Chess Opening Theory/1. d4/1...Nc6

Mikenas defence A40 Queen's pawn opening Bogoljubov–Mikenas defence, Lundin defence, Nimzowitsch queen's pawn 1...Nc6 · Mikenas defence A rare move. 1...Nc6 develops a knight and prepares ...e5. Part of the idea is, like a reflection of the Alekhine defence, 1. e4 Nf6, to encourage White to overextend in the centre before counter-attacking. Original positions can arise if White plays d5, kicking the knight, either immediately, 2. d5, or after a sequence like 2. c4 e5 3. d5. Otherwise the often game transposes into positions more commonly reached by other move orders. 2. Nf3 is most common move, developing and controlling e5. This allows Black to play 2...d5 and the game resumes some sense of normality, although it is unusual in 1. d4 d5 games for Black to play Nc6 so early and deprive themselves of the option to move their c-pawn. 2. c4 d5 transposes into the Chigorin defence to the Queen's gambit, normally seen in the order 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6. 2. e4 transposes into the Nimzowitsch defence, usually seen after 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4. Theory table 1.d4 Nc6 2 3 4 Nimzowitsch Defenceby transposition e4 See 1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 Chigorin Defenceby transposition Nf3d5 c4Bg4 cxd5Bxf3 += Montevideo Defenced5Nb8!? d5Ne5 e4e6 f4exd5!? = Lithuanian variation c4e5 d5Nce7 = References See also Queen's Knight Defence