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Modern Defense

Bishop Attack, Monkey's Bum

B06gambitaggressiveoffbeat

  1. 1.e4g6
  2. 2.Bc4Bg7
  3. 3.Qf3e6
  4. 4.d4Bxd4
195 games41%54%

A provocative White line against the Modern Defense: Bc4 and Qf3 target f7, and the d-pawn is given up for quick development and attacking chances.

Train it in Theoria

About the Monkey's Bum

The Monkey's Bum pairs Bc4 with Qf3 against the Modern Defense to aim at f7 in Scholar's mate fashion. Once 3...e6 blocks the threat, 4. d4 gives up the d-pawn for development, much as in the Smith–Morra Gambit. IM Nigel Povah championed it in the 1970s, and the name comes from a friend's skeptical remark. The compensation looks thin: engines favor Black clearly, and Black scores well. 5. c3 and 5. Ne2 are the usual follow-ups.

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