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Train this openingAbout this opening
White strikes in the center a move earlier than in the Ruy Lopez, opening the position before you have finished developing. exd4 is the most played reply here, and it is correct: declining leaves White with a big pawn center for free. After exd4 Nxd4 the knight sits on a strong square but it is also a target, and hitting it with Bc5 or Nf6 gains you time. The trade has already given White a small lead in development, so your job is to catch up quickly rather than to grab anything. Note how much better White scores when Black avoids the capture and drifts instead.
Plans
- Take on d4 immediately rather than allowing a big center.
- Hit the knight with Bc5 to gain a tempo.
- Play Nf6 to attack e4 and finish development.
- Castle short quickly, because the center is already open.
Where the pieces belong
- Bishop: c5, hitting the knight and eyeing f2
- Knight: f6, attacking e4
- Pawn: d6, holding the center and freeing the bishop
- Queen: f6 in some lines, defending and eyeing the center
- King: castled short by move seven
An open game decided by development. Neither side has a pawn center left, so the initiative belongs to whoever gets the last piece out and the rooks connected first.