Robatsch Defense

A chess opening that features a fianchettoed kingside bishop and early pressure on the opponent's center, offering flexibility and unorthodox play.

The Robatsch Defense, also known as the Modern Defense or Pirc Defense, is a flexible and somewhat unorthodox chess opening that can lead to a variety of pawn structures and middlegame plans. It is a hypermodern opening, meaning that it aims to control the center of the board with pieces rather than pawns. The opening is characterized by the fianchetto of the kingside bishop, which is placed on the long diagonal, exerting pressure on the opponent's central pawns.

The opening can lead to a variety of pawn structures, including the King's Indian Defense and the Sicilian Dragon. The main idea behind the Robatsch Defense is to allow the opponent to establish a strong pawn center, and then undermine it with well-timed pawn breaks and piece play. This can lead to sharp and double-edged positions, where both sides have chances for an advantage.

One of the key moves in this opening is the early development of the light-squared bishop to g4, pinning the opponent's knight and putting pressure on the d4 pawn. This can sometimes provoke weaknesses in the opponent's pawn structure, which can be exploited later in the game.

The Robatsch Defense is not as popular as other hypermodern openings like the King's Indian Defense or the Grünfeld Defense, but it has been played by several strong grandmasters, including Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov. It can be a good choice for players who enjoy unbalanced positions and are willing to take risks in order to create winning chances.