Exchange Variation, King's Bishop Variation

In the King's Bishop Variation, Black answers the threat of 6. Nxe5 in the Exchange Spanish by guarding the e5-pawn with the dark-squared bishop. Unlike 5...f6, the Gligoric Variation, this develops a piece and leaves f6 free for the moment. Unlike 5...Qd6, it keeps the queen at home. The bishop also stands on the half-open d-file, so Black's major pieces cannot use it right away.

White's main reply, chosen in about half of the games, is 6. d4, opening the center in line with the usual Exchange plan. After 6. d4 exd4 7. Qxd4 the queens stay on, which is the point of the bishop move, but the centralized queen eyes g7. Black must then cover it with ...f6, because developing the knight to f6 runs into e5, forking bishop and knight. The quieter 6. c3 and 6. d3 are the other common tries, and against 6. d3 Black has scored better than White in online games. Engines rate the position as roughly balanced. The variation is a moderately common alternative to the main defenses, and the play is mostly positional.