Grünfeld Defense

The Grünfeld Defense is a hypermodern chess opening that allows White to build a strong center before striking back with pawn breaks.

The Grünfeld Defense is a popular and dynamic opening for Black that aims to counter White's central pawn structure by allowing White to build a strong pawn center and then attacking it with pawn breaks and piece pressure. This opening is named after the Austrian Grandmaster Ernst Grünfeld, who first introduced it in the 1920s. It has since become a favorite of many top-level players, including former World Champions Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov.

In the Grünfeld Defense, Black's main idea is to fianchetto the dark-squared bishop on g7, which exerts pressure on the d4 pawn. Black also aims to play the move ...d5, challenging White's pawn on c4 and initiating the central pawn break. White typically responds by playing Nf3 and Bg5, supporting the center and pinning the f6 knight.

The Grünfeld Defense leads to sharp and double-edged positions, where both sides have chances for an advantage. Black's counterplay often relies on the half-open d-file and the long diagonal from a1 to h8, while White tries to maintain and exploit the central pawn majority.

There are several main variations of the Grünfeld Defense, including the Exchange Variation, the Russian System, and the Bf4 System. Each of these variations offers different strategic ideas and plans for both sides, making the Grünfeld Defense a rich and complex opening choice for Black.