Reti Accepted: 3.e3 Nf6 4.Bxc4 e6
Réti Opening: Accepted Variation, 3.e3 Nf6 4.Bxc4 e6
Definition
The line 1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 Nf6 4. Bxc4 e6 belongs to the Réti Opening, a hyper-modern system in which White initially refrains from occupying the centre with pawns, instead attacking it from the flanks. When Black captures on c4 after 2. c4, the game enters the Réti Accepted. White immediately recovers the pawn with 3. e3 followed by 4. Bxc4. Black’s reply 4…e6 solidifies the d5-square and aims for harmonious development akin to a Queen’s Gambit Accepted (QGA) structure, but with colours reversed.
Typical Move Order
- 1. Nf3 d5
- 2. c4 dxc4 (Black “accepts” the wing pawn, hoping to hold it or gain time for development)
- 3. e3 Nf6 (White threatens to recapture; Black prepares kingside development)
- 4. Bxc4 e6 (White regains the pawn; Black reinforces the dark squares and prepares …c5)
Strategic Ideas
- For White
- Piece activity: Both bishops are already outside the pawn chain, echoing Catalan and QGA motifs.
- Central break d2–d4 or e3–e4: After castling, White often decides whether to strike in the centre with d4 (transposing to Catalan-like play) or maintain flexibility with b3 and Bb2.
- Pressure on the queenside: Moves like Qa4+, Qb3, or simply Nc3 put latent pressure on Black’s c4-pawn (if still on board) or the c-file.
- For Black
- Solid setup: …e6 and …Be7/…Bb4 lead to familiar Queen’s Gambit structures, minimising theoretical risk.
- Timely …c5: Striking in the centre neutralises White’s space and can free the light-squared bishop.
- Piece play: Knights on f6 and c6 (after …Nc6) put pressure on d4 and e5 squares.
Historical Background
Although Richard Réti unveiled his revolutionary 1. Nf3 systems in the early 1920s (famously defeating Capablanca in New York 1924), the Accepted line with 2…dxc4 remained a sideline for decades because classical players feared releasing the centre too early. Interest resurfaced in the computer era, when engines showed Black could survive without clinging to the extra pawn, obtaining QGA-type counterplay. Grandmasters such as Levon Aronian and Alexander Grischuk have occasionally adopted the variation as a low-maintenance equalising weapon.
Illustrative Games
- Carlsen – Giri, Wijk aan Zee 2017
Carlsen used 3.e3 Nf6 4.Bxc4 e6 to steer the game into a slow manoeuvring struggle, eventually outplaying Giri in a long endgame. - Kramnik – Nakamura, London Chess Classic 2011
Demonstrates Black’s plan of rapid …c5 and …Nc6, equalising comfortably and later seizing the initiative.
Typical Plans & Tactics
- White’s “Catalan switch”: After 5.O-O, 6.d4, and 7.Qe2, White can sacrifice a pawn on c4 in exchange for long-term bishop pressure on g2–a8.
- Minor-piece pressure on e6: If Black prematurely plays …b6, the e6-pawn can become a tactical target with Ng5 ideas.
- Endgame grind: Because the pawn structures are symmetrical, many games drift into equal endgames where the more active king or bishop pair becomes decisive—a favourite terrain of endgame specialists like Anatoly Karpov.
Interesting Facts
- The line often reverses colours with the Queen’s Gambit Accepted: after 4…e6, compare the position with a QGA after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3.
- Because the structure is so solid, top engines evaluate the position at roughly 0.00 after 4…e6, making it a practical drawing weapon for Black in elite events.
- Réti himself never faced 2…dxc4 in tournament play; the move gained theoretical attention only after World War II.
When to Use This Line
As White: Choose it to avoid mainstream Queen’s Gambit theory while retaining chances for a small, nagging edge based on bishop activity.
As Black: Employ it to steer the game into well-understood, symmetrical waters, forcing White to prove more than a symbolic advantage.