Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bb5/3...f6

Nürnberg variation C60 Spanish game 3...f6?! · Nürnberg variation Black defends their e-pawn with their f-pawn. This is non-standard as it weakens their kingside and prevents the knight coming to f6. It's also unnecessary for Black to defend the e-pawn again: the e5-pawn wasn't hanging because of the tactic Bxc6 dxc6 Nxe5? Qd4!, where Black recovers the material. One idea Black might have is to bait White into playing 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. Nxe5??. White may suspect they can sacrifice the knight and recover material using the tactic Qh5+. This is the case in the Damiano defence, 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f6?, where the refutation is 3. Nxe5 fxe5 4. Qh5+. However, it doesn't work out the same here: Black is better after 5...fxe5 6. Qh5+ Kd7! 7. Qxe5 Qf6! (diagram). White doesn't want to trade queens and be down a bishop for two pawns in the endgame. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. Nxe5 fxe5 6. Qh5+ Kd7 7. Qxe5 Qf6 Position after 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. Nxe5?? fxe5 6. Qh5+ Kd7! 7. Qxe5 Qf6 1 Rather than try to exploit the weakened kingside immediately, White should just develop normally and enjoy the more pleasant position. 4. O-O to get the king to safety, then White threatens to open the centre with d4. One line is 4...a6 5. Bc4 Bc5 6. c3 Nge7 7. d4 b5 8. Bb3 exd4 9. cxd4 Bb6 10. Nc3 ++. White has space and easy development. References See also