D80-D99 (+E60)

Grünfeld Defense

58 named lines in this family, ECO D80-D99 (+E60). Every one of them opens 1. d4, so that move's note is written once, just below, instead of once per line. Under each line you get its moves and the sentences it adds that this page has not already printed. A line's own page carries up to its first 4 per-move notes in full.

The moves every line here plays

1. d4

• 1. d4 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e5, and frees the bishop and queen.

Main lineD80

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5

...d5 followed by ...Nxc3 hands White a broad pawn centre on purpose: the g7 bishop and ...c5 hammer d4 all game - the centre is a target, says Black.

• 1... Nf6 Develops the knight to f6, eyeing d5 and e4.
• 2. c4 Fights for d5 from the flank - contesting the centre without committing a centre pawn.
• 2... g6 Prepares the fianchetto: the bishop will take the long diagonal via g7. Theory calls this the West Indian Defense.

Gibbon GambitD80

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. g4

Lutikov VariationD80

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. f3

Stockholm VariationD80

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5

Zaitsev GambitD80

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. h4

Lutikov Variation, Murrey AttackD80

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. f3 c5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Na4

An early pawn trade leaves the c-file as White's avenue and the d-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file.

Lundin VariationD80

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Ne4 5. Nxe4 dxe4 6. Qd2 c5

The structure hands Black the half-open d-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.

Russian Variation, Accelerated VariationD81

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Qb3

Brinckmann AttackD82

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4

Brinckmann Attack, Grünfeld GambitD83

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 O-O

Black's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal.

Brinckmann Attack, Grünfeld Gambit, Capablanca VariationD83

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Rc1

Brinckmann Attack, Grünfeld Gambit, Botvinnik VariationD83

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Rc1 c5 7. dxc5 Be6

An early pawn trade leaves the c-file as Black's avenue and the d-file as White's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file. White is up material out of the opening - Black is banking on activity to show for it.

Brinckmann Attack, Reshevsky GambitD83

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. Rc1 O-O 6. e3 c5 7. dxc5 Qa5

White's knight on c3 is pinned against the king.

Brinckmann Attack, Grünfeld Gambit AcceptedD84

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Nxd5 Qxd5 8. Bxc7

Exchange VariationD85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5

Exchange Variation, Nadanian AttackD85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Na4

Exchange Variation, Modern Exchange Variation, after 2. c4, through 7. Nf3D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3

An early pawn trade leaves the b-file as White's avenue and the d-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file. White takes the full centre with e4 and c3; Black attacks it with ...c5, ...Bg7 and rooks on the d- and c-files - textbook centre versus pressure.

Exchange Variation, Modern Exchange Variation, after 2. c4, through 7... c5D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5

Exchange Variation, Modern Exchange Variation, after 2. Nf3, through 8. Rb1D85

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 c5 8. Rb1

• 2. Nf3 Develops the knight to f3, eyeing d4 and e5. It also props up the d4 pawn. Theory calls this the Knights Variation.
• 2... g6 Theory calls this the East Indian Defense.

Exchange Variation, Modern Exchange Variation, Kramnik's LineD85

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 c5 8. h3

Exchange Variation, Modern Exchange Variation, Pawn Grab LineD85

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 8. Rb1 O-O 9. Be2 Nc6 10. d5 Bxc3+

Black comes out ahead on material - White needs concrete play to justify it.

Exchange Variation, Classical VariationD86

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4

Exchange Variation, Larsen Variation, through 8... Qd7D86

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Ne2 Qd7

Black's pawn on f7 is pinned against the king.

Exchange Variation, Simagin's Improved VariationD86

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Ne2 Nc6

Exchange Variation, Simagin's Lesser VariationD86

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Ne2 b6

Exchange Variation, Larsen Variation, after 9. O-OD86

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Ne2 Qd7 9. O-O b6

Exchange Variation, Spassky Variation, after 8... O-O, through 8... O-OD87

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 O-O

Exchange Variation, Seville VariationD87

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 Nc6 9. Be3 O-O 10. O-O Bg4 11. f3 Na5 12. Bxf7+

Exchange Variation, Spassky Variation, after 8... Nc6, through 11. cxd4D88

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 Nc6 9. Be3 O-O 10. O-O cxd4 11. cxd4

The c-file is fully open.

Exchange Variation, Spassky Variation, after 8... Nc6, through 13... Be6D89

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 Nc6 9. Be3 O-O 10. O-O Bg4 11. f3 Na5 12. Bd3 cxd4 13. cxd4 Be6

Exchange Variation, Sokolsky VariationD89

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 O-O 9. O-O Nc6 10. Be3 Bg4 11. f3 Na5 12. Bd3 cxd4 13. cxd4 Be6 14. d5

Three Knights Variation, through 4. Nf3D90

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3

Three Knights Variation, after 4... Bg7D90

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7

Flohr VariationD90

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qa4+

Three Knights Variation, Petrosian SystemD91

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bg5

Three Knights Variation, Hungarian AttackD92

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bf4

Three Knights Variation, Hungarian VariationD93

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3

Three Knights Variation, Burille VariationD94

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3

Makogonov VariationD94

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. b4

Opocensky VariationD94

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Bd2

Three Knights Variation, Paris VariationD94

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Bd3

Flohr DefenseD94

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O Bf5

• 1... d5 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e4, and frees the bishop and queen.
• 2. c4 Challenges the pawn on d5 - the central tension has to resolve. The pawn is genuinely on offer - this is the Queen's Gambit: development and initiative over material.
• 2... c6 Theory calls this the Slav Defense.

Smyslov DefenseD94

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O Bg4

Three Knights Variation, Vienna VariationD95

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Qb3

Botvinnik VariationD95

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Qb3 e6

Pachman VariationD95

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. e3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Bxc4 O-O 7. Nf3 Nbd7 8. Ng5

Russian Variation, through 5. Qb3D96

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3

Russian Variation, after 5... dxc4D97

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4

Russian Variation, Byrne VariationD97

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Nc6

Russian Variation, Hungarian VariationD97

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 a6

Russian Variation, Levenfish VariationD97

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 b6

Russian Variation, Prins VariationD97

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Na6

Russian Variation, Szabo VariationD97

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 c6

Russian Variation, Smyslov Variation, through 7... Bg4D98

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Bg4

Russian Variation, Keres VariationD98

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Bg4 8. Be3 Nfd7 9. Be2 Nb6 10. Qd3 Nc6 11. O-O-O

Kings castle on opposite wings - expect pawn storms racing at both kings.

Russian Variation, Smyslov Variation, after 8. Be3D99

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Bg4 8. Be3 Nfd7 9. Qb3

Russian Variation, Yugoslav VariationD99

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Bg4 8. Be3 Nfd7 9. Qb3 c5

Counterthrust VariationE60

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 d5

White's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal and Black's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal.

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