Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c5/2. Bc4/2...d6/3. c3/3...Nc6
| Camelot Defence | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moves: 1. e4 c5 Bc4 d6 c3 Nc6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ECO code: B20-B99 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent: King's Pawn Opening | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Camelot Defence
[edit | edit source]The Camelot Defence is a modern response on facing the Bowlder Attack.
While Black continues with 2...d6 part of the mainline from the Open Sicilian White now opens up the d1-a4 diagonal after playing 3...c3 allowing the Queen to join the Bishop's attack from b3 after the 4th move.
Black ignores this threat and continues with 3...Nc6 therefore developing his Knight.
White gets ready for attacking the king side playing 4...Qb3 and Black's best intervention to the double threat in the next move by White 5...Bxf7+ (forking Black's King and the Knight) is now playing 4...Nf6 securing and developing another piece at the same time. The advantage of this move is if White's Bishop ever moves to d5 Knight takes on d5 (Nxd5) therefore stopping White's threats.
Of course Black could also play 4...Nh6 defending the f7 square or 4...Ne5 attacking the Bishop on c4 but its recommended for Black to develope his pieces as White always has the opening advantage.
The "Camelot defence" lines are played very rarely as the preconditioned Bowlder attack is popular today only among club players.
It was named after the castle "Camelot" because Black may lose his castling ability (after 5...Bxf7+) but defend trough the Knights development.