Key ideas
- In the Exchange Variation (4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3), White gets a big pawn centre. Black hits it with ...Bg7, ...c5 and ...Nc6.
- The opening is very concrete and theoretical, a favourite of Kasparov and many modern elite players.
Plans for White
Keep the centre together and use it to restrict Black's pieces or to attack the king.
Plans for Black
Pile up on d4 with the bishop on g7, the c-pawn and the knights, and break the centre before it rolls forward.