Torre Attack
ECO A46 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5
The Torre Attack is a setup with 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5, pinning Black's knight. Named after the Mexican master Carlos Torre, it is a calm system that avoids the main lines of the Queen's Indian and Nimzo-Indian.
Plans for White
White plays e3, Nbd2, Bd3 or c3 and castles, then prepares e4 or a kingside attack. The pin on f6 restrains Black's central counterplay.
Plans for Black
Black challenges with ...c5 and ...Qb6 (hitting b2), breaks the pin with ...h6, or plays ...d5 and ...Be7 for a solid Queen's Gambit-like setup.
Typical pawn structures
A solid center with d4 and e3, often reaching Colle or London-like structures, with the bishop outside the chain.
Who it suits
System players who prefer simple development and a slow positional game.
Common traps
Pins on f6 combined with the e4-e5 push can win material, because the pinned knight cannot stay in the center. Black's ...Qb6 can pick up the b2 pawn if White is careless, so White often answers with Qc1 or Nbd2 and Rb1. Black should not castle into a kingside attack while the f6 knight is still pinned.
Variations
- Torre Attack: Classical Defense — 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5
- Torre Attack: Fianchetto Defense — 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg5
- Torre Attack: Wagner Gambit — 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5 c5 4. e4