Marshall Gambit, Forgotten Variation

The Forgotten Variation answers the check with 6. Nc3. White retreats the knight to keep material level instead of gambiting the d4-pawn with 6. Bd2. The cost is a tempo, since the knight returns to the square it left a move earlier. Black most often develops with 6...Nf6, while 6...c5 and 6...e5 strike at d4 at once, and the latter has scored well for Black. The engine rates the position as balanced.