Modern Variation, Gipslis Variation

The Gipslis Variation arises from the Marshall Variation of the Modern Scandinavian, in which Black meets 3. d4 by regaining the pawn with 3...Nxd5. After 4. Nf3, Black develops the light-squared bishop with 4...Bg4 before playing ...e6, pinning the knight that guards d4 and aiming to build pressure on that pawn with moves such as ...Nc6 and ...e6. The trade-off is that the bishop on g4 can become a target, and the knight on d5 has no secure pawn support, so White can seek to gain time against Black's minor pieces.

White's most common reply by a wide margin is 5. Be2, which breaks the pin and completes kingside development. The second choice, 5. c4, gains space at once and drives the knight from d5, in line with White's usual plan of building a broad center against the Marshall Variation. With 5. h3 White immediately asks the bishop to choose between retreating and capturing on f3. Engines give White a slight edge and favor 5. Be2, 5. c4 and 5. h3. In online play White scores better than Black, with 5. c4 producing the strongest results for White.