Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Qh5/2...Nc6/3. Bc4

Parham Attack
a b c d e f g h
8 a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h8 8
7 a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 h7 7
6 a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h6 6
5 a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h5 5
4 a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 h4 4
3 a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3 3
2 a2 b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 g2 h2 2
1 a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 h1 1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)
Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Qh5 Nc6 3. Bc4

Parham Attack edit

3. Bc4 edit

With this aggressive move, White now threatens checkmate called "Scholar's Mate" by taking the pawn on f7 with the queen. Black has some ways to adequately prevent this mate from happening. The two decent replies are 3...g6 and 3...Qe7. Kasparov chose Qe7 when he met this position in a game against the actor Woody Harrelson in a consultation game.

At the lower level many players may be tempted to play 3…Nf6?? attacking White’s queen. However, Black leaves f7 undefended, and White can play the move she was intending to play when 2. Qh5 was played: 4. Qxf7#!, known as the Scholar’s Mate.

Theory table edit

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

1. e4 e5 2. Qh5 Nc6

3 4 5 6
Bc4
g6
Qf3
Nf6
Ne2
Bg7
Nbc3
d6
=/+
Bc4
g6
Qf3
Nf6
Qb3
Nd4
=/+
...
Qe7
Nf3
Nf6
Qh4
d6
d3
h6
=
...
Nh6
d3
g6
Qf3

+/=
Scholar's mate ...
Nf6??
Qxf7#!

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References edit

  • Illustrated Chess for Children. 1960. Harvey Kidder. Publisher, Doubleday ISBN 0-385-05764-4.

External links edit