Accelerated Panov Attack, Modern Variation

The Modern Variation is Black's main answer to the double pawn exchange in the Accelerated Panov Attack. Instead of recapturing on d5 with the queen, where White's Nc3 would gain a tempo, Black plays 4...Nf6 and aims a second piece at the pawn. White is temporarily a pawn up, but the extra material consists of doubled, isolated d-pawns on d2 and d5, and the c-file is open. The same position can arise from 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. exd5 Nf6.

White usually plays 5. Nc3, chosen in roughly two-thirds of games. It defends d5 for the moment, but play typically continues 5...Nxd5, after which White has an isolated d-pawn and relies on piece activity and open files for middlegame play. The checks 5. Bb5+ and 5. Qa4+ try to keep the pawn or create early tactical problems, and they can catch an unprepared opponent. In the Lichess database White scores better after the queen check than after the main line. Engines rate the position as balanced, and overall results favor White only slightly.