Trompowsky Attack
ECO A45 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5
The Trompowsky Attack, 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5, attacks the knight immediately and threatens to double Black's pawns. Named after the Brazilian master Octávio Trompowsky, it avoids most Indian Defense theory from the second move.
Plans for White
White can trade on f6 to give Black doubled pawns, or keep the bishop with Bf4 or Bh4 after ...Ne4 or ...h6. A center with e3, c3 and f3 often follows, and Qd2 or Qc1 can protect b2.
Plans for Black
Black can play 2...Ne4 to hit the bishop, 2...e6 to recapture on f6 with the queen, 2...c5 to pressure d4 and b2, or 2...d5 for a calm center.
Typical pawn structures
Doubled f-pawns for Black after Bxf6 exf6 or gxf6, giving Black the bishop pair in return; otherwise London-like structures.
Who it suits
Players who want to avoid main-line theory, like early imbalances, and enjoy positions where bishops and knights are traded early.
Common traps
Tactics on b2 after ...c5 and ...Qb6 are common, and White's queen can be trapped if it grabs too greedily.
Variations
- Trompowsky Attack: Classical Defense — 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 e6
- Trompowsky Attack: Edge Variation — 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. Bh4
- Trompowsky Attack: Raptor Variation — 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. h4
- Trompowsky Attack: Borg Variation — 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. Bf4 g5
- Trompowsky Attack: Poisoned Pawn Variation — 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 c5 3. d5 Qb6 4. Nc3