Lion's Jaw

The Lion's Jaw arises when White meets 2...Nf6 with 3. f3, protecting the e4-pawn without committing the queen's knight. Despite its place under the Lion Defense, it occurs before Black has played ...Nbd7. Its main point is flexibility: the c-pawn stays unblocked, so White can still expand with c4 and build a broad pawn center. The commonest reply by a wide margin is 3...g6. After 3...g6 4. c4 Bg7 5. Nc3 the game transposes into the Sämisch Variation of the King's Indian Defense, a familiar structure with established plans for both sides.

Black's alternatives include 3...c6 and the direct 3...e5, the engine's main candidates being 3...e6, 3...a6 and 3...e5. Against 3...e5, the exchange 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+ Kxd8 6. Bc4 Ke8 trades queens and leads to a simplified position. Closing the center with 4. d5 is regarded as possibly stronger. The engine rates the starting position as roughly level, with a faint lean toward White, and practical results are almost evenly split.