Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bc4/3...Nf6/4. d4/4...exd4

Dubois Réti defence Scotch game → Scotch gambit → 4. Bc4 Italian game → Two knights → 4. d4 4...Nf6 · Dubois Réti defence Black is a pawn up but has a number of weaknesses: the square e5, the Knight on f6 that can be pinned, and the weak f7 square. This all adds up to giving White a number of options: 5. O-O the classical variation. 5. e5 the modern variation. 5. Ng5 a misguided direct attack on f7. 5. Nxd4 rather normal move. 5. Bg5 pinning the Knight, but the pin can soon be undone, leaving no advantage for White. 5. Qe2 this supports e5, although e5 can be played immediately anyway. 5. c3 fails to 5...Nxe4 where Black has the nice d5 available and time to block any pins on the e-file against the King. Theory table 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 O-ONxe4 Re1d5 Bxd5Qxd5 Nc3Qh5 Nxe4Be6 Bg5Bd6 = 2 ...Bc5 e5d5 exf6dxc4 Re1+Be6 Ng5Qd5 Nc3Qf5 = 3 e5d5 Bb5Ne4 Nxd4Bd7 Bxc6bxc6 O-OBc5 Be3Qe7 = 4 Ng5d5 exd5Qe7+ Kf1Ne5 Qxd4Nxc4 Qxc4h6 Nf3Qc5 = 5 Nxd4Nxe4 Bxf7+Kxf7 Qh5+g6 Qd5+Kg7 Nxc6bxc6 Qxe4Qe8 = 6 Bg5Be7 O-OO-O = 7 Qe2Bc5 e5O-O O-Od5 =/+ 8 c3Nxe4 =/+ References