That said.... The Scandinavian's real popularity was in the late 1800s, early 1900s where IMHO it was tested time and time again in large numbers by very strong chess players.... Andersson, Mieses, Blackburne, Hanham, Tarrasch, Pillsbury, Schlechter, Rubinstein, Spielmann... these were the 2600-2700 elo's of their day. ...

The Chess world is fickle, after WWI the trend to play it,,, fell out of favor.

It is a viable defense...