Avoids heavy theory of Ruy Lopez or Italian main lines (like 4.d4). Idea: 0-0, Re1, Nbd2, Nf1–g3, then d4 break.
4.d4 exd4 5.O-O Nxe4 6.Re1 d5 7.Bxd5 Qxd5 8.Nc3 → White gets good compensation. 3. Against Sicilian (1...c5) – Open Sicilian Main line: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 (avoid 2.Nc3? c5 leads to transpositions) 3a. 2...d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 (Dragon) → Yugoslav Attack: 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 O-O 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.O-O-O 3b. 2...Nc6 3.Bb5! (Rossolimo) – avoids main Najdorf/Sveshnikov. 3...g6 4.O-O Bg7 5.c3 Nf6 6.Re1 O-O 7.d4 3c. 2...e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 (against Kan/Taimanov) – simple and solid.
4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Nd7 6.O-O Ne7 7.Nbd2
(Rubinstein): 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ne2 opening repertoire for white
5.Nxe5 g6 6.Bc4 Nb6 7.Bb3 Bg7 8.O-O O-O 9.c4
| Black's move | Repertoire choice | |--------------|------------------| | 1...e5 | Italian Game (with c3 & d3) → quieter but aggressive | | 1...c5 | Open Sicilian – 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 (or 3.Bb5+ vs 2...Nc6) | | 1...e6 | French – Tarrasch Variation (3.Nd2) | | 1...c6 | Caro-Kann – Advance Variation (3.e5) | | 1...d5 | Scandinavian – 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 | | 1...Nf6 | Alekhine – 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 | | 1...g6 | Modern – 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 | | Others | Standard development (d4, Nf3, Bc4, O-O) | Moves: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3
Winawer (3.Nc3 Bb4) complexities.
c4 break later, control dark squares.
4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6 7.Bd3 → small edge. 5. Against Caro-Kann – Advance (3.e5) 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5
3.c4! – transposes to a Maroczy-like setup. 4. Against French Defense – Tarrasch (3.Nd2) 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Avoids heavy theory of Ruy Lopez or Italian
2.Nc3? – allows 2...e5 transposing to Vienna but less critical. 8. Against Modern / Pirc – 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 a6 (typical) 5.Qd2 b5 6.Bh6 Bxh6 7.Qxh6
5.Be2 e6 6.O-O Be7 7.c4 Nb6 8.Nc3 O-O 9.Be3
3...c5 4.exd5 exd5 5.Ngf3 Nf6 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Bxd7+ Nbxd7 8.O-O Be7 9.dxc5 Nxc5 10.Nb3 c4 break later