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1.Opening

Grünfeld Defense

You play BlackD85DynamicAdvanced

Let White build a massive center, then attack it with everything. Rich, concrete, and very modern.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 …

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Exchange Variation: position after 10 moves1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a
Exchange Variation: position after 10 moves
2.Ideas

What the opening is about

Key ideas

  1. ...d5 trades off White's c-pawn; then target d4.
  2. The g7 bishop, ...c5, and ...Nc6 all hit d4.
  3. Black's queen often comes to a5 to pin the c3 pawn.
3.Main line

Main line · 19 moves

Exchange Variation

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Your moves Opponent
No. White Black1
d4White claims the center.
Nf6Flexible: develops, stops e4 for now, and keeps Black's pawn choices open — the start of every "Indian" defense.
2
c4White gains queenside space and adds control of d5.
g6Prepares the fianchetto on g7.
3
Nc3Develops and prepares e4.
d5The Grünfeld: challenge the center immediately.
After 3…d5
After 3…d5
No. White Black4
cxd5White takes.
Nxd5Black recaptures with the knight.
5
e4White kicks the knight and builds a massive center.
Nxc3Black trades knights so White's center can't be supported by a piece on c3.
6
bxc3White recaptures toward the center.
Bg7The bishop now stares down the long diagonal at d4 and c3.
After 6…Bg7
After 6…Bg7
No. White Black7
Nf3Develops and protects d4.
c5Hits d4 again — the Grünfeld is all about attacking this pawn.
8
Be3Another defender of d4.
Qa5Pins the c3 pawn against the king, so it can't defend d4.
9
Qd2Defends c3 and breaks the pin.
O-OBlack castles.
After 9…O-O
After 9…O-O
No. White Black10
Rc1Adds a defender to c3 and prepares d5.
After 10.Rc1
After 10.Rc1
4.Play

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5.More

More defenses against 1.d4