King's RepositoryのロゴKing's Repository

Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e6/2. d4/2...d5/3. Nc3/3...Nf6/4. Bg5/4...Be7

Classical variation
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h

Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)
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
e5
Nfd7
Bxe7
Qxe7
=
Bxf6
Bxf6
Nf3
O-O
=
exd5
exd5
=

References

[edit | edit source]


v · t · e
Chess Opening Theory
1. e4 e5
Open games
3. Bb5
Spanish
3. Bc4
Italian
3. Nc3 Nf6
Four knights
Other
2...Nf6
Russian
2...d6
Philidor
Other
2. f4
King's gambit
2. Nc3
Vienna
Other
1. e4 c5
Sicilian
1. e4 e6
French
1. e4 c6
Caro-Kann
1. e4 other
1. d4 d5
Closed games
1. d4 Nf6
Indian
1. d4 f5
Dutch
1. d4 ...other:
Flank
Unorthodox