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Train this openingAbout this opening
Both bishops are out and both sides eye the weak squares in front of the kings. Nf6 is the most played reply here. You develop and attack e4 in the same move, and you stop White building in peace. Bc5 is the classical answer, meeting bishop with bishop and daring White to play c3 and d4. h6 is the second choice by frequency, and its whole point is to stop the knight coming to g5, though it does nothing for development. The one line to know is the Fried Liver: Nf6 Ng5 d5 exd5 Nxd5 lets White play Nxf7. Meet Ng5 with d5, then Na5, and do not recapture on d5.
Plans
- Attack e4 with Nf6 and take the initiative early.
- Meet bishop with bishop on c5 and castle quickly.
- Answer Ng5 with d5, then Na5 to hit the bishop.
- Play d6 and Be6 to blunt the bishop aiming at f7.
Where the pieces belong
- Knight: f6, attacking e4
- Bishop: c5, matching White's bishop
- Knight: a5, driving the bishop off its diagonal
- Pawn: d6, holding e5 and freeing the bishop
- King: castled short by move six
A slow game if White plays c3 and d3, and a sharp one if the knight jumps to g5. Your counterplay comes from d5, so prepare it rather than rushing it.