French Defense: Réti-Spielmann Attack

French Defense: Réti-Spielmann Attack

Definition

The Réti-Spielmann Attack is an off-beat but fully sound response to the French Defense that begins with the moves 1. e4 e6 2. b3 (ECO code C00). Instead of following the highly-theoretical main lines with 2.d4, White immediately fianchettoes the queen-side bishop to b2, aiming at the central and kingside dark squares. The system is named after the hyper-modern pioneers Richard Réti and Rudolf Spielmann, who both experimented with the idea in the 1910s and 1920s.

Typical Move Order

The most common sequence is:

• 1. e4 e6
• 2. b3 d5
• 3. Bb2 dxe4 (Black can also try 3…Nf6, 3…c5, or 3…Nc6.)
• 4. Nc3 Nf6
• 5. Qe2 → White prepares long-term pressure against e4/e5 and keeps options open for castling either side.

Many positions can also arise via move-order twists such as 1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.b3, so both sides must be flexible.

Strategic Ideas & Plans

• Dark-Square Control: The bishop on b2 eyes the e5-square; if Black ever advances …e6-e5, the diagonal becomes even more powerful.
• Delayed d2–d4: White often withholds the pawn thrust to keep the center fluid, intending to strike later with d4 or even f3 & d4.
• Kingside Pressure: Because the b2-bishop also targets g7, a future Qg4, Qh5, or even long castling followed by h2-h4-h5 can create an attack.
• Black’s Counterplay: The most principled reply is to capture on e4 and develop quickly with …Nf6, …Be7, …0-0, and sometimes …b6 &…Bb7, mirroring the fianchetto.

Usage in Practical Play

The line is chiefly deployed as a surprise weapon by players who want to avoid reams of French theory (Advance, Tarrasch, Winawer, etc.) while still fighting for an opening edge. It is particularly popular in rapid and blitz, where its strategic subtlety can pay dividends against an unprepared opponent.

Illustrative Games

1. R. Réti – S. Tartakower, Vienna 1910
   Réti unveiled the 2.b3 idea, gained a large lead in development, and eventually crashed through on the kingside. The game alerted masters to the latent venom of the variation.
2. R. Spielmann – F. Marshall, Carlsbad 1923
   Spielmann sacrificed a pawn for rapid activity, proving that the b2-bishop can be a devastating piece even when Black responds accurately.
3. Short – Timman, Tilburg 1991
   A modern example where White steered the play into a complex middlegame and ultimately won in a rook ending, underscoring the line’s practical value.

Below is a short miniature that captures several typical motifs:

Historical Significance

The opening embodies the early 20th-century hyper-modern revolt against classical dogma. Instead of occupying the center with pawns, Réti and Spielmann preferred to attack it from a distance, allowing Black to commit first. Although the line never became mainstream, it influenced thinking about flexible development and the value of fianchetto structures versus 1…e6 setups.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• When Réti first played 2.b3, some contemporaries mocked the move as “coffee-house chess.” Within a few years, however, it was adopted by luminaries such as Capablanca and Tartakower in casual games.
• The variation is an early ancestor of the modern Nimzo-Larsen Attack (1.b3). In fact, 1.e4 e6 2.b3 can transpose to a Larsen system with an extra …e6 for Black.
• Because it sidesteps main-line theory, the Réti-Spielmann Attack is occasionally recommended to club players who are more comfortable with broad strategic plans than with razor-sharp memorization.
• Computer engines give the line a perfectly respectable evaluation (≈ +0.20 to +0.30) when played accurately by both sides—proof that “off-beat” is not synonymous with “unsound.”

Summary

The Réti-Spielmann Attack offers an instructive blend of hyper-modern principles and practical surprise value. By fianchettoing early and postponing the usual French struggle over d4 and e4, White steers the game into less-trodden territory without conceding objective equality. Players who relish strategic maneuvering and dark-square pressure will find it a refreshing alternative to the main-line French Defense.