Grünfeld Defence
Encyclopedia
The Grünfeld Defence is a chess opening
characterised by the moves:
The opening relies on one of the main principles of the hypermodern
school, which was coming to the fore in the 1920s—that a large pawn centre could be a liability rather than an asset.
, an Indian player who had transitioned from Indian chess
rules, playing black against John Cochrane in Calcutta, in May 1855: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. e3 Bg7 5. Nf3 0-0 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Be2 Nxc3 8. bxc3 c5 9. 0-0 cxd4 10. cxd4 Nc6 11. Bb2 Bg4 12. Rc1 Rc8 13. Ba3 Qa5 14. Qb3 Rfe8 15. Rc5 Qb6 16. Rb5 Qd8 17. Ng5 Bxe2 18. Nxf7 Na5 and White mates
in three (19.Nh6+ double check
Kh8 20.Qg8+ Rxg8 21.Nf7#
). Cochrane published a book reporting his games with Moheshchunder and other Indians in 1864.
It gained popularity however, after Ernst Grünfeld
introduced it into international play at Vienna 1922, where, in his first game with the defense, he defeated future world champion Alexander Alekhine
. Interestingly, Grünfeld usually employed a very classical style. The defence was later adopted by a number of prominent players, including Vasily Smyslov
, Viktor Korchnoi
, Leonid Stein
, and Bobby Fischer
. Garry Kasparov
often used the defence, including in his World Championship matches against Anatoly Karpov
in 1986, 1987 and 1990, and Vladimir Kramnik
in 2000. Currently active notable players who employ the opening include Loek Van Wely
, Peter Svidler
, Peter Leko
, Vishwanathan Anand, Luke McShane
and Gata Kamsky
. Anand employed it twice in the World Chess Championship 2010.
The Game of the Century between Donald Byrne
and 13-year old Bobby Fischer
on October 17, 1956, featured this opening, although arriving in the Grünfeld via a transposition
of moves (using 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.d4 0-0 5.Bf4 d5).
White can develop his pieces in a number of ways in the Exchange Variation. For decades, theory held that the correct method of development was with Bc4 and Ne2, often followed by 0-0 and f4–f5, playing for a central breakthrough or kingside attack. It was generally thought that an early Nf3 was weak in the Exchange Variation because it allowed Black too much pressure on the centre with ...Bg4. In the late 1970s, however, Karpov, Kasparov and others found different methods to play the Exchange Variation with White, often involving an early Rb1 to remove the rook from the sensitive a1–h8 diagonal, as well as attempting to hinder the development of Black's queenside. Another, relatively recently developed system involves quickly playing Be3, Qd2, and Rc1 or Rd1 to fortify White's centre, remove White's rook from the diagonal, and possibly enable an early d5 push by White.
Vladimir Kramnik
and Boris Gelfand
are the leading practitioners as White and Ľubomír Ftáčnik
has had many fine results with the Black pieces.
In this variation, play may also continue 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.e3 0-0, which is known as the Grünfeld Gambit (ECO code D83). White can accept the gambit by playing 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Nxd5 Qxd5 8.Bxc7, or decline it with 6.Qb3 or 6.Rc1, to which Black responds with 6...c5.
, 7...Bg4 8.Be3 Nfd7 (Smyslov Variation), a topical line from the 1950s through the mid 1970s, 7...Na6 (Lodewijk Prins
') idea, 7...Nc6 and 7...c6.
After 6.cxd5 Nxg5 7.Nxg5 e6, White has 8.Qd2 exd5 9.Qe3+, with attacking chances, or the more usual 8.Nf3 exd5 (though the interpolation 8...h6 9.Nf3 exd5 is a significant alternative), after which play generally proceeds on lines analogous to the Queen's Gambit Declined
, Exchange Variation, with a queenside minority attack by White (b2–b4–b5xc6), as Black aims for his traditional kingside play with ...f7–f5–f4 and, in this case, ...g6–g5.
Chess opening
A chess opening is the group of initial moves of a chess game. Recognized sequences of opening moves are referred to as openings as initiated by White or defenses, as created in reply by Black. There are many dozens of different openings, and hundreds of named variants. The Oxford Companion to...
characterised by the moves:
- 1. d4 Nf6
- 2. c4 g6
- 3. Nc3 d5
The opening relies on one of the main principles of the hypermodern
Hypermodernism (chess)
Hypermodernism is a school of chess that emerged after World War I. It featured challenges on the chess ideologies presented by central European masters, such as on Wilhelm Steinitz’ approach to the centre. It also challenged in particular the dogmatic rules set down by Siegbert Tarrasch...
school, which was coming to the fore in the 1920s—that a large pawn centre could be a liability rather than an asset.
History
The first instance of this opening is in an 1855 game by Moheschunder BannerjeeMoheschunder Bannerjee
Moheschunder Bannerjee or Mahesh Chandra Banerjee was a strong chess player from Bengal, many hundred of whose games survive through the writings of John Cochrane, who regularly played Bannerjee between 1848 and 1860, during Cochrane's tenure at the Calcutta bar...
, an Indian player who had transitioned from Indian chess
Indian chess
Indian chess is the name given to the version of the game as played in India in the 18th and 19th centuries. Chess originated in India, and the more ancient forms are known as Chaturanga, and spread to the west via Persia in the 7th Century. There are several such variations, all quite similar to...
rules, playing black against John Cochrane in Calcutta, in May 1855: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. e3 Bg7 5. Nf3 0-0 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Be2 Nxc3 8. bxc3 c5 9. 0-0 cxd4 10. cxd4 Nc6 11. Bb2 Bg4 12. Rc1 Rc8 13. Ba3 Qa5 14. Qb3 Rfe8 15. Rc5 Qb6 16. Rb5 Qd8 17. Ng5 Bxe2 18. Nxf7 Na5 and White mates
Checkmate
Checkmate is a situation in chess in which one player's king is threatened with capture and there is no way to meet that threat. Or, simply put, the king is under direct attack and cannot avoid being captured...
in three (19.Nh6+ double check
Double check
In chess, a double check is a check delivered by two pieces at the same time. In chess notation, it is often symbolized by "++".-Discussion:...
Kh8 20.Qg8+ Rxg8 21.Nf7#
Checkmate
Checkmate is a situation in chess in which one player's king is threatened with capture and there is no way to meet that threat. Or, simply put, the king is under direct attack and cannot avoid being captured...
). Cochrane published a book reporting his games with Moheshchunder and other Indians in 1864.
It gained popularity however, after Ernst Grünfeld
Ernst Grünfeld
----Ernst Franz Grünfeld , an Austrian grandmaster and writer specializing in opening theory, was for a brief period after the First World War one of the strongest chess players in the world....
introduced it into international play at Vienna 1922, where, in his first game with the defense, he defeated future world champion Alexander Alekhine
Alexander Alekhine
Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine was the fourth World Chess Champion. He is often considered one of the greatest chess players ever.By the age of twenty-two, he was already among the strongest chess players in the world. During the 1920s, he won most of the tournaments in which he played...
. Interestingly, Grünfeld usually employed a very classical style. The defence was later adopted by a number of prominent players, including Vasily Smyslov
Vasily Smyslov
Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster, and was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight occasions . Smyslov was twice equal first at the Soviet Championship , and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won...
, Viktor Korchnoi
Viktor Korchnoi
Viktor Lvovich Korchnoi ; pronounced in the original Russian as "karch NOY"; Ви́ктор Льво́вич Корчно́й, born March 23, 1931 is a professional chess player, author and currently the oldest active grandmaster on the tournament circuit...
, Leonid Stein
Leonid Stein
Leonid Zakharovich Stein was a Soviet chess Grandmaster from Ukraine. He won three USSR Chess Championships in the 1960s , and was among the world's top ten players during that era.- Early life :...
, and Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer
Robert James "Bobby" Fischer was an American chess Grandmaster and the 11th World Chess Champion. He is widely considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. Fischer was also a best-selling chess author...
. Garry Kasparov
Garry Kasparov
Garry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, a former World Chess Champion, writer, political activist, and one of the greatest chess players of all time....
often used the defence, including in his World Championship matches against Anatoly Karpov
Anatoly Karpov
Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion. He was the official world champion from 1975 to 1985 when he was defeated by Garry Kasparov. He played three matches against Kasparov for the title from 1986 to 1990, before becoming FIDE World Champion once...
in 1986, 1987 and 1990, and Vladimir Kramnik
Vladimir Kramnik
Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik is a Russian chess grandmaster. He was the Classical World Chess Champion from 2000 to 2006, and the undisputed World Chess Champion from 2006 to 2007...
in 2000. Currently active notable players who employ the opening include Loek Van Wely
Loek van Wely
Loek van Wely is a chess Grandmaster from the Netherlands. He won the Dutch Chess Championship six times straight from 2000 through 2005. He was rated among the world's top ten in 2001. In 2002, in Maastricht, Netherlands, van Wely took on the computer program Rebel in a four-game match. The...
, Peter Svidler
Peter Svidler
Peter Veniaminovich Svidler is a Russian chess grandmaster.He is six-time Russian champion ....
, Peter Leko
Péter Lékó
On the way to winning the prestigious Corus chess tournament in 2005, Lékó defeated Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand with the black pieces. The moves were:...
, Vishwanathan Anand, Luke McShane
Luke McShane
Luke James McShane is an English chess player. A former World Youth Champion and prodigious talent in chess, he has become one of England's leading players and a member of the Olympiad team. He has also been a trader in London's financial sector.- Early career :McShane won the World Under-10...
and Gata Kamsky
Gata Kamsky
Gata Kamsky is a Soviet-born American chess grandmaster, and the current World Rapid Chess Champion. He is also the current United States Chess Champion. As of September 2011, he is rated No. 1 in the United States and No...
. Anand employed it twice in the World Chess Championship 2010.
The Game of the Century between Donald Byrne
Donald Byrne
Donald Byrne was one of the USA's strongest chess players during the 1950s and 1960s.Born in New York City, he won the U.S. Open Chess Championship in 1953, was awarded the International Master title by FIDE in 1962, and played for or captained five U.S. Chess Olympiad teams between 1962 and 1972...
and 13-year old Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer
Robert James "Bobby" Fischer was an American chess Grandmaster and the 11th World Chess Champion. He is widely considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. Fischer was also a best-selling chess author...
on October 17, 1956, featured this opening, although arriving in the Grünfeld via a transposition
Transposition (chess)
A transposition in chess is a sequence of moves that results in a position which may also be reached by another, more common sequence of moves. Transpositions are particularly common in opening, where a given position may be reached by different sequences of moves...
of moves (using 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.d4 0-0 5.Bf4 d5).
Exchange Variation
The main line of the Grünfeld, the Exchange Variation (ECO codes D85–D89), is defined by the continuation 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4. Now White has an imposing looking centre – and the main continuation 5...Nxc3 6.bxc3 strengthens it still further. Black generally attacks White's centre with ...c5 and ...Bg7, often followed by moves such as ...cxd4, ...Bg4, and ...Nc6. White often uses his big centre to launch an attack against Black's king. One subvariation, frequently played by Karpov, including four games of his 1987 world championship match against Kasparov in Seville, Spain, is the Seville Variation, after 6...Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 Bg4 11.f3 Na5 12.Bxf7+, long thought a poor move by theory, as the resultant light-square weakness had been believed to give Black more than enough compensation for the pawn.White can develop his pieces in a number of ways in the Exchange Variation. For decades, theory held that the correct method of development was with Bc4 and Ne2, often followed by 0-0 and f4–f5, playing for a central breakthrough or kingside attack. It was generally thought that an early Nf3 was weak in the Exchange Variation because it allowed Black too much pressure on the centre with ...Bg4. In the late 1970s, however, Karpov, Kasparov and others found different methods to play the Exchange Variation with White, often involving an early Rb1 to remove the rook from the sensitive a1–h8 diagonal, as well as attempting to hinder the development of Black's queenside. Another, relatively recently developed system involves quickly playing Be3, Qd2, and Rc1 or Rd1 to fortify White's centre, remove White's rook from the diagonal, and possibly enable an early d5 push by White.
Vladimir Kramnik
Vladimir Kramnik
Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik is a Russian chess grandmaster. He was the Classical World Chess Champion from 2000 to 2006, and the undisputed World Chess Champion from 2006 to 2007...
and Boris Gelfand
Boris Gelfand
Boris Abramovich Gelfand is a Belarus-born Israeli chess Grandmaster. He won the 2011 Candidates Tournament and will challenge Viswanathan Anand for the World Chess Championship 2012.-Biography:...
are the leading practitioners as White and Ľubomír Ftáčnik
Lubomir Ftácnik
Ľubomír Ftáčnik is a Slovak chess player and a former European Junior Champion.He became European Junior Champion in 1976/77 and was awarded the International Master title shortly after...
has had many fine results with the Black pieces.
Lines with 4.Bf4 and the Grünfeld Gambit
For players who do not wish to take on the complexities of the Exchange Variation, the move 4. Bf4 is generally considered a safer continuation for White. White opts for the initiative on the queenside with a smaller pawn center. In the main line (D82), play proceeds with 4...Bg7 5.e3 c5 6.dxc5 Qa5, with White's choices at his seventh move being cxd5, Qb3, Qa4, or Rc1. Despite its reputation, in statistical databases this variation shows only a slightly higher percentage of White wins and draws, as opposed to the Exchange variation. The variation is not often met in top-flight play today, its usage having declined significantly since its heyday in the 1930s.In this variation, play may also continue 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.e3 0-0, which is known as the Grünfeld Gambit (ECO code D83). White can accept the gambit by playing 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Nxd5 Qxd5 8.Bxc7, or decline it with 6.Qb3 or 6.Rc1, to which Black responds with 6...c5.
The Neo-Grünfeld Defence
Systems in which White delays the development of his queen's knight to c3 are known as the Neo-Grünfeld Defence (ECO code D70–D79); typical move orders are 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 d5 or, more commonly, 1. d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3. g3 d5 (the latter is known as the Kemeri Variation, shown in the diagram).Russian System: 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3
In bringing more pressure to bear against Black's central outpost on d5, White practically forces ...dxc4, thus gaining a central preponderance; however, in return, his queen will often be exposed as Black's queenside play unfolds in the middlegame. After 5...dxc4 6.Qxc4 0-0 7.e4, Black has several primary options to hand: the Hungarian Variation 7...a6, championed by Peter LekoPéter Lékó
On the way to winning the prestigious Corus chess tournament in 2005, Lékó defeated Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand with the black pieces. The moves were:...
, 7...Bg4 8.Be3 Nfd7 (Smyslov Variation), a topical line from the 1950s through the mid 1970s, 7...Na6 (Lodewijk Prins
Lodewijk Prins
Lodewijk Prins was a Dutch chess player and referee of chess competitions.Prins was awarded the International Master title in 1950, and was made an International Arbiter in 1960. In 1982 FIDE made him an honorary Grandmaster.Prins represented the Netherlands twelve times in all Chess Olympiads...
') idea, 7...Nc6 and 7...c6.
Taimanov's Variation with 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bg5
In this line, favoured by Yasser Seirawan, after the nearly universal 5...Ne4, White may play 6.Bh4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 or 6.cxd5, with Black then opting for either 6...Nxc3 7.bxc3 Qxd5 or 6...Nxg5 7.Nxg5 e6, though in the latter case, 7...c6 is sometimes tried.After 6.cxd5 Nxg5 7.Nxg5 e6, White has 8.Qd2 exd5 9.Qe3+, with attacking chances, or the more usual 8.Nf3 exd5 (though the interpolation 8...h6 9.Nf3 exd5 is a significant alternative), after which play generally proceeds on lines analogous to the Queen's Gambit Declined
Queen's Gambit Declined
The Queen's Gambit Declined is a chess opening in which Black declines a pawn offered by White in the Queen's Gambit:This is known as the Orthodox Line of the Queen's Gambit Declined...
, Exchange Variation, with a queenside minority attack by White (b2–b4–b5xc6), as Black aims for his traditional kingside play with ...f7–f5–f4 and, in this case, ...g6–g5.
Other variations
Apart from the above, among the more popular continuations are:- 4.Bg5 (the Taimanov Variation, ECO code D80)
- 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qa4+ (the Flohr Variation, ECO code D90)
- 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.e3 (the Quiet System or Slow System, ECO code D94)
- 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Na4 (the Nadanian VariationGrünfeld Defence, Nadanian VariationThe Nadanian Variation of the Grünfeld Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:-History:The variation is named after the Armenian International Master Ashot Nadanian, who first employed it in 1996...
, ECO code D85)
Further reading
- András AdorjánAndras AdorjanAndrás Adorján is a Hungarian author and Grandmaster of chess , born in Budapest. He adopted his mother's surname Adorján in 1968....
; Jeno Dory, Winning With the Grunfeld (Macmillan, 1987) - Alexey SuetinAlexey SuetinAlexey Stepanovich Suetin was a Russian International Grandmaster of chess and author.-Biography:A resident of Moscow and a mechanical engineer by profession, he became an International Master in 1961 and a Grandmaster in 1965. His philosophy was always that "mastery is not enough; you must dare,...
, The Complete Grünfeld (Batsford, 1991) - Anatoly KarpovAnatoly KarpovAnatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion. He was the official world champion from 1975 to 1985 when he was defeated by Garry Kasparov. He played three matches against Kasparov for the title from 1986 to 1990, before becoming FIDE World Champion once...
, Beating the Grünfeld (Batsford, 1992) - Jonathan RowsonJonathan RowsonJonathan Rowson is Scotland's third chess Grandmaster, after Paul Motwani and Colin McNab, and has played first board at recent Chess Olympiads. He is also a chess author.-Career:...
, Understanding the Grünfeld (Gambit, 1998) - Jacob AagaardJacob AagaardJacob Aagaard is a Danish-born Scottish Grandmaster of chess who won the 94th British Championship in 2007. He is Scotland's second highest ranked player as of January 2010, with an Elo rating of 2538. In 2004, he took second place in the Scottish Chess Championship. In 2005, he took first place...
, Starting Out: The Grunfeld (Everyman Chess, 2000) - Nigel DaviesNigel Davies (chess player)Nigel Davies is an English chess Grandmaster, chess coach and writer.Davies won the British Boys Championship in 1979 and the British Rapidplay Chess Championhship in 1987.-External links:* Nigel Davies' own website...
, The Grünfeld Defence (Everyman Chess, 2002) - Bogdan LalićBogdan LalicBogdan Lalic is a Croatian-English Grandmaster of chess. He was born in the former Yugoslavia in 1964. FIDE awarded him the International Grandmaster title in 1988. He finished equal first at the Pleven 1987 and Sarajevo 1988 tournaments. Although registered with the Croatian Federation, he...
, The Grunfeld for the Attacking Player (Batsford, 2002) - Michael KhodarkovskyMichael KhodarkovskyMichael Khodarkovsky is an American chess International Master, FIDE Senior Trainer.Michael Khodarkovsky is FIDE Senior Trainer and Chess Master, was born in Odessa, Ukraine on July 21, 1958. Since 1992 he has made his home in New Jersey...
, The Grünfeld Defence Revealed (Batsford, 2003) - Konstantin SakaevKonstantin SakaevKonstantin Sakaev is a Russian chess Grandmaster , from St Petersburg and Russian Champion in 1999. He is also a chess writer. Sakaev is on the staff of the Grandmaster Chess School in St...
, An Expert's Guide to the 7.Bc4 Gruenfeld (Chess Stars, 2006) - Yelena DemboYelena DemboYelena Dembo is a Greek International Master of chess. On the May 2010 FIDE rating list for women, she is ranked 31st in the world, with a rating of 2470. She became a Woman Grandmaster when she was seventeen years old, and an International Master at age nineteen...
, Play the Grünfeld (Everyman Chess, 2007)