Czerniak Attack

With 2. b3 White prepares Bb2, aiming the bishop down the long diagonal at Black's kingside instead of contesting d4 at once. The center is usually kept closed for some time, and White can then play for a kingside attack with moves such as f4 and O-O. The line takes its name from Moshe Czerniak, a Polish-Israeli International Master who specialized in it. It is also called the Snyder Variation, after Robert Snyder, who published a book on it in 1983. The earliest recorded game is Cochrane against Staunton in 1843. Alexander Morozevich played it against every 1...c5 at the 2014 World Rapid and Blitz Championships.

Black has several comfortable replies. 2...Nc6 is the most common, and 2...d6 and 2...e6 lead to familiar Sicilian setups. The Queen Fianchetto Variation, 2...b6, copies White's idea and uses the bishop on b7 against the e4-pawn, which has lost potential support from a d3 or c-pawn structure. It is rarely played and scores well for White in the database. Overall results are nearly even, the engine rates the position as balanced, and the line remains an offbeat sideline.