Berger Variation

The Berger Variation is the most common answer to the Paulsen Attack. The move 4...Nf6 develops with an attack on the e4-pawn and prepares ...Bb4, so that a knight arriving on c3 can be pinned and the e-file turned against the white queen on e3. The engine assesses the position as balanced, and White's results on Lichess are only slightly better than Black's.

White usually plays 5. Nc3, and the main line 5...Bb4 6. Bd2 O-O 7. O-O-O Re8 puts the kings on opposite wings. The rook on e8 bears down on e4 and the queen behind it, while White counts on quick development and kingside play. On move eight White chooses among Tarrasch's pawn sacrifice 8. Qg3, Judit Polgár's 8. Qf4 with a later kingside pawn advance, and the older 8. Bc4; 8. Bc4 d6 9. Nh3 is the Kupreichik Variation. Black can instead aim for a quieter game with 5...Be7, preparing ...d5. Among White's alternatives, 5. Bd2, one of the engine's top choices, is considered a safer way to develop. The direct 5. e5 drives the knight from f6 at once, and 5. Bb5 develops the bishop against the c6-knight.