This almost always leads to the Panov-Botvinnik Attack after c4, unless white plays 4.Bd3. Note that 4.Nc3?! would be a poor move due to the fact that the knight doesn't do much. e4 is poison, while e6 will turn d5 into a rock. Therefore, c4 followed by Nc3 is far better since then, there would be pressure on d5.

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation..

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5

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• Nunns Chess Openings. 1999. John Nunn (Editor), Graham Burgess, John Emms, Joe Gallagher. ISBN 1-8574-4221-0.
• Modern Chess Openings: MCO-14. 1999. Nick de Firmian, Walter Korn. ISBN 0-8129-3084-3.
• Kasparov, Garry, & Keene, Raymond 1989 Batsford chess openings 2. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.