Grob's Attack
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Moves | 1.g4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ECO | A00 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Named after | Henri Grob | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Synonym(s) | Spike Opening Ahlhausen's Opening Genoa Opening San Pier D'Arena Opening Fric's Opening Kolibri's Opening |
Grob's Attack is an unconventional chess opening in which White begins by moving the king's knight's pawn two squares:
- 1. g4
This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves. |
History and usage[]
The opening takes its name from Swiss International Master Henri Grob (1904–1974) who analysed it extensively and played hundreds of correspondence games with it. In Grob's newspaper column analysis of this opening, he referred to it as the Spike Opening, a name which is still used occasionally. Other early references used the name Ahlhausen's Opening, after Carl Ahlhausen (1835–1892) of Berlin, one of the first to play 1.g4. Savielly Tartakower sometimes played this opening in simultaneous exhibitions and called it the Genoa or San Pier D'Arena Opening, after the city and suburb of Genoa where he first used it. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, 1.g4 is called Fric's Opening, and in other parts of the world it is called Kolibri's Opening.
Along with several other uncommon first moves for White, the Grob is classified under the code A00 ("irregular openings" or "uncommon openings") in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings. White has three main plans: to support the g4 pawn with h3; pressure against d5 or on the h1–a8 diagonal, preventing Black from playing ...Bxg4 (e.g. 1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 Bxg4 3.c4, exploiting the pin against the b7-pawn); or advancing the h-pawn in a kingside attack.[1]
The Grob is generally considered inferior and is rarely employed in serious competition. International Master John Watson writes, "As far as I can tell, 1 g4 is competitive with 1 h4 for the honour of being White's worst first move. Against an informed or skilled opponent, it is simply masochistic."[2] However, Michael Basman defeated grandmaster and renowned theorist John Nunn with it in 1978.[3] The Grob was played in the superfinal of the 12th Top Chess Engine Championship season (April–July 2018). Both finalists, Stockfish and Komodo, evaluated the position after 1.g4 as providing a clear advantage for Black, and both failed to defend the White position.[4]
Grob's Attack was forced upon Anatoly Karpov by former Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev in a friendly match against Susan Polgar in Lindsborg, Kansas 2005. Gorbachev made the ceremonial first move and played 1. g4. Normally players can simply retract ceremonial moves they do not like. In this case Gorbachev insisted Karpov play on saying he wanted to "cause some difficulties for the older player."[5][6]
Responses[]
International Master Michael Basman and Grandmaster are advocates of the opening. It has a certain surprise value, and the average player is unlikely to know how to refute it and more likely to get overconfident and make mistakes. Moreover, the lack of theory along this line may negate the repertoire of an experienced opponent. Intuitive play by Black can lead into dangerous traps. Many of these traps rely on Black's replying with 1...d5, attacking the pawn with his queen's bishop. White can sacrifice the pawn with 2.Bg2 Bxg4 3.c4 with Qb3 to follow, giving White some pressure against the weakened squares d5 and b7.
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
8 | 8 | ||||||||
7 | 7 | ||||||||
6 | 6 | ||||||||
5 | 5 | ||||||||
4 | 4 | ||||||||
3 | 3 | ||||||||
2 | 2 | ||||||||
1 | 1 | ||||||||
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
8 | 8 | ||||||||
7 | 7 | ||||||||
6 | 6 | ||||||||
5 | 5 | ||||||||
4 | 4 | ||||||||
3 | 3 | ||||||||
2 | 2 | ||||||||
1 | 1 | ||||||||
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
8 | 8 | ||||||||
7 | 7 | ||||||||
6 | 6 | ||||||||
5 | 5 | ||||||||
4 | 4 | ||||||||
3 | 3 | ||||||||
2 | 2 | ||||||||
1 | 1 | ||||||||
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
Black is not obliged to give White these opportunities. In response to Grob's Attack, Black may also play 1...e5. Good responses would be 2.Bg2 (dominating the light-squared center diagonal) or 2.c4, the English Variation, preparing Nc3 to solidify White's control of d5. After 1...e5, Black can take aim at the h4-square, left weak by White's pawn advance. 2.Bg2 h5 will force a weakening of White's pawn structure. 2.d3 (intending to answer 2...h5 with 3.g5) or 2.h3 can be answered by 2...Ne7 with the threat of ...Ng6 followed by ...Nf4 or ...Nh4, disrupting White's kingside fianchetto.[7]
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
8 | 8 | ||||||||
7 | 7 | ||||||||
6 | 6 | ||||||||
5 | 5 | ||||||||
4 | 4 | ||||||||
3 | 3 | ||||||||
2 | 2 | ||||||||
1 | 1 | ||||||||
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
Another frequently used setup for White in the Grob is 1.g4, 2.h3, and 3.Bg2. A Black counter-setup might be 1...d5, 2...e5, and 3...c6 (these moves may be played in any order), which, if used in conjunction with an eventual ...e4, negates White's king bishop's influence over the center.
A key element of the Grob is deploying the king's bishop on g2 and having it rule the diagonal. In order to further this goal, White must keep the center clear of pawns. This leads to frequent "tearing at the center" with c4 often being White's third move.
Due to the unusual pawn structure White attains by playing g4 and c4 so early in the game, there is frequently little advantage to castling. Play often devolves into a wild and wide-open game, with a definitive advantage usually resolving itself in the first 20 moves.
Borg Defense[]
Black's responding to any opening move by White with 1 ... g5 is called the "Borg defense", Borg being the reverse spelling of Grob.
Named variations[]
- Grob Opening, London Defense:[8] 1.g4 e5 2.h3 Nc6
- Grob Opening, Grob Gambit, Hurst Attack: 1.g4 e5 2.Bg2 d5 3.c4
- Grob Opening, Grob Gambit Declined: 1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 c6
- Grob Opening, Grob Gambit, Fritz Gambit: 1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 Bxg4 3.c4
See also[]
- List of chess openings
- List of chess openings named after people
- Irregular chess openings
References[]
- ^ Benjamin, Joel; Schiller, Eric (1987). Unorthodox Openings. Macmillan Publishing Company. p. 75. ISBN 0-02-016590-0.
- ^ John Watson, Mastering the Chess Openings, Volume 4, Gambit Publications, 2010, p. 275. ISBN 978-1-906454-19-7.
- ^ Basman-Nunn, Oxford 1978
- ^ See the TCEC archive, season 12 superfinal, games 45 and 46.
- ^ "Chess for Peace – with Mikhail Gorbachev". 2 November 2005.
- ^ "Gorbachev supports Chess for Peace initiative".
- ^ Martin, Andrew (2004). "How To Meet The Polish & Grob". www.jeremysilman.com. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012.
- ^ "Grob Opening London Defense - Chess Opening".
Bibliography
The Wikibook Chess Opening Theory has a page on the topic of: Grob's Attack |
- Basman, Michael (1991). The Killer Grob. Cadogan. ISBN 0-08-037131-0.
- Wall, Bill (1988). Grob's Attack. Chess Enterprises. ISBN 0-931462-86-X.
- Dunnington, Angus (2000). Winning Unorthodox Openings. Everyman Chess. ISBN 978-1-85744-285-4.
- Schiller, Eric (2002). Unorthodox Chess Openings (Second ed.). Cardoza. pp. 201–210. ISBN 1-58042-072-9.
- Bloodgood, Claude (1976). The Tactical Grob. Chess. Archived from the original on 2008-07-01. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
- Chess openings