Trompowsky Attack

• At a glance

  Trompowsky Attack

  Your No. 1 weapon with White: 889 games, 63.4%, and three automatic moves that are costing you points.

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

• The big idea

  The Trompowsky is the opening you play most with White: 889 games, 63.4%, above your overall score with White (62.5%).

• The big idea

  The deal: on move two, your bishop comes out to g5 and asks the f6 knight a question.

• The big idea

  You pay in time, sometimes with the b2 pawn; what you buy is the right to choose the structure before your opponent does.

• The big idea

  Your numbers show where it works: 2…Ne4 3.h4 (173 games, 66%) and 2…e6 3.Nd2 (185 games, 66%).

• The big idea

  And where it jams: 2…g6 (72 games, 56%), and one position after 2…e6 where you scored 14% in 7 games.

• The big idea

  One thread runs through the whole course: the e5 square.

• The big idea

  Nf3 before e4 in the b2 gambit, Ngf3 rather than Bxf6 against the …Be7 and …c5 setup, and the f6 pawn that takes it from you when you give up your bishop too early.

• The big idea

  Hold e5, and your Trompowsky holds itself up.

• Principle

  The bishop asks the question right away

  Your games: 816× · 63% of points

  2.Bg5 forces Black to commit to a structure before you've chosen yours: …Ne4, …d5, …e6, …c5 or …g6. Each reply has its plan, and you've played every one of them dozens of times.

• Principle

  Hold e5 before you push e4

  In the b2 gambit, 7.Nf3 before e4: otherwise the black queen comes back to e5 and blocks your center. The f3 knight is the square's guard.

• Principle

  The h-file is a piece

  Your games: 17× · 44% of points

  After 3.h4 and …Nxg5 hxg5, your h1 rook eyes h7 without having moved. You gave up the bishop pair, you gained an open file: play for it.

• Principle

  b2 is a price, not a loss

  Your games: 13× · 73% of points

  When the black queen goes after b2, she leaves her king. 7.g6 breaks Black's structure, and your lead in development counts for more than the pawn.

• Principle

  Don't give up the bishop for nothing

  Your games: 20× · 58% of points

  In the c3-d4-e3 structure, Bxf6 …gxf6 puts a black pawn on f6 that takes e5. Keep the bishop until Black forces you to part with it.

• Imbalance

  Bishop pair vs open file

  Your games: 17× · 44% of points

  After …Nxg5 hxg5, Black has the two bishops; you have the h-file and a g5 pawn that takes f6 and h6 away from Black's pieces.

• Imbalance

  Doubled f-pawns vs two bishops

  Your games: 64× · 57% of points

  After Bxf6 exf6, Black has two f-pawns and the bishop pair. Their play lives on opening lines; yours, on a closed structure built around d4 and e3.

• Imbalance

  Space vs tension

  Your games: 14× · 57% of points

  When Black pushes …c4, they gain space on the queenside but let go of d4. The center is then yours: e4 comes with nothing to slow it down.

• The trade-off

  What you gain

  • You set the terms on move two, before your opponent does.
  • Plans rather than variations: Nd2, e3, c3, then e4 or f4.
  • Natural traps: …Nxg5 opens the h-file for you, …h6 hands you h4.
• The trade-off

  What you give up

  • The b2 pawn is often on offer: you have to know how to give it.
  • Against 2…g6 and 2…d5 the play is quiet, and your score drops (56% and 60%).
  • Your bishop leaves early: without it, b2 and e5 are more fragile.
• 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 20: Trompowsky Attack

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