Modern Attack, Center Attack
- 1.e4e5
- 2.Nf3Nf6
- 3.d4exd4
- 4.e5Ne4
- 5.Qxd4
1,640 games
Petrov's Defense line where White meets 4...Ne4 with 5. Qxd4, regaining the pawn and centralizing the queen; play opens quickly with a slight White edge.
Train it in TheoriaAbout the Center Attack
The Center Attack, 5. Qxd4, regains the pawn at once and centralizes the queen, which supports the e5-pawn and attacks the knight on e4. Black usually answers 5...d5, defending the knight and freeing the queen's bishop. After 6. exd6 Nxd6 7. Nc3 the center is cleared, and Black's knight has spent several tempi reaching d6. The rarer 5...Nc5 and 5...f5 score poorly for Black. Engines give White a slight edge.