The opening allows Black to stake a claim to the center of the board.
The opening allows Black to stake a claim to the center of the board. If White were to play d4 to gain control of the center, the c-file pawn would often get exchanged with the d-file pawn, giving Black a greater overall central control. By challenging White's central dominance, Black aims to disrupt the opponent's plans and create imbalances on the board.