Center Game
ECO C20, C21 · 1. e4 e5 2. d4
The Center Game, 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4, recaptures with the queen immediately. White gets an open center and a free hand for the pieces, but loses time when Black attacks the queen with 3...Nc6. It was popular in the 19th century and still appears as a surprise weapon.
Plans for White
After 3...Nc6 4.Qe3 White usually plays Nc3, Bd2 and castles queenside, then pushes the kingside pawns with f4, g4 and h4 in an attacking style. The queen on e3 eyes the e-file and Black's kingside.
Plans for Black
Black develops with tempo: ...Nc6, ...Nf6, ...Be7 or ...Bb4 and ...O-O, then strikes with ...d5 or ...Re8 against the lone e4 pawn. Black should open the center while White's king is still in the middle or on the queenside.
Typical pawn structures
Open d-file and a lone White pawn on e4; opposite-side castling is common.
Who it suits
Players looking for an offbeat attacking weapon with little theory.
Common traps
White's queen is a target: careless moves allow ...Nb4 or ...Bb4 tricks against c2 and the queen.
Variations
- Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit — 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. f4
- Center Game: Lanc-Arnold Gambit — 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Nf3 Bc5 4. c3
- Center Game: Kieseritzky Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Nf3
- Center Game: Ross Gambit — 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Bd3
- Center Game: von der Lasa Gambit — 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Bc4
- Center Game: Normal Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6
- Center Game: Hall Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qc4
- Center Game: Paulsen Attack Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qe3
- Center Game: Berger Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qe3 Nf6
- Center Game: l'Hermet Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qe3 f5
- Center Game: Charousek Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qe3 Bb4+ 5. c3 Be7
- Center Game: Kupreichik Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qe3 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd2 O-O 7. O-O-O Re8 8. Bc4 d6 9. Nh3