By playing the London System, with 1.d4 followed by 2.Nf3 and 3.Bf4, White can avoid a theoretical discussion and instead use natural ability plus a knowledge of plans. The weight of the struggle tends to shift towards the middlegame, but White can also pull off devastatingly quick wins should Black be unaware of the dangers.
The Scotch Four Knights (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4) can be very unpleasant for Black when you are for a complicated battle. White's play is usually very solid and it's actually quite difficult to spice things up if White wants to have a quiet life.
However, with the spectacular sacrifice 5...Nxe4!? it is possible to bring some life into the position, but is this option really as good and as reliable as the main move 5...Bb4?
In this episode I'll explain the main ideas of this sacrifice and take you step by step through all the critical lines.
Exercise: To warm up, here's a basic tactical idea for Black!
You can move the pieces on the live diagram!
Strategy Training: How to Make a Plan
In every game of chess, there comes a moment when one is confronted with the question: what should I do now?
Many more Fast and Furious episodes are available in ChessBase Videos
