The Queen’s Gambit Declined is one of the most classical and solid chess openings. It starts with the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 when Black strengthens the center with a pawn and prepares the development of the kingside. Later, Black can opt for different schemes of development but all of them promise stability and safety. This opening is a frequent guest in a tournament practice at any level and should be studied by everyone.
Owen’s Defense starts with the moves 1.e4 b6 or 1.e4 e6 2.d4 b6 when Black is going to fianchetto the light-squared bishop. This is a bit slow and allows White to occupy the center but Black is hoping to attack it later with pieces and pawns. This system is not going to equalize any quickly, but people usually don’t play it to make a draw. This is the way to unbalance the game and outplay the opponent in the less-known positions.
The Grunfeld Defense is one of the most dynamic and sound chess openings. It starts after the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5, when Black opens files and diagonals for their pieces to target White’s center. This unusual system of development started gaining popularity in the 1920-s, after Ernest Grunfeld successfully employed it at the highest level, beating Alexander Alekhine. Later, Alekhine even used it himself. Nowadays almost every top grandmaster has the Grunfeld Defense in their repertoire.
Netflix’s “Queen’s Gambit” miniseries boosted the interest of people in chess but had no effect on the popularity of the opening of the same name.
There was no need.
The Queen’s Gambit is itself one of the oldest, most played, and respectable openings ever. It was played already by Gioachino Greko back in 1620.
On being asked why most GMs and super-GMs play 1…c5 and 1…e5 to 1.e4 instead of the French Defense, Peter Svidler recently commented: “I think the answer is twofold. Firstly, both the Spanish and the Sicilian offer you a much broader scope to choose from. If you play 1…e5 you’re not …”
What did he really mean? Is the French Defense not good enough to play at the elite level?
Sometimes, even a single move can change the course of a game—even so much as to turn a good opening into a GREAT one!
That’s what the move 2.Nc3 does to the regular London System. Not that the London system is a bad opening or such, it has got a few drawbacks where it does not offer sufficient attacking opportunities to Black, that it is not tactical enough or that the bishop on f4 can get too exposed for White’s own good.
The Modern Defense, starting with 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7, follows any other hypermodern openings and is highly provocative and dynamic—as much as an opening can get. Black fianchetto a bishop early on the g7-square eyeing on the long dark-squared diagonal running from h8 to a1.
The King’s Indian Defense is one of the most romantic and charming chess openings ever. It is the best weapon for those who want to play for a win with Black pieces against 1.d4. Black temporarily gives up the center to develop quickly and attack enemy central pawns later. This approach creates strategic imbalances from the very beginning and leads to complicated and fighting positions.
The possibilities in chess are countless and they grow with each move that we make. In spite of the millions of games that have been played, it is very difficult to find two that are exactly the same. We have to make a choice right from the start and this choice will usually influence the course of the game.
The King’s Indian Defense is one of the most complex openings in chess. This is so because it can lead to many different pawn structures with various underlying tactical and strategical ideas. In this article, I would like to explore how the great Bobby Fischer treated the positions in the Mar del Plata variation of the King’s Indian.
