Schmidt Variation

The Schmidt Variation, 4...Nf6, develops a piece and attacks the e4-pawn directly, rather than harassing the knight on d4 as the Classical Variation, 4...Bc5, does. It is the most common reply to 4. Nxd4. The line takes its name from Eugen von Schmidt, whose analysis of it appeared in the Schachzeitung in January 1865. White must deal with the threat to e4, and usually starts with 5. Nxc6 bxc6. Black recaptures toward the center, because 5...dxc6 allows 6. Qxd8+ Kxd8, trading queens and costing Black the right to castle. The engine rates the position as roughly balanced, and the results are nearly even.

About three games in ten go 5. Nc3 instead, which transposes to the Scotch Variation of the Four Knights Game. The usual continuation is 5...Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. exd5 cxd5 9. O-O O-O 10. Bg5 c6. Here Black obtains a pair of central pawns in place of the doubled c-pawns, and the pin on c3 gives Black active piece play.

After 5. Nxc6 bxc6 the main move is 6. e5, the Mieses Variation. It drives the f6-knight away and gains space, and it leads to sharp play. It was named after Jacques Mieses, who played it several times at Hastings 1895, including a first-round win over Joseph Henry Blackburne. Garry Kasparov later adopted it frequently. The critical line is 6...Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8. c4, after which Black chooses between 8...Nb6 and 8...Ba6, the latter pinning the c4-pawn against the white queen. Schmidt himself distrusted 6. e5. He judged Black better after 8...Nb6 9. Bf4 Ba6 10. Nd2 Qb4 11. O-O-O Rb8, but modern practice prefers 9. Nc3, 9. Nd2 or 9. b3, the last preparing a queenside fianchetto. Black can avoid these forcing lines with the calmer knight moves 6...Ne4 or 6...Nd5.

The quieter options after 5. Nxc6 bxc6 keep the pawn on e4 protected. Schmidt's own recommendation, 6. Bd3, is the second most popular. It is typically met by 6...d5, followed either by 7. exd5 cxd5 8. O-O Be7 or by 7. e5 Ng4 8. O-O Bc5. The Tartakower Variation, 6. Nd2, usually continues 6...d5 7. exd5 cxd5 8. Bb5+ Bd7 9. Bxd7+ Qxd7 10. O-O Be7 11. c3, leaving Black with an isolated pawn pair in the center to handle. The modern 6. Qe2 allows Black a wide choice of replies. At move five, 5. Bg5 and the Alekhine Gambit, 5. e5, are rare, and Black scores better than White against both.