Chess opening · ECO C22
Center Game: Normal Variation
Here White has regained the pawn with 3.Qxd4, and Black replies 3...Nc6, developing a knight with a direct hit on the queen. White has to move her again, so Black picks up a tempo. In return White's e4 pawn faces only Black's d7 pawn in the center, and White has a quick route to queenside castling.
- Rank by weighted share
- #90 of 159
Key moves
1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6
- 3. Qxd4Recapturing with the queen restores material at once and keeps a white piece on d4. The cost is that the queen is White's only developed piece, and she sits on a square a black knight can attack in one move.
- 3... Nc6The knight attacks the queen from c6 and develops toward the center, where it also covers e5 and b4. After the usual retreats, Black continues with ...Nf6 and a bishop move, gaining time on the queen.
The Paulsen Attack with 4.Qe3
On e3 the queen stays central and away from the c6 knight, though she shuts the c1 bishop's diagonal beyond d2. White's usual plan is Nc3, Bd2 and queenside castling, which brings the a1 rook to d1, ready to use the d-file once the bishop steps aside.
Black typically answers with ...Nf6, ...Bb4 and short castling, then ...Re8. The rook and the f6 knight both bear on e4, and the bishop on b4 adds pressure to the c3 knight that guards it.
Qa4 and Qd1 instead
4.Qa4 tucks the queen on the edge, where the c6 knight cannot reach her, and still guards e4 along the fourth rank. 4.Qd1 goes straight home, giving up the tempo to keep the queen safe and the c1 bishop free.
Paulsen setup against ...Re8
4. Qe3 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd2 O-O 7. O-O-O Re8
The kings sit on opposite wings. White's rook stands on d1 behind the d2 bishop, while Black has lined up the f6 knight and the e8 rook against e4. Both sides now have to watch tactics around e4 and c3, because a capture on one square changes the defense of the other.
Top replies by rating
Qe3 leads most bands and pulls far ahead at 1800 to 1999. The exception is 1400 to 1599, where the retreat Qd1 edges in front.
| Rating | Top | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1200 | Qe3 35% | Qd1 22% | Qc4 12% |
| 1200–1399 | Qe3 35% | Qd1 34% | Qc4 8% |
| 1400–1599 | Qd1 37% | Qe3 32% | Qa4 14% |
| 1600–1799 | Qe3 54% | Qd1 24% | Qa4 12% |
| 1800–1999 | Qe3 86% | Qd1 9% | Qa4 5% |
Related openings
Try it on the board. The first coached game and three analyses are free.