Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. d4/2...exd4/3. Qxd4

      Center Game
      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)

      rnbqkbnr/pppp1ppp/8/8/3QP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNB1KBNR

      Center Game

      In the Center Game, white is happy with himself for knocking out black's only foothold in the center square, e5. At the time, all four central squares are controlled by white. This may seem like a huge advantage for white, but if black simply plays Nc6, the Queen is forced to move.

      Usually black responds to the center game by playing 3...Nc6 forcing white's queen to leave its central outpost.

      Theory table

      1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4

      3 4 5 6
      Qxd4
      Nc6
      Qe3
      Nf6
      Nc3
      Bb4
      Bd2
      O-O
      =
      ...
      Nf6
      =

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      Last modified on 3 September 2009, at 00:14