| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moves | 1.e4 b6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECO | B00 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Origin | 1619 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Named after | Rev. John Owen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | King's Pawn Opening | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Synonym(s) | Queen's Fianchetto Defence | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Owen's Defence (also known as the Queen's Fianchetto Defence[1]) is an uncommon chess opening defined by the moves:
By playing 1...b6, Black prepares to fianchetto the queen's bishop where it will participate in the battle for the centre. The downside of this plan is that White can occupy the centre with pawns and gain a spatial advantage. Moreover, 1...b6 does not prepare kingside castling as 1...g6 does, and it is harder for Black to augment their pressure against the centre with ...f5, which weakens the kingside, than it is to play the corresponding move ...c5 after 1...g6.[2] Owen's Defence accordingly has a dubious reputation.[3][4][5]
Owen's Defence is classified as code B00 by the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
OxfordCompanion2ndp.286was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Christian Bauer, Play 1...b6, Everyman Chess, 2005, p. 5. ISBN 1-85744-410-8.
- ^ Owen's Defence "enjoyed a brief revival at the hands of American IM Regan and Yugoslav GM Sahović. Unfortunately, the attention it received unearthed more accurate lines for White and it is currently considered insufficient." Garry Kasparov and Raymond Keene, Batsford Chess Openings 2, Collier Books, 1989, p. 228. ISBN 0-02-033991-7.
- ^ Owen's Defence is "viewed by theory as unreliable". Nick de Firmian, Modern Chess Openings, 15th edition, Random House Puzzles & Games, 2008, p. 385. ISBN 978-0-8129-3682-7.
- ^ "Owen's Defence ... is regarded by current theory as suspicious". Bauer 2005, p. 7.