Christer
Sundqvist: New ideas in the Grünfeld Defense
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Defense. I'd like to demonstrate a typical line of play in order to
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Grünfeld Defense
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.e3
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.other
I
have used these resources:
Batsford's
Modern Chess Openings (15th edition) = MCO
Chess
Cloud Database Query Mode (https://www.chessdb.cn/queryc_en/) = CCD
Chessbase
software
ICCF
Games Archive (https://www.iccf.com/message?message=454 ) 1961–2026
Opening
Master Chess Database (https://www.openingmaster.com/)
Personal
chess database (approx. 90 million games)
Stockfish
18 chess engine
Sundqvist,
Christer. The Grünfeld Defense played by a strong correspondence
chess player 2019-2026
Peter
Svidler. Chessable Lifetime Repertoires: Peter Svidler's Grünfeld −
Part 1, 2024
The
Week in Chess (https://theweekinchess.com/twic ) 1994–2026
1.d4 Nf6
2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5
The
Grünfeld Defence, devised by the Austrian master Ernst Grünfeld in
1922, leads to the most open game of all the Indian Defences. The
exchange of Black’s d-pawn ensures that there are none of the
blocked-up positions. The play is often wide open and tactical, which
appeals to certain players. It has been a regular defence in the
careers of Leko, Kasparov, Fischer, Smyslov, and Korchnoi, among
others. Despite the initial impression given by the opening, the
Grünfeld is considered a very respectable and sound defence. White
obtains a big pawn centre, but Black makes use of the “hypermodern”
concept of attacking the centre from afar in order to control it.
Certainly there is danger that White’s big centre will lead to a
strong attack, but Black aims to sidestep the central steamroller and
attack it instead. One positional note is that White sometimes gains
a passed d-pawn, which can cause trouble even in the endgame.
4.cxd5
Nxd5 5.e4
5.Bd2!?
An
interesting try. Played by Carlsen, Abdusattorov, Giri, Lazavik and
Duda just to mention a few strong players.
5...Bg7
6.e4 Nxc3 (Also 6...Nb6 is often played.) 7.Bxc3 0–0 8.Bc4
This
continuation is a lot more demanding than Qd2 or Nf3. White doesn’t
allow to pin the knight on f3 and will most likely develop it to e2
later. It’s time to challenge the center again.
8...c5
9.d5 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Qd6
A
very typical move in these positions. Black would like to have access
to the f5 break later, and for that to work, we need to make sure
White can’t just play e5 in reply. The queen on d6 also stops White
from playing f4.
11.Ne2
The
most restrained move White has here, forgetting about immediate
attack and intending to castle and then reevaluate. It also supports
the f4–e5 push later.
11...Nd7
12.Bb3 It’s important to sidestep the potential knight jumps here.
12...b5
Black is gaining space on the Queen-side and not committing to
anything in the center just yet.
13.0–0
a5
Black
has an easy plan: to continue pushing on the Queen-side. If allowed,
Black would like to continue with c4 Bc2 b4, and only react to what
White is doing in the center when he absolutely has to.
14.c4
bxc4 15.Bxc4 Rb8
Black has enough counterplay
on the Q-side, intending Rb4, Ba6, Rfb8 etc.
5...Nxc3
(5...Nb6?!
leaves White with total control of the centre.)
6.bxc3
White
immediately obtains the classical centre with its attacking
prospects.)
6...Bg7
(6...c5
Played by Firouzja, MVL and Svidler, but Bg7 is the main line.)
7.Nf3
Black
has been finding good defenses against the exchange sacrifice and
other lines of the traditional continuation, so focus has shifted to
7.Nf3 and 7.Bc4
7.Bc4
This
line is often called The Classical Grünfeld. It has been a mainstay
for White players for a very long time. Botvinnik played it in his
title matches against Smyslov. Spassky won a number of brilliant
games in it, including a famous win against Fischer at the 1970
Olympiad in Siegen. It has also been a very important topic of
discussion in the Karpov-Kasparov matches. In the new Millenium, its
popularity was on the decline, but in the last couple of years, White
players started returning to it, arguably due to the influence of
Alpha Zero and other Neural Network engines, and their love for
pushing the h-pawn forward in every possible position. The basic idea
of this move is to get the bishop out of the way so that White can
develop the knight to e2, not f3, leaving the f2–pawn free to march
up the board, if necessary, and also protecting the knight from the
Bg4 pin which Black often employs when that knight is developed to
f3.
7...c5
(Counterplay starts with c5 and Nc6, attacking the d4–pawn.) 8.Ne2
(Better than 8.Be3 first, since it runs into 8…Qa5.) 8...Nc6 9.Be3
0–0
A)
10.0–0 (the main line)
10...Bg4
At
first glance, it seems strange that we are provoking f2–f3 here,
but the fact that the bishop on e3 is slightly less solidly placed,
and the opening up of the g1–a7 diagonal for the future, is much
more relevant.
11.f3
Na5
This
used to be the starting position of the 7.Bc4 line, the absolute
tabiya. It has been discussed in countless top-level games, including
the Karpov-Kasparov World Championship matches. The games are split
fairly evenly here between 12.Bxf7 , which leads to dry endgames
where White runs pretty much no risk, and 12.Bd3 , where the game is
likely to become extremely sharp and concrete.
12.Bd3
(12.Bxf7+
White
plays to win a pawn, a line that gained popularity for years
following the 1987 World Championship in which Karpov played this
several times against Kasparov, scoring well. In later years Black
has found satisfactory continuations.
12...Rxf7
13.fxg4
Black
is a pawn down, and in a lot of cases, won’t be able to win that
pawn back.
13...Rxf1+
14.Kxf1 Qd6
It
is very important for Black to play as energetically as possible.
Allowing White to consolidate would be a very bad idea here.
15.Kg1
Qe6
The
counterplay in this subline hinges on this move. Black is attacking
both of White’s weakened pawns and is also aiming for the
c4–square.
16.Ng3
Qc4
Creates
a ton of pressure against the center.
17.Qd2
Rd8 18.Ne2 Nc6 19.Rd1 Qa4
The
same idea as before. Black is keeping the White position under as
much pressure as possible, and preparing to strike against the
d4–pawn.
20.h3
cxd4 21.cxd4 Bxd4 22.Nxd4 Nxd4 23.Bxd4 e5 24.Qe2 exd4
This
endgame is equal. White has a slightly safer king, but the central
pawns are very likely to get swapped and then there’s just not
enough material left.
12...cxd4
13.cxd4 Be6 14.d5
The
main line. White sacrifices the exchange, but gets a lot of play
against the weakened black king. This move is pretty much the only
one you can expect in this line these days, but in the past, there
were alternatives, in particular 14.Rc1.
14...Bxa1
15.Qxa1 f6
The
starting position of the 14.d5 line. Black needs to play f6 here to
be better prepared for the Bh6 threats. White has a long list of
different options. I will show one line of play.
16.Bh6
Re8 17.Kh1 (17.Nf4 Bf7 or 17.Nd4 Bd7 are both quite inefficient since
Black is ready to play Rc8 and Nc4, while White isn’t threatening
anything.)
17...Rc8
Bringing pieces into play and not wasting tempi on retreating the
bishop until forced to.
18.Nf4
Pretty
much the only move here and the reason for White’s previous play.
(18.Qd4 Bd7! 19.e5 Qb6! no longer makes much sense. And if 19.Qxa7
Nc4 , while 19.Rb1 will be met by 19…b5!)
18...Bd7
19.e5
The
entire point of White’s previous play, sidestepping the usual reply
of taking on e5 and playing Qb6+ followed by Qxf6, so there is a need
to do something else. What follows is a long and almost entirely
forced line, leading to a draw.
19...Nc4
20.e6 Ba4 21.Nxg6
Once again, the only way to
justify previous play. If Black gets time to play Ne5, White’s
initiative just dissipates.
21...hxg6
22.Bxg6 Kh8
Easier
than the messy line starting from 22…Ne5.
23.Qd4
This is another way to try to get the queen to the h-file, but we can
handle it. 23...Ne5;
B)
10.Rc1
Despite
its quiet initial look, this is a very aggressive line. White is
intending to secure the center and then launch a direct attack on the
kingside with h4.
10...cxd4
11.cxd4 Qa5+
A difficult move to meet.
12.Rc3
A
very modern line of play. The classical 12.Kf1 has been more or less
solved for a while.
12...e5
Svidler likes this move.
13.d5
b5
This
is the point of the previous move − there is a need to make White
choose a square for this bishop before Black commits to a square for
Nc6.
14.Bd3
Nb4 15.0–0 Nxd3 (Followed by b4, Ba6 and Rfc8 is a very unclear
position. White has a protected passer on d5, but Black’s trumps
are also quite significant, not least among them the very restricted
knight on e2.)
7...c5
8.Rb1
One
of the most challenging and theory-heavy lines White can choose
against the Grünfeld. It exploded in popularity in the late 80s-mid
90s, due to the efforts of Chernin, Gelfand, Khalifman, and later
Kramnik. By moving the rook from the long diagonal, White players are
giving themselves an opportunity to react to Nc6 with d5, making
Black’s play against the center a lot more difficult. By the late
90s, Kramnik has established himself as one of the main theoreticians
of this line, together with Khalifman and Gelfand.
8.Bb5+
This
line used to be played exclusively in games where White wanted a
quiet draw, with a 10% chance for a little push in a riskless
endgame. But it has since evolved into a very sharp and ambitious
attempt that needs to be taken seriously.
8...Nc6
This is the principled reply. (8…Nd7 misplaces the knight in the
context of the fight for the center and also stops us from having
access to Bg4, while 8…Bd7 9.Be2 is a version of the Nf3/Be2/Rb1
lines where Black definitely prefers the bishop to be on c8, to have
better pressure against d4, and doesn’t have to worry about
protecting b7. However, 8…Nc6 does allow White to go for the
complications with 9.d5 which aren’t at all trivial and will
require precision from Black.)
9.Rb1
This
move, extremely rare until very recently, has been gaining steam in
the last couple of years, with very strong players trying it out.
Black needs to be careful, but common sense should see Black through.
The immediate idea is, of course, to play d4–d5.
9...0–0
10.d5 Ne5
Taking on c3 is possible here, but Svidler wouldn’t
recommend it. White gets a lot of play for it.
11.Nxe5
(The two options White has here: 11.Nxe5 and 11.O-O are very similar,
but Svidler thinks the Nxe5 move is slightly trickier to face.)
11...Bxe5
12.0–0 Bxc3
The
Grünfeld expert Peter Svidler likes 12...Bxc3 better than the
alternatives: 12…a6 13.Be2 Bxc3 14.Be3 Qa5 15.h4! , with initiative
for White in Yu Yangyi-Nepo, World Cup 2019, or 12…f5 13.Bh6 Rf7
14.d6! , and Svidler is not entirely convinced Black equalizes,
despite engine’s assurances.
13.Be3
b6
Since
Black chose not to play a6, the structure on the queenside is a lot
more solid. White can win the pawn back here, but it leads to trades
and equality.
14.Qd3
In
order to play Bc6, White needs to stop Ba6 ideas first.
14...Bg7
15.Bc6 Rb8 16.Bxc5 Bd7
By
attacking the c6–bishop while the pawn on d5 is pinned, Black is
forcing White to allow the recapture on c5.
17.Bxd7
bxc5
Black
is fine here, his pieces are clearly active enough, and trades along
the b file are likely.
8...0–0
9.Be2
And
now we’re at an important crossroads. There is a number of ways to
chicken out of playing the main line, but if Black wants to actually
equalize here he has to bite the bullet.
9...cxd4
10.cxd4 Qa5+ 11.Bd2 Qxa2 12.0–0
The
tabiya of the 8.Rb1 line. White has sacrificed the a2–pawn but as
compensation White has better development, a good center, and the
queen on a2 is very awkwardly placed. Black used to have a wide
choice here, but by this point, only the main move remains.
12...Bg4
(Starting
immediate counterplay against the white center.)
13.Bg5!?
13.Be3
Nc6 14.d5 Na5
As
usual, having the a1–h8 diagonal open makes the queen on a2 feel
safer, and we’re one move away from completely consolidating (b6 or
Rfc8 come to mind). However, for now White has a good target − the
pawn on e7.
15.Bg5
Qa3
Svidler
thinks Qa3 is a good all-round option.
16.Re1
This
is the most recent try for White. In 2020, Magnus himself played this
against Nepo. Black is fine though.
16...Rfd8
17.e5 h6 18.Bc1 Qa2 19.Rb2 Qa1 20.Rb4 Bxf3 21.Bxf3 Nc6 22.Ra4 Qb1
23.e6 f5 1–0 (42) Pettersson,R (1841)-Lagergren,H (2057) ICCF 2025]
13...h6
Ignoring
the threat to the e7–pawn. The materialistic 14.Bxe7 is met by
14…Re8 15.Rxb7 Nc6 and having given up both pawns, Black is ready
to take on e4 when the bishop retreats, with a good game. Provoking
h6 like this may seem illogical, but there will be positions where
that pawn might be hanging, restricting Bg7’s mobility.
14.Be3
Black's
reply here is to continue ignoring the fact that b7 hangs in favour
of speedy development.
14.Bh4
An extremely sharp line which has been White’s hope for some
time, but after a Kramnik-Anand game its appeal somewhat waned. Black
should now play very energetically.
14...g5
15.Bg3 Nc6 (Pushing White to play d5.) 16.d5 Rad8 17.Rxb7 e6 18.d6
Bxf3 19.Bxf3 Qa6
Followed
by either Be5 or Ne5, allows Black to launch a full-strength assault
on the d6–pawn.
14...Nc6
15.d5 Na5
If
Black gets a tempo here to play b6 or Rc8, he will be completely fine
instantly.
16.Bc5
Gives
White compensation for the pawn. Pretty much the only serious move
here. White needs to be attacking Black’s weak points while it’s
still possible. 16.h3 Bxf3 17.Bxf3 Nc4 is completely anemic.
16...Bxf3
16...Bf6
This line leads to positions that look scary, but it is a cleaner way
to make a more or less forced draw.
17.e5
The only way to make progress.
17.Rb4 Rfc8 18.Ra4 Qb3 (with the
usual fork with b6, in the end, is completely safe for Black.)
17...Bxe5
18.Rb4 Bxf3 19.Bxf3 Rfc8
This
is an improvement over the old approach of 19…Rae8 20.Be3! being
the whole point, White is back to threatening Ra4 by moving the
bishop away from the b6–fork, while also attacking h6. Here, Black
has to play 20…Nc4 21.Bxh6 Nd6 , giving up the exchange but
establishing a decent dark-squared blockade. Svidler is not 100% sure
this holds.
20.Bxe7
Rc4
This
is the point. Black has given up the e7–pawn, which is very
panic-inducing in these lines, but is also quite active now, and will
either get a pair of rooks off the board or get to play Rd4 if White
tries to avoid the trade. The lines are still very forced, but
Svidler believes this is a draw.
21.Re1
Crucially leaves that rook hanging in a very forced line here.
21...Rxb4 22.Bxb4 Nc4 23.d6
The pawn needs to run.
23...Qb2
24.d7 Qxb4 25.d8Q+ Rxd8 26.Qxd8+ Kg7
Because
of the crucial tempo, Black gets here attacking the Re1. The position
will stabilize and hold.
17.Bxf3
Rfe8
18.Bd4
(18.Re1
Nc4 19.Rxb7 Bf6 20.Bd4 Reb8 21.Re2 Qa3 22.Rxb8+ Rxb8 23.e5 Qb3 24.Re1
Bg7 25.Bxa7 Qxd1 26.Rxd1 Rd8 ½–½ (31) Siamko,P
(2212)-Rosenhöfer,T (2355) ICCF 2024)
18...Bxd4
19.Qxd4 e5 20.Qd3 b6 21.h4 Nb7 22.h5 g5 23.Bg4 Nd6 24.Rfc1 (24.Rbc1
Qa4 25.Rc6 Rad8 ½–½ (35) Pommrich,R (2380)-Sørensen,M (2385)
ICCF 2025)
24...Qa4
25.f3 Qd4+ 26.Qxd4 exd4 27.Rc6 (27.Kf2
f5 28.Rc6 Rad8 ½–½ (36) Landes,E (2401)-Hernandez,A (2395) ICCF
2024)
27...Rad8
28.Kf2 b5 29.Ra6 d3 30.Rd1 f5 31.Bxf5 Nxf5 32.exf5 Rxd5 33.Rxa7 Re2+
34.Kf1 Ree5 35.Ra3 Rxf5
½–½
(35) Velilla Velasco,F (2525)-Straka,Z (2503) ICCF 2025
Said and written about the Grünfeld Defense:
