Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c6/2. d4/2...d5/3. Nc3/3...dxe4/4. Nxe4/4...Nf6/5. Ng5/5...h6/6. Nxf7

Caro-Kann Defense: Alien Gambit White grabs the f7 pawn with 6. Nxf7?, entering the dubious but incredibly scary Alien Gambit, popularized by YouTuber Witty Alien! This gambit is losing for White and can be punished with careful play; as such, it is mostly used in Bullet and Blitz. The purpose of this move is to ruin Black's kingside structure by creating several light-squared holes in Black's kingside; force the Black king to recapture, giving up castling rights; and take Black out of their comfort zone, since most Caro-Kann players are mostly used to slow, positional grinds rather than tactical skirmishes. The Alien Gambit is an attack on Black's weak light squares on the kingside. When the knight grabs the f7 pawn, Black has several light-squared holes on e6 and g6 which can quickly be pounced on by White's pieces, often leading to checkmate for White on these very squares. Black has two approaches to send the aliens back to their desolate sector of the cosmos: one is to attack White's weak dark squares with c5, Nc6, and so on; another is to defend the light squares with Be6, develop the knight with Nbd7, and counterattack on the light squares. Both of these approaches can even be combined seamlessly, leading to the aliens' demise. Black must respect White's attack on the light squares. After Nxf7? Kxf7 Nf3 Bg4?? (which is the most common response), White can play Ne5! and win the knight back with a monstrous attack on the light squares to follow.