Göring Gambit, Main Line

After 5. Nxc3 White's compensation for the pawn rests on quick development and pressure against f7. With 5...Bb4 Black pins the knight that would otherwise jump to d5 and gets ready to trade it off, leaving White without a key attacking piece. It is generally considered Black's most testing response. The engine rates the position as balanced, though White scores well online, mostly through 6. Bc4, which is played far more often than 6. Bd2 or 6. Qb3.

After 6. Bc4 d6 7. O-O Bxc3 8. bxc3 Nf6, Black has won a center pawn in exchange for the bishop pair, and theory holds that White's compensation falls short here. The older 6. Bc4 d6 7. Qb3 attacks f7 right away. The traditional answer 7...Qe7 8. O-O Bxc3 9. Qxc3 gives White good play, which is why John Watson and Mark Morss prefer 7...Bxc3+, meeting 8. Qxc3 with 8...Qf6 so that White loses time with the queen. Black can also choose the Bardeleben Variation, 6. Bc4 Nf6, where the absence of ...d6 makes the thrust 7. e5 possible.