Anti-Moscow Gambit

The Anti-Moscow Gambit, also known as the Anti-Moscow Variation, arises when White answers 5...h6 by retreating the bishop with 6. Bh4 instead of exchanging with 6. Bxf6, the Moscow Variation. Keeping the pin allows Black to capture on c4 and keep the pawn, and 6...dxc4 is both the most frequent reply and the engine's first choice. After 7. e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5 Black stays a pawn up, but the kingside is weakened and the king lacks a safe refuge. The resulting play resembles the Botvinnik Variation. White's resources include Ne5, the d4-d5 break, h2-h4 against Black's kingside pawns, and a2-a4 with b2-b3 to undermine the queenside chain. Pushing e4-e5 usually just blocks White's own pieces. The prophylactic 7. a4 is regarded as an error because of 7...b5 or 7...Bb4. A main line runs 9. Be2 Bb7 10. O-O Nbd7 11. Ne5 Bg7, and now 12. Nxf7, first played in Topalov–Kramnik in 2008, gives up a piece for a dangerous attack.

Black can also decline the pawn with 6...Be7, or play 6...g5 at once, a choice that has scored poorly for Black on Lichess. The engine rates the position as roughly balanced, while White scores better in Lichess games overall.