Morphy Defense, Arkhangelsk Variation

The Arkhangelsk Variation, also spelled Archangel, places the queen's bishop on b7. From there it bears down on e4 and the center, and it also guards the a8-rook, which blunts a later a4 by White. White usually overprotects e4, most often with 7. Re1 or 7. d3. The alternative 7. c3 allows the tactical 7...Nxe4. Keres introduced the line against Kotov in 1950, and Arkhangelsk players such as Vladimir Malaniuk later popularized it.