Classical: 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5

After 3.Nc3 (or 3.Nd2) you take on e4 and develop the bishop with tempo. White's main plan is the h-pawn hunt: answer h4 with …h6, cover e5 with …Nd7, trade bishops when White offers Bd3, then …e6 and …Ngf6. With the bishop on d2 play …Qc7 and castle long; with the bishop on f4 (which hits c7) play …Be7 and castle short. A side note: some players use 4…Nd7 here, where the famous trap 5.Qe2 Ngf6?? 6.Nd6 mate waits - one more reason to play 4…Bf5.

15 min
1 step
Lesson 109 of 132

Seven lines, three of them core:

Main line: 11.Bd2 Ngf6 12.O-O-O Qc7 (core)
Main line: 11.Bf4 Ngf6 12.O-O-O Be7 (core)
6.Nf3 Nd7 7.h4 h6: transposition (important)
6.Nf3 Nd7 7.Bd3 Bxd3 (important)
6.Bc4 e6 7.N1e2 Nf6 8.Nf4 Bd6 (important)
5.Nc5 Nd7: trade off the intruder (deeper)
3.Nd2: the same Classical (core)

Learn takes up to five new lines at a time, core lines first. When the chapter is learned, practise it from memory.

Classical: 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 The square arrow button opens this screen in the full trainer, with its menu and settings. Credit: Chess Trainer

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