? White aims to dominate the centre by exchanging his d-pawn for Black's e-pawn. Black usually plays 3...exd4, as he has no good way to maintain his pawn on e5.

No way to avoid a material loss. Knight for a pawn and destroying the white center may be better than Ne7, a passive move that loses less material but also loses position and halts the black development by blocking the lines of the queen and the bishop.

why not bxc6, opening the long diagonal for the queen's bishop, building center control, and taking a pawn?

Trying for cxb7+ and then bxa8 Q.

! the best and perhaps only good defense.

Same trick on another diagonal, Qe5 forking threats on Qxf7 checkmate and Qxe4.

so much for bishop tricks, alas.

? Basically a good move, but the h4-e8 diagonal, with the white knight threatening g6 and f7, is more urgent. Perhaps Nf6 first.

! Well defended.

tempo move, keeping up the pressure on the black rook while adding a new threat. No time to counter both.