Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...Nf6/2. e5/2...Nd5/3. c4

Two pawns attack
	a b c d e f g h 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 a b c d e f g h
	Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) rnbqkb1r/pppppppp/8/3nP3/2P5/8/PP1P1PPP/RNBQKBNR
	Moves: 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. c4
	ECO code: B02
	Parent: Alekhine's defence

3. c4 · Two pawns attack

White kicks the knight immediately.

3...Nb6 is its best retreat. Then White may play 4. d4 and often reach a position otherwise reached from the main line 3. d4. 4...d6 5. exd6 reaches the exchange variation; 4...d6 5. f4 transposes into the four pawns attack.

4. c5, chasing the knight again but giving up control of d5, is the Lasker variation. The game may continue 4...Nd5 5. Bc4 e6 6. d4 b6 7. cxb6 axb6 =.

3...Nb4?! and the knight may find itself being kicked around again into irrelevance. 4. d4 and 4...d6 fails to 5. Qa4+. 4...c5 5. d5 d6 6. a3 N4a6 ±

Theory table

'1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4'

	3
	... Nb6	=

	3
	... Nf4	=

Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...Nf6/2. e5/2...Nd5/3. c4

3. c4 · Two pawns attack

Theory table

References

See also

Two pawns attack
a b c d e f g h 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) rnbqkb1r/pppppppp/8/3nP3/2P5/8/PP1P1PPP/RNBQKBNR
Moves: 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. c4
ECO code: B02
Parent: Alekhine's defence