Does anyone play the Spanish opening exchange various 4. Bxc6?

[Geoff Chandler]

"5...f6 6 d4 is commonly seen."

I played 3...a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 then 5.Bxc6 (The delayed exchange) so take out the f6 defence.

" 3.....Bc5 and even 3......f5 for the adventurous."

You can fly the Bird with 3...Nd4 or 'pin the ghost of a Knight' with 3...Bb4

r1bqk1nr/pppp1ppp/2n5/1B2p3/1b2P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 4

Which, funnily enough, I have never tried.

I have however in blitz played 3...Nb4 a few times

r1bqkbnr/pppp1ppp/8/1B2p3/1n2P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 4

And once and once only has someone played 4.Nxe4 Qg5! and the fun begins.

[JustinHorton]

I can only remember one time ever facing 4 Bxc6 in well over a decade of playing 1 ... e5 exclusively.

I've had a fair few: I used to play 5...Qd6 against 5 O-O. I've met 5 d4 twice and made no real progress against it at all.

[Stewart Reuben]

3... Ke7 seems to be Black's worst reply, although 3...Nce7 runs it close.

I have long thought 1 e4 e5 2 Qh5 Ke7??? is the worst possible actual legal move in chess.

[CliveHill]

But 3 ... Nf6 4.d3 Ne7 is worth a punt against non-Exchange players!

[Roger de Coverly]

But 3 ... Nf6 4.d3 Ne7 is worth a punt against non-Exchange players!

I've sat next to this and people do fall into it.

[Matt Mackenzie]

3... Ke7 seems to be Black's worst reply, although 3...Nce7 runs it close.

Quite a few examples of the latter in databases, including a few Black wins!