Ultra-Delayed Exchange Variation

In this branch of the Neo-Grünfeld Defense Black inserts 5...c6 before striking with ...d5. When White exchanges with 7. cxd5, Black recaptures with the c-pawn rather than the knight. The Delayed Exchange line lets White chase a centralized knight on d5, and recapturing with the pawn avoids that. It keeps a pawn on d5 and leaves a symmetrical structure. Each side has a fianchettoed king's bishop, a castled king and a central pawn on d4 or d5, and the c-file is the only open file. The play is low-risk and turns on minor-piece placement, pressure against the opposing d-pawn and control of the c-file.

By far the most common move is 8. Nc3, which develops and adds pressure to d5. The less frequent 8. Ne5 occupies the outpost at once, opens the g2-bishop's diagonal toward d5, and has given White better practical results. The engine also considers 8. Bf4, and it rates the position as roughly balanced. In online games White has scored somewhat better overall, and draws have been fairly rare.