Trompowsky Attack
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5
An opening for White
Pin the knight immediately and take Black out of theory.
Show me the opening
0 / 3 moves
The idea
White develops the bishop to g5 immediately, pinning the f6 knight before it can do anything. It sidesteps all of Black's prepared variations and leads to fresh, unfamiliar positions.
The plan
After 2...Ne4, retreat the bishop to f4 or h4 and develop normally. Against other replies like 2...d5 or 2...e6, White has flexible options. The Trompowsky is great for avoiding theory.
What to play next
After Black attacks the bishop with ...Ne4, retreat it to f4. When Black plays ...d5, White plays e3 to solidify the centre and Bd3 to develop. Black's knight retreats to f6 and plays ...Nc6. White develops with Nf3 and prepares to castle. It's a solid, slightly unusual position with good attacking chances.
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bf4 d5 4.e3 c5 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.Nf3 Nc6
Watch the typical continuation
Show me the opening
0 / 12 moves
One tip for beginners
The Trompowsky is an excellent weapon if you want to avoid the main lines. After 2...Ne4 3.Bf4 d5, just develop normally with e3, Nd2, Ngf3, and castle.
What to watch out for
Don't get distracted by tactical skirmishes early on. After the initial pin, complete your development methodically.
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