Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...d5/3. Nxe5

Capturing the e-pawn is still winning for White but less common than 3. exd5.

If 3...dxe4 4. Bc4 and White has overwhelming pressure on the f7 pawn.

3...Bd6 is the main move. After 4. d4 dxe4 5. Bc4 Bxe5, White has the critical move 6. Qh5!, threatening Qxf7# and Qxe5. Black has to trade queens and White goes into an endgame with the bishop pair. 6...Qe7 7. Qxe5 Qxe5 8. dxe5⩲.

3...Nf6!? transposes into Jobava's gambit in the Petrov defence after 4. exd5. An advantage of this approach is that Black can meet either 3. Nxe5 or 3. exd5 in the same way: they transpose after 3...Nf6!? 4. exd5 or 3...Nf6!? 4. Nxe5 respectively.

3...Qe7!? shouldn't concern White, though it does lay a trap to watch out for. After 4. d4 f6, White must drop their knight back and give back the pawn 5. Nd3 dxe4 6. Nf4. Otherwise, a common idea when Black weakens their kingside, to play 5. Qh5+?? g6 6. Nxg6 thinking that the h-pawn is pinned and White will be up material, fails to 6...Qxe4+ 7. Be2 Qxg6.