Schlechter Variation

The Schlechter Variation, 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Bd3, answers the threat of ...dxe4 by protecting the pawn with the light-squared bishop rather than with 3. Nc3 or 3. Nd2. It keeps the knights uncommitted and leaves the c-pawn free, but the bishop is exposed on its new square. The usual reply is 3...dxe4, and after 4. Bxe4 Nf6 Black gains a tempo, since the bishop has to retreat, for example with 5. Bf3. White has then spent several moves with one piece while Black develops with an attack.

The other common answers are 3...Nf6, which also targets e4, and 3...c5, which strikes at d4 at once and uses the fact that no knight is defending the center. The engine also suggests 3...Bb4+. It rates the position as roughly balanced, and on Lichess White and Black score almost equally. Reference works treat the line as one of the minor third-move options, and it appears far less often than the main French systems.