Against 1.d4

• At a glance

  Against 1.d4

  431 games, 58%: a repertoire built on 1…d5, 1…b6, 1…Na6 and 1…Nc6, with two clear leaks — the Jobava and 1…Nc6 2.Nf3.

  19 cards, one idea each. Swipe to move on.

• The big idea

  Against 1.d4, you don't sign one contract but four.

• The big idea

  1…d5 is the serious one (96 games, 60%), 1…b6 the fighting one (46 games, 57%), 1…Na6 the provocative one (44 games, 73%), 1…Nc6 the risky one (27 games, 44%).

• The big idea

  Overall, 58% over 431 games: exactly your average with Black (57.6%).

• The big idea

  What you pay: the engine likes neither 1…b6 nor 1…Na6, and you often start slightly behind.

• The big idea

  What you buy: positions your opponents have never prepared, where the plan matters, not the theory.

• The big idea

  This course keeps what works (…c5 against the f4 bishop, …Bb4 and …f5 in the English Defense, 1…Na6 with its real plan) and fixes the two leaks: the waiting moves in the Jobava, and the knight sent to b4 with no target.

• Principle

  Against a bishop on f4, strike with the c-pawn

  Your games: 33× · 50% of points

  The bishop has left c1: b2 is no longer guarded, and d4 doesn't have its c3 pawn yet. …c5 hits the center before it's consolidated, in the London as in the Jobava.

• Principle

  A pin has to pin a defender

  Your games: 20× · 62% of points

  …Bb4 is strong when it pins the Nc3 that holds e4; …Bg4 when it pins the Nf3 that holds d4. With no defender behind the pinned piece, the check just moves the problem somewhere else.

• Principle

  Waiting moves get paid for on the next move

  Your games: 7× · 21% of points

  …a6 and …h6 are useful, but after them you need a plan in the center: …e6 then …c5. It's the lack of that plan that makes the position after 5.Nf3 cost you so much.

• Principle

  A knight on the rim needs a destination

  From a6, the knight goes to c7, where it supports …d5 and gets off the d3 bishop's diagonal. On b4 with no target, a3 sends it back and you've lost time.

• Principle

  Against e4, count the defenders

  Your games: 16× · 75% of points

  Your b7 bishop attacks e4. Before adding …f5, pin or remove every defender: the Nc3 with …Bb4, the d3 bishop with …Nc6-b4.

• Imbalance

  The b7 bishop against White's center

  Your games: 20× · 62% of points

  In the English Defense, White has three pawns in the center (c4, d4, e4); you have a b7 bishop eyeing e4 from afar. If the center holds, you're short of space; if it gives way, your bishop rules the long diagonal.

• Imbalance

  The c-file against the fixed d4 pawn

  Your games: 4× · 75% of points

  After …cxd4 exd4 in the London, the d4 pawn can no longer be supported by an advanced e- or c-pawn; you get the half-open c-file and the …Bg4 pin on its defender.

• Imbalance

  Your bishop pair against bishop and knight

  After …Nb4xd3, you keep both your bishops, White is left with a bishop and a knight. The more the position opens, the more that edge counts.

• Imbalance

  Time against surprise

  1…Na6 hands White a tempo and the center (around +0.7 to +1 on the engine). In return, your c6-d6-g6 structure has no weaknesses and your opponents are out of their prep from move one.

• The trade-off

  What you gain

  • 58% over 431 games: the family matches your average with Black (57.6%).
  • 1…Na6: 73% over 44 games, your best score against 1.d4.
  • Against 2.Bf4, …c5 scores you 70% over 10 games.
  • In the English Defense, …Bb4 and …f5 give you concrete play from move 5.
• The trade-off

  What you give up

  • The engine likes neither 1…b6 nor 1…Na6: you start around +0.7 to +1 behind.
  • 1…Nc6 2.Nf3: 27% over 13 games.
  • The Jobava with …a6 and …h6, then 5.Nf3: 21% over 7 games.
  • With no white knight on c3, your …Bb4+ reflex pins nothing.
• That's all

  Your turn

  These ideas only stick once you play the moves. The chapters make you find the right ones.

  Start chapter 1

Card 1 of 19: Against 1.d4

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