Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nf6/3. Nxe5/3...Nxe4/4. Qe2

White threatens the black knight and sets up discoveries along the e-file that Black opened for them. Beginners often err here, but with best play by Black this is a pawn sacrifice with partial compensation.

• The classic beginner's blunder of saving the knight, 4...Nf6??, allows 5. Nc6+ discovered check, winning Black's queen.
• 4...d6? to counter-attack White's knight allows 5. Nxf7! Kxf7 6. Qxe4± (White is up a pawn).
• 4...d5? to defend the knight does not resolve the pin. 5. d3 Qe7 6. dxe4 Qxe5 7. exd5 Qxe2+ 8. Bxe2± (White goes into an endgame up a pawn).

Black's best move is 4...Qe7, setting up a pin of their own after after 5. Qxe4. This is the Kholmov gambit: 5...d6 6. d4 dxe5 7. dxe5 Nc6⩲ and Black wins the piece back at the cost of the d-pawn. Black may not have complete compensation for the pawn, but it offers decent practical chances, especially at faster time controls.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nxe4 4. Qe2