Queen's Pawn Game: Levitsky Attack, Euwe Variation, Modern Line

This chess opening features early development of the bishop and knight, focusing on central control and creating rich middlegame positions.

The opening commences with the Queen's Pawn Game, where both players strive to control the center of the board with their pawns. White's second move, Bg5, is the Levitsky Attack, named after Russian chess player Stepan Levitsky. This move develops the bishop to an active square, pinning the black knight to the queen and applying pressure on the d5 pawn.

Black's response, h6, forces the white bishop to decide whether to capture the knight or retreat. White typically retreats the bishop to h4, maintaining the pin and keeping the tension in the position. Black then plays c6, solidifying the pawn structure and preparing to challenge the center with e5 or Nf6.

White proceeds with Nf3, developing the knight and adding more control to the central squares. Black's next move, Qb6, pressures the b2 pawn and indirectly attacks the d4 pawn, compelling white to decide how to defend these weaknesses.

The Euwe Variation, named after Dutch Grandmaster Max Euwe, is characterized by the early development of the queen and the focus on central control. The Modern Line of this variation offers a flexible and aggressive approach for both players, leading to rich middlegame positions with abundant tactical opportunities.