← Grünfeld Defense

Practice: Bg5 Line (4.Bg5)

Pinning the knight before White commits

White pins the knight before committing the e-pawn. Black responds with Ne4 and exchanges, leading to a structure where White has the bishop pair and central control.

1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 g6
3. Nc3 d5
4. Bg5 Ne4
5. Bh4 Nxc3
6. bxc3 dxc4
7. e3 Be6
♟

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Key strategic ideas

  • Black lets White build the ideal centre (d4, c4, e4) and then attacks it with ...d5. Black fights the centre with pieces instead of pawns.
  • After the exchange on d5, Black's bishops on g7 and b7 rake the long diagonals. White's king can come under heavy fire if it stays in the centre.
  • White often castles queenside and launches a direct attack, hoping to checkmate before Black's bishops take over the game.

Common mistakes & traps

  • In the Exchange Variation, Black can catch White off guard: 8...Nc6 9.Be3 Bg7 10.Rc1 O-O 11.b3? allows 11...Nxd4! 12.Bxd4 e5 winning a piece.
  • The Russian system (4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qa4+) seems annoying, but Black who responds with ...Bd7? 6.Qb3 gives White too much pressure on the d5 pawn.

Pawn structure notes

White builds a three-pawn centre (e4, d4, c4). After Black plays ...d5 and exchanges happen, White has e4 and c4 left while Black's centre is gone. Black's bishops act as long-term compensation.

Tips

  • 4.Bg5 is a sharp alternative to the Exchange and Russian variations
  • Black exchanges knights on c3 to reach a simplified position with active pieces
  • White gets the bishop pair and aims to prove the Grunfeld setup is too loose

About this line

This line is rated intermediate. Practice it repeatedly until you can play the entire sequence without thinking. The in-app trainer tracks your perfect streaks and celebrates milestones.