Center Game: Charousek Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code C22, part of the Center Game family. It goes 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qe3 Bb4+ 5. c3 Be7. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... e5. After 10 moves it is White to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.
The moves
1. e4 – White plays the pawn to e4
1... e5 – Black plays the pawn to e5
2. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
2... exd4 – Black captures on d4 with the e-pawn
3. Qxd4 – White takes on d4 with the queen
3... Nc6 – Black plays the knight to c6
4. Qe3 – White plays the queen to e3
4... Bb4+ – Black plays the bishop to b4, giving check
5. c3 – White plays the pawn to c3
5... Be7 – Black plays the bishop to e7
About the Center Game
After 1.e4 e5, White plays 2.d4 at once. After 2...exd4 3.Qxd4, the queen comes out early and can be chased.
Black gains a tempo with 3...Nc6, and the queen usually goes to e3.
White often castles queenside and attacks with f4 and g4.
Black develops fast with ...Nf6, ...Be7 or ...Bb4 and ...O-O, ...Re8.
chessGM