Chess Opening Theory/1. d4/1...d5/2. c4/2...c6/3. Nf3/3...Nf6/4. Nc3/4...dxc4/5. a4/5...Bf5/6. Ne5/6...e6/7. f3/7...Bb4/8. e4

Wiesbaden variation: Sharp line D17 Wiesbaden variation 8. e4 · Sharp line White takes over the centre, attacking Black's bishop and opening up an attack on the c4-pawn. Retreating the bishop would be a mistake, since this gives White the full centre without any compensation. Sacrificing the knight with 8...Nxe4? doesn't work, since after 9. fxe4 Qh4+ White can move their king to safety on the kingside. If 9. fxe4 Bxe4 Black doesn't have any pressure on the c3-knight, so 10. Be3 keeps everything held. Thus, 8...Bxe4! is the main move to not have a passive position. White doesn't have much better than 9. fxe4, after which 9...Nxe4 threatens 10...Nxc3 11. bxc3 Bxc3+ 12. Bd2 Qxd4 to pick up a fifth pawn for the piece. White has two options in this position. 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 e6 7. f3 Bb4 8. e4 Bxe4 9. fxe4 Nxe4 Position after 9...Nxe4 Entering the endgame with 10. Bd2 10. Bd2 defends against ...Nxc3, but blocks the queen's view of the d4-pawn. 10...Qxd4 continues the variation and the following are only moves: 11. Nxe4 Qxe4+ 12. Qe2 (protecting the knight on e4) 12...Bxd2 13. Kxd2 Qd5+ and the king usually moves to the queenside with 14. Kc2. White will soon win back the c4-pawn and in the resulting position Black has three pawns for the piece. From this position, the game is generally decided by the endgame. Black has to prove that their three pawns are more valuable in this endgame than White's bishop, but the records show this position to generally be favourable for White. 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 e6 7. f3 Bb4 8. e4 Bxe4 9. fxe4 Nxe4 10. Bd2 Qxd4 11. Nxe4 Qxe4+ 12. Qe2 Bxd2+ 13. Kxd2 Qd5+ 14. Kc2 The endgame resulting from the main line. Forcing the draw with 10. Qf3 White is not forced to take on this endgame. They can play 10. Qf3, defending c3 and forking the knight on e4 and the pawn on f7. Black's only move is 10...Qxd4 and after 11. Qxf7 Kd8 12. Bg5+ Nxg5 13. Qxg7 Black has nothing better than a series of checks with the queen after 13...Bxc3+ 14. bxc3 Qxc3+ leading to an eventual threefold repetition. Theory table 8. ... Bxe4 9. fxe4 Nxe4 10. Bd2 Qxd4 11. Nxe4 Qxe4+ 12. Qe2 Bxd2+ 13. Kxd2 Qd5+ 14. Kc2 + 8. ... ... 9. ... ... 10. Qf3 Qxd4 11. Qxf7 Kd8 12. Bg5+ Nxg5 13. Qxg7 Bxc3+ 14. bxc3 Qxc3+ References