Advance Variation, Michel Gambit

The Michel Gambit meets White's queenside expansion 3. b4 with 3...c5, offering the c-pawn while bracing the d4-pawn and striking at b4. Accepting with 4. bxc5 is the most frequent reply, but Black scores heavily after it in practice. 4. Bb2, adding pressure to d4, fares much better for White. 4. e3 transposes to the Reversed Blumenfeld Gambit, and 4. b5 is another engine choice. The engine rates the position as balanced.