Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bb5/3...a6/4. Ba4/4...Nf6/5. O-O/5...Nxe4/6. d4/6...exd4/7. Re1/7...d5/8. Nxd4/8...Bd6

=Ruy Lopez:Riga Variation=

With her last move White created the dual threats Nxc6 (bxc6 Bxc6+ winning the exchange) and f3. Can either of these still be played?

It turns out that 9. f3 allows perpetual check, as it removes the option of driving away a Black queen from h4 by playing g3.

9. Nxc6 it is, then.