Grünfeld Defense · D85

Exchange Variation, Modern Exchange Variation, Pawn Grab Line

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. 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.

The first 4 moves, explained

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

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