Morphy Defense, Bayreuth Variation

The Bayreuth Variation, 5. Bxc6, also called the Delayed Exchange Variation or Exchange Variation Deferred, gives up the bishop one move later than 4. Bxc6 would. White spends an extra tempo, but with the knight already on f6, Black can no longer easily use ...f6 or ...Qf6, standard resources in the Exchange Variation. Black recaptures 5...dxc6 in about nine games of ten. After the usual 6. d3, the reply 6...Bd6 costs no time. Engines rate the position as roughly balanced.