Lithuanian Variation

The Lithuanian Variation arises after 1. d4 Nc6 2. c4 e5 3. d5, when Black withdraws the attacked knight to e7 rather than centralizing it with 3...Nd4, as in the Cannstatter Variation. The retreat avoids exposing the knight to further harassment and keeps it available for the kingside. The cost is time and space. White's pawns on c4 and d5 clamp the center against Black's lone e5-pawn, and the knight on e7 temporarily shuts in the f8-bishop. The result is a locked, King's Indian-like pawn structure in which White has extra room on the queenside and Black must look for counterplay elsewhere.

White usually continues developing. 4. Nc3 is the most common reply, followed by 4. e4, which builds a broad center, and the less frequent 4. Nf3. Engines also suggest the space-gaining 4. h4 and assess the position as clearly better for White. Practical results tell a different story. In the Lichess database Black wins more than half of the games, and draws are rare.