The idea in one sentence
Black allows a huge White centre, then strikes with ...e5 and attacks on the kingside while White attacks on the queenside: a race.
♔ White's plans
- Take the full centre with e4 and d4
- Close it with d5 and attack on the queenside with c5
- Hold the kingside against ...f5
♚ Black's plans
- Fianchetto and castle quickly
- Strike the centre with ...e5
- After d5, attack with ...f5, ...g5 and ...g4
Pawn structure. Locked centre (d5-e4 against d6-e5): White plays on the queenside, Black on the kingside.
How to learn it
- Read the idea and the plans: every move below serves one of them.
- In the story, ask of each move: what does it do, what does it stop, what does it prepare, why not the other one?
- Drill your side. At the key moves you name the idea first, then play the move.
- Missed moves come back first next time, and in your journal.
The defining moves
- 2...g6 prepares the fianchetto.
- 3...Bg7 aims at the centre along the long diagonal.
- 4.e4 takes the whole centre.
- 6...e5 strikes the centre at last.
- 8.d5 closes the centre and gains space on the queenside.
- 8...Ne7 heads for the kingside to support ...f5.
The line follows the moves masters play most (Lichess masters database), each checked by Stockfish 19 at depth 22; where the book move is not Stockfish's first choice, the story says so. Scores are in pawns from White's side: +0.30 is good for White, −0.30 for Black.