Classical Variation, Greco Gambit, Greco Variation

In the Greco Gambit, 7. Nc3 Nxe4 8. O-O, White offers the e-pawn so that the pin on the c3-knight vanishes and the e-file opens toward Black's uncastled king. The Greco Variation answers with 8...Nxc3. This removes the hanging knight from e4 and retains the two bishops, but it is generally considered the more dangerous choice for Black. The alternative, 8...Bxc3 (the Main Line), leaves no loose piece behind and gains time for ...d5. The line goes back to Gioachino Greco's games from around 1620, when he worked out 7. Nc3 in this structure.

The usual reply, played in about nine games out of ten, is 9. bxc3. It regains the piece and attacks the bishop on b4, and White then leans on rapid development, the open e-file and the isolated but advanced d4-pawn as compensation for the pawn. The checks 9. Re1+ and 9. Qe1+ are less common, and the engine also considers 9. Bxf7+. White scores heavily in online games, although the engine regards the position as balanced.