Chess Opening Theory/1. d4/1...Nf6

Indian defence Queen's pawn opening 2. c4 2. Nf3 · Knights variation 2. Bg5 · Trompowsky attack 2. Bf4 · Accelerated London/Indian 1...Nf6 · Indian defence Black controls e4 while developing a knight. This is the most flexible response to 1. d4. Black doesn't commit a pawn to the centre yet. They may yet do so, or they can fight for the centre in the hypermodern way: controlling it from afar with pieces, allowing White to construct their pawn centre but undermining it later with timely pawn advances. This move gives White lots of leeway to either develop pieces or take more space in the centre. Openings tend to be flexible with lots of potential for transpositions. Take space in the centre White would like two pawns in the centre if possible. 2. c4 is the main line: White takes more space and controls the important d5 square. After 2. c4, White can develop their knight behind their pawn line and perhaps play e4. Black can still choose to contest this centre with pawns with 2...d5, 2...c5 (Benoni), or 2...e5 (Budapest), but more typically they move their pawns only as necessary to develop their bishops: 2...e6, 2...g6, 2...d6 or 2...b6. White can't play e4 and keep the pawn there (2. e4?! is called the Omega gambit and loses a pawn to 2...Nxe4). White can prepare 3. e4 with 2. Nc3 or 2. f3, which usually compels Black to play 2...d5 to keep control of e4. Develop a piece Alternatively, White can prioritise piece development. 2. Nf3, the Knights variation is the chief sideline. It's a flexible move: White may still play c4 afterwards but first gets more information on how Black intends to play. 2. Nc3, prevents c4 but, as noted above, prepares e4. After 2...d5 (controlling e4) the main continuations are 3. Bg5, the Richter-Veresov attack, or 3. Bf4, the Jobava-Rapport London. The bishop has two main candidate squares to develop to. 2. Bg5, the Trompowsky attack, pressures Black's knight. White has hopes of trading it to double Black's pawns. 2. Bf4 plays the Accelerated London system into Black's Indian defence. Play may transpose with 2...d5, but the Indian defence has original ways to meet it without ...d5. Uncommon moves 2. e3 plays in Colle system-style against the Indian defence. Transposes if Black plays ...d5. 2. g3, the Tartakower attack, prepares to fianchetto the bishop. Strange moves 2. d5?!, the Pawn push variation. Since Black didn't play d5, White can advance their pawn, guarded by their queen. After 2...e6 3. dxe6 fxe6, White loses their central pawn. 2. f4?!, the Canard opening. 2. Nd2?!, hoping to support e4 without preventing c4, should be met with 2...d4, but 2...e4?! is the unsound Lazard gambit. 2. g4?!, the Bronstein gambit, hopes to tempt Black's knight away from controlling e4 by offering a free flank pawn. Theory table 1.d4 Nf6 2 3 4 5 6 Evaluation Notes Nimzo-Indian Defence c4 e6 Nc3 Bb4 e3 O-O Bd3 d5 Nf3 c5 = Queen's Indian Defence c4 e6 Nf3 b6 a3 Bb7 Nc3 d5 cxd5 Nxd5 = Bogo-Indian Defence c4 e6 Nf3 Bb4+ Bd2 Qe7 g3 Nc6 Nc3 Bxc3 += King's Indian Defence c4 g6 Nc3 Bg7 e4 d6 Nf3 O-O Be2 e5 = Grünfeld Defence c4 g6 Nc3 d5 cxd5 Nxd5 e4 Nxc3 bxc3 Bg7 = Benoni Defence c4 c5 d5 e6 Nc3 exd5 cxd5 d6 e4 g6 += Budapest Gambit c4 e5 dxe5 Ng4 Bf4 Nc6 Nf3 Bb4+ Nbd2 Qe7 += Queen's Pawn Game Nf3 g6 c4 Bg7 Nc3 O-O e4 d6 Be2 e5 = King's Indian Defence, 5.Nf3 Queen's Pawn Game Nf3 g6 c4 Bg7 Nc3 d5 cxd5 Nxd5 e4 Nxc3 = Grünfeld Defence, 4.Nf3 Queen's Pawn Game Nf3 e6 c4 += Queen's Indian Defence Bogo-Indian Defence Queen's Pawn Game Nf3 d5 = Queen's Pawn Game: Zukertort Variation, 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Queen's Pawn Game Nf3 c5 d5 b5 Bg5 Ne4 Bh4 Bb7 +=Indian Game: London System Bf4 = Bf4 b6 Nc3 e6 a3 Bb7 e3 a6 = Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Nc3 d5 e4 dxe4 f3 exf3 Nxf3 Bg4 h3 Bh5 = Trompowsky Attack Bg5 Ne4 Bf4 c5 f3 Qa5+ c3 Nf6 Nbd2 cxd4 = Richter-Veresov Attack Bg5 d5 Nc3 Nbd7 Nf3 h6 Bh4 e6 e4 dxe4 = g3 g6 Bg2 Bg7 = Paleface Attack f3 g6 = Bronstein Gambit g4 Nxg4 +/= Indian Defence: New Polish Variation b4 e6 = Statistics Estimated next move popularity: c4 62%, Nf3 28%, Bg5 5%, Nc3 2%, g3 1%, e3 1%, Bf4 and other moves less than 1% References See also Indian Defence Nunn's Chess Openings. 1999. John Nunn (Editor), Graham Burgess, John Emms, Joe Gallagher. 1-85744-221-0. Modern Chess Openings: MCO-14. 1999. Nick de Firmian, Walter Korn. 0-8129-3084-3. fi:Shakkiaapinen/Peli/1. d4/1...Rf6