Russian Variation, Smyslov Variation

The Smyslov Variation, 7...Bg4, develops the queen's bishop at once and pins the f3-knight, which in turn increases pressure on d4, the pawn that knight protects. The classical continuation 8. Be3 Nfd7, named after Vasily Smyslov, was topical from the 1950s to the mid-1970s; the knight retreat opens the g7-bishop's diagonal toward d4. 8. Be2 is now played about as often as 8. Be3, while 8. e5 is a rarer try. The engine gives White a slight edge.