Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Bc4/2...Nf6

Bishop's Opening: Berlin Defence
a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) rnbqkb1r/pppp1ppp/5n2/4p3/2B1P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK1NR w
Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6

Bishop's Opening: Berlin Defence

2... Nf6

Black develops the king's knight and in doing so threatens the e4-pawn and makes it possible to play d5. This move also preempts Scholar's Mate by preventing 3. Qh5, and blocking the queen's path in the 3. Qf3 version of the mate.

White's options:

• 3. d3 is the most common continuation.
• 3. d4 can go either to Ponziani-Urusov Gambit or to the Two Knights Defence by transposition.
• 3. Nc3 transposes to the Vienna Game (Falkbeer Defence), with an opportunity to use a center fork trick.
• 3. Nf3 transposes to Petrov's Defence.

Theory table

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

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6

	3	4
Modern Bishop's Opening	d3 Nc6	Nf3 Be7	=
Ponziani/Urusov Gambit	d4!?		=
Vienna Game by transposition	Nc3		=
Petrov's Defence by transposition	Nf3		⩱

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References

• Panov, Vasily. (1973). Teoría de Aperturas, Tomo I: Aperturas Abiertas - Aperturas Semiabiertas. ISBN 84-270-0132-0.