1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bb4+ - See Malaniuk Variation introduction.
5.Bd2 - Alternative to 5.c3. White develops the bishop to block the check, maintaining pawn structure integrity.
5...Qe7 - Black develops the queen, defending the bishop and preparing ...Nf6.
6.Nxc6 - White exchanges knights when Black's queen is on e7, slightly disrupting Black's coordination.
White's plan: Develop solidly and maintain the center, castle quickly, seek positional advantages in the middlegame.
Black's plan: Recapture with ...bxc6 or ...dxc6, develop pieces to natural squares, challenge center with ...d5.
Assessment: Less forcing than 5.c3 but leads to balanced positions. Easier to play for both sides.
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