Chess Opening Theory/1. d4/1...f5/2. c4/2...g6/3. Nc3

A natural move, White develops a their queen's knight to control the centre. At the moment White's options are still open and they may choose whether to play in the modern way with g3 and Bg2, or in the traditional way with e3 and Be2.

3...Nf6 is the main move here, usually followed by 4...Bg7, or in the order 3...Bg7 followed by 4...Nf3. White may continue with Nf3, g3, etc, or with the aggressive 4. h4! intending h5 and h6 if possible, though this attack doesn't work as well as if White had tried it on turn turn.

An unusual option, which Black enabled by having played 2...g6 before developing their knight, is 3...Nh6!?, the Bladel variation.