Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nc3/2...Bc5/3. Qg4

Giraffe attack C25 Vienna game → Anderssen defence 3. Qg4?! · Giraffe attack White develops their queen early to pressure g7. This looks to take advantage of Black's move order: by developing their bishop first, they left the g7-pawn undefended. White is happy if they are able to provoke the weakening move 3...g6?!, where 4. Bc4 sets a trap. 4...d4? seems like a strong move that discovers an attack on White's queen while attacking their bishop, however 5. Qg3 and the bishop is still defended tactically: 5...dxc4? 6. Qxe5!+ winning the rook. If 5...Nc6 to defend e5, 6. exd5!, and if 5...Nd7 instead, White wins the pawn with 6. Bxd5. 3...Nf6! is the best move: simply developing and gaining time on the queen. It turns out White's threat to g7 was illusory: 4. Qxg7? Rg8 5. Qh6 Bxf2+! and should the king take the bishop, 6. Kxf2 Ng4+ winning the queen. History The name, like several irregular opening animals, originates with Eric Schiller:Unorthodox Chess Openings Schiller Eric Cadoza Publishing 1998 0-940685-73-6 New York 458-459 The queen should not move to this square unless it can safely capture at g7, and here she cannot. We might call this the Giraffe Attack, because White is sticking his neck out here. References