Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bb5/3...a6/4. Ba4/4...Nf6/5. O-O/5...Nxe4/6. d4/6...b5/7. Bb3/7...d5

Open Spanish C80 Spanish game → Open Spanish → 7. Bb3 7...d5 Black's position is now reasonable. If White allows them, Black is now ready to take twice on d4 and so cement their extra pawn of material. Therefore White must reclaim the lost pawn now, or have nothing to show for it. 8. dxe5 is by far the main way to do this. This exposes an attack on d5, which Black defends with 8...Be6. 8. Nxe5 is playable but uncommon. Black exchanges off the knight that is currently obstructing his c-pawn. 8...Nxe5 9. dxe5 c6. 8. Re1 would grant Black equality. 8. c4 is the extraordinarily rare Harksen gambit, where White sacrifices their c-pawn for either 8...dxc4 9. Bc2 where the knight on e4 is undefended or 8...bxc4 9. Ba4 where White's bishop is back on the a4-e8 diagonal. Theory table References See also Ruy Lopez