Trompowsky Attack

Trompowsky Attack
abcdefgh
8
a8 black rook
b8 black knight
c8 black bishop
d8 black queen
e8 black king
f8 black bishop
h8 black rook
a7 black pawn
b7 black pawn
c7 black pawn
d7 black pawn
e7 black pawn
f7 black pawn
g7 black pawn
h7 black pawn
f6 black knight
g5 white bishop
d4 white pawn
a2 white pawn
b2 white pawn
c2 white pawn
e2 white pawn
f2 white pawn
g2 white pawn
h2 white pawn
a1 white rook
b1 white knight
d1 white queen
e1 white king
f1 white bishop
g1 white knight
h1 white rook
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
Moves1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5
ECOA45
Named afterOctávio Trompowsky
ParentQueen's Pawn game
Synonym(s)Trompowsky Opening[1]
Opočenský Opening[2]
Ruth Opening
Zot

The Trompowsky Attack[a] is a chess opening that begins with the moves:

1. d4 Nf6
2. Bg5

White prepares to exchange the bishop for Black's knight, inflicting doubled pawns upon Black in the process. This is not a lethal threat; Black can choose to fall in with White's plan.

The Trompowsky is a popular alternative to the more common lines after 1.d4 Nf6 beginning 2.c4 or 2.Nf3. By playing 2.Bg5, White sidesteps immense bodies of opening theory of various Indian Defences like the Queen's Indian, King's Indian, Nimzo-Indian, as well as the Grünfeld Defence.

The opening is named after the one-time Brazilian champion Octávio Trompowsky (1897–1984) who played it in the 1930s and 1940s.[1] Chess master Karel Opočenský (1892–1975) also played it in the 1930s, and the opening is also known as the Opočenský Opening.[2] Also, chess master William Allen Ruth developed the opening simultaneously in the 1930s, and it was well-known by locals in Pennsylvania as the Ruth Opening. The Trompowsky has also been called the Zot.

Julian Hodgson, Antoaneta Stefanova, and Arjun Erigaisi are among several grandmasters who often employ the Trompowsky. World Champion Magnus Carlsen has occasionally employed the Trompowsky, notably in the first game of the 2016 World Chess Championship against Sergey Karjakin.

  1. ^ a b Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 430, Trompowsky Opening
  2. ^ a b Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 281, Opočenský Opening


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