Bishop Attack

The Bishop Attack, 4. Bg5, develops the queen's bishop against the f6-knight and leaves the b5-pawn en prise rather than taking or defending it. It is one of the rarer ways to decline the gambit. The most common reply is 4...bxc4, collecting a pawn, while 4...Ne4 attacks the bishop at once and has scored especially well for Black. 4...d6 is a quieter alternative. Engines rate the position as roughly balanced, and Black has scored better in practice.