Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e6/2. d4/2...d5/3. Nc3/3...Nf6/4. Bg5/4...Be7
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Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)
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| Moves: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 | |
| ECO code: C14 | |
| Parent: Classical variation | |
4...Be7 · Classical variation
[edit | edit source]Because Nf6 is no longer pinned, Black threatens to win the e4-pawn.
Any attempt to defend the pawn, e.g. by 5. f3?! or 5. Bd3?!, fails to actually protect the pawn because White's bishop on g5 isn't defended, so Black can simply play 5...Nxe4! and win a pawn (6. Bxe7 Nxc3 7. Bxd8 Nxd1 8. Bxc7 Nxb2 ⩱).
That's why White either moves the e4-pawn to a safe square with 5. e5, or eliminates an attacker of e4 by playing 5. Bxf6. A safe alternative is a transposition to the Exchange variation with 5. exd5.
Theory table
[edit | edit source]1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7
| 5 | 6 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
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e5 Nfd7 |
Bxe7 Qxe7 |
= | |
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Bxf6 Bxf6 |
Nf3 O-O |
= | |
|
exd5 exd5 |
= |
References
[edit | edit source]- Kasparov, Garry, & Keene, Raymond 1989 Batsford chess openings 2. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.
2. f4
King's gambit
King's gambit
2...exf4
Accepted
Accepted
Other
Declined
Declined
2. Nc3
Vienna
Vienna
Other
1. e4 other
- Barnes ?
- Borg ?
- Corn stalk ??
- Duras ??
- 1...b5 ??
2. c4
Queen's gambit
Queen's gambit
2. other
- Accelerated London
- Colle
- Levitsky !?
- Amazon ?!
- Blackmar-Diemer ?
- Mason ?
- Zurich ??
2. c4 other
2. other:
1. d4 ...other:
Flank
Unorthodox