Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e6/2. d4/2...d5/3. Be3

White gambits their e pawn, intending to answer 3...dxe4 with 4. f3 (the move order 4. Nd2 Nf6 5. f3 is also played).

3...dxe4 is Black's strongest third move. After which, White replies 4. f3 and...

4...exf3 is met with Nxf3. White intends to develop quickly with Nf3 and Bd3, short castle, and bring the queen to the kingside via e1. By removing the black and white pawns from e4, White's light square bishop will have increased scope on d3, pressuring h7 and being unopposed by Black's less active French bishop, still blocked in by e6.

4...Nf6 is met with 5. fxe4 Nxe4 6. Bd3.

Since White has lost their f pawn, Black may hope to capitalise on the weakened king. However, the inviting 6...Qh4+? is a mistake. White has too many defenders for Black to exploit the e1 to h4 diagonal in this instance. 7. g3 Nxg3 (taking advantage of the h pawn being pinned to the rook) 8. Bf2 and White threatens to win the knight with Bxg3. If 8...Bd6? to defend the knight, 9. Qf3 attacks the knight and defends h1, reinvigorating the threat of hxg3. Black can't defend the knight enough times.

Note that 6. Bd3's threat on the knight is a bluff: Bxe4?? can be met with Qh4+ g3 Qxe4. White must control h4 before they are threatening to take (i.e. after 7. Nf3).

Declining the gambit with 3...Nf6 leads to 4. e5, or 3...c5 and White achieves a favourable position after e.g. 4. exd5 cxd4 5. Qxd4 exd5 6. Nc3 Nc6 7. Qxd5.

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

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Wikipedia has related information at French Defence