Open Games with ...Bc5

Experienced coaches often recommend playing positions with similar pawn structures so that ideas learned in one variation can be easily transferred to another. With a similar goal, Sam Collins has designed a repertoire after 1.e4 e5 based on systems with ...Bc5. Each of these lines (3...Bc5 against the Ruy Lopez and Italian, Ruy Lopez with 4...Bc5, 3...Bb4+ 4.c3 Bc5 against the Scotch, and 2...Bc5 against the King's Gambit) shares the ambition of actively developing the bishop outside of one's own pawn chain to fight for control of the key d4 square and ultimately support attacking ideas on the kingside. They all also face the same challenges, such as the risk of the bishop being walled in by pawns on c3 and d4, the Nxe5! fork trick, and the potential for an uncomfortable pinning of the black king's knight with Bg5. This DVD will equip you with the tools to confidently play each of these variations as Black, and develop your understanding of an active and classical approach against 1.e4.