Theoria
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Bishop's Opening

Lopez Variation

C23offbeat

  1. 1.e4e5
  2. 2.Bc4Bc5
  3. 3.Qe2
364 games50%44%

Bishop's Opening line where White meets 2...Bc5 with 3. Qe2, guarding e4 and preparing f4; an uncommon, roughly balanced sideline.

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About the Lopez Variation

The Lopez Variation answers the symmetrical 2...Bc5 with 3. Qe2. The queen guards e4 in advance and supports an early f4 without White first committing a knight. Black most often replies 3...Nf6, after which 4. f4 is the Lopez Gambit. The other main choices are 3...d6 and 3...Nc6, the latter scoring well for Black in online games. The line is uncommon, and engines rate the position as roughly level.

Popular continuations

Named variations 1