Classical Defense, Zaitsev Variation
- 1.e4e5
- 2.Nf3Nc6
- 3.Bb5Bc5
- 4.O-ONd4
- 5.b4
No game statistics for this position yet.
An offbeat Ruy Lopez sideline in the Classical Defense where White answers 4...Nd4 with 5. b4, a flank pawn thrust hitting the bishop on c5.
Train it in TheoriaAbout the Zaitsev Variation
After 3...Bc5 4. O-O, Black's 4...Nd4 attacks the bishop on b5 and offers a knight trade. The usual answer is 5. Nxd4 Bxd4 6. c3, which gains a tempo on the bishop. With 5. b4, White instead counterattacks the bishop on c5 with an undefended pawn, ignoring the threat to b5 and inviting ...Bxb4. This Zaitsev Variation is unrelated to the better-known 9...Bb7 Zaitsev of the Closed Ruy Lopez.
Popular continuations
No continuations known for this position yet.