Classical Attack, Mason Variation
- 1.e4e5
- 2.Nf3Nf6
- 3.Nxe5d6
- 4.Nf3Nxe4
- 5.d4d5
- 6.Bd3Be7
- 7.O-OO-O
866 games
A quiet Petrov's Defense line in which Black develops with 6...Be7 and castles, leaving White to press with Re1 or c4 against the e4 knight and d5.
Train it in TheoriaAbout the Mason Variation
The Mason Variation arises when Black meets 6. Bd3 with the modest 6...Be7 and castles after 7. O-O O-O. The knight stays on e4, and Black commits neither the queen's knight to c6 nor the bishop to d6. White's main tries are 8. Re1, which presses the knight along the open e-file, and 8. c4, which strikes at d5. The two moves are played about equally often. Engines give White a slight edge, and White scores well in online games.