Grünfeld Defense
ECO D80 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5
The Grünfeld Defense, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5, challenges White's center immediately. Black invites White to build a big pawn center and then attacks it with pieces and the ...c5 break.
Plans for White
In the Exchange Variation (4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3), White gets a powerful center with pawns on c3, d4 and e4 and plays for d5 or a kingside attack. The Russian System (Nf3, Qb3) and Bf4 lines are quieter.
Plans for Black
Black pressures d4 with ...Bg7, ...c5, ...Nc6 and ...Qa5 or ...Bg4, and is often happy to trade into an endgame where the queenside majority counts.
Typical pawn structures
The Exchange Variation's c3/d4/e4 center against Black's fianchetto is the trademark; White has the center, Black the queenside majority.
Who it suits
Dynamic, concrete players who like counterattacking a strong center and are willing to study sharp theory.
Common traps
Black must not let the d4-d5 push gain too much space; White must watch the a1 rook and c3 pawn on the long diagonal.
Variations
- Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation — 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5
- Grünfeld Defense: Russian Variation — 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3
- Grünfeld Defense: Three Knights Variation — 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3
- Grünfeld Defense: Brinckmann Attack — 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4
- Grünfeld Defense: Lutikov Variation — 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. f3
- Grünfeld Defense: Gibbon Gambit — 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. g4
- Grünfeld Defense: Stockholm Variation — 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5
- Grünfeld Defense: Zaitsev Gambit — 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. h4
- Grünfeld Defense: Counterthrust Variation — 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 d5
- Grünfeld Defense: Flohr Variation — 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qa4+
- Grünfeld Defense: Makogonov Variation — 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. b4
- Grünfeld Defense: Opocensky Variation — 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Bd2
- Grünfeld Defense: Botvinnik Variation — 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Qb3 e6
- Grünfeld Defense: Lundin Variation — 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Ne4 5. Nxe4 dxe4 6. Qd2 c5
- Grünfeld Defense: Flohr Defense — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O Bf5
- Grünfeld Defense: Smyslov Defense — 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O Bg4
- Grünfeld Defense: Pachman Variation — 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. e3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Bxc4 O-O 7. Nf3 Nbd7 8. Ng5