Forgacs Variation

The Forgacs Variation is White's sixth-move choice against the Tartakower (or Korchnoi) Variation, 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Nxf6+ exf6. Instead of a slower setup, 6. Bc4 puts the bishop on the a2-g8 diagonal at once, where it bears on f7 and makes Black's kingside castling less comfortable. The structure is the familiar one. Black has doubled f-pawns and a compromised kingside majority, while White keeps a healthy queenside majority anchored by the d4-pawn. In return Black has free piece play and the open e-file for the rooks.

By far the most common reply is 6...Bd6, which develops the bishop toward White's kingside and prepares quick castling. The less frequent 6...Be7 is a more reserved alternative. 6...Be6 contests the bishop's diagonal directly and offers an exchange. Engines rate the position as roughly balanced, and in the Lichess database White scores only slightly better than Black. The variation is a moderately common branch of the 5...exf6 line rather than a main battleground.