Grob Opening and Grob Gambit Declined: Short Spike Variation
Grob Opening
Definition
The Grob Opening is the provocative first move 1. g4?! for White. By immediately pushing the g-pawn two squares, White stakes space on the kingside and prepares to fianchetto the bishop to g2, but does so at the cost of weakening the own king and neglecting central development. In ECO it is classified under code A00 (“irregular first moves”).
Typical Move Order
The main skeleton is:
- g4 d5
- 2. Bg2 … (Grob main line)
- 2. h3 … (Spike Variation)
- 2. … e5 / Bxg4 / c6 etc. for Black
Other first-move replies for Black are possible (…Nf6, …g6, …e5), but 1…d5 is by far the most principled.
Strategic Themes and Ideas
- Fianchetto pressure: After 1…d5 2.Bg2, White hopes to use the long diagonal a8–h1 to harass Black’s center and queenside.
- Open g-file: If Black captures the pawn (…Bxg4), White often plays h3 and/or g-file rook lifts (Rg1) to attack the bishop and open lines toward the enemy king.
- Central counterattack: Black’s logical reaction is to strike in the center with …e5 or …c5, claiming that White’s flank advance is premature.
- King safety dilemma: Because g2–g4 leaves f3 and h3 weak, castling short is hazardous; Grob specialists sometimes leave the king in the center or castle long.
Historical Notes
The name honors Swiss master Henri Grob, who analyzed and played 1.g4 extensively in the mid-20th century, publishing an entire correspondence column dedicated to it in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung. English IM Michael Basman later became its most famous modern practitioner, producing books and audio tapes on “the Grob.” While top grandmasters rarely employ it in serious play, it has surfaced in blitz and rapid events as a shock weapon—e.g., Richard Rapport and Baadur Jobava have essayed it online.
Illustrative Mini-Game
From a Basman simultaneous (London, 1985):
White sacrifices material to whip up activity on the dark squares and along the diagonals—typical Grob chaos.
Interesting Facts
- Grandmaster Nigel Short reportedly tried 1.g4 in a casual game against Garry Kasparov; Kasparov answered “Best by test!” and still won.
- In some older literature the opening is called the “Spike” or “Ahlhausen Attack.”
- Statistically, databases show 1.g4 scoring under 40 % for master play—but close to 50 % in blitz, underscoring its surprise value.
Grob Gambit Declined
Definition
The Grob Gambit arises after 1.g4 d5 2.Bg2, when Black may capture the pawn with 2…Bxg4. If instead Black refuses the pawn and plays another developing or centralizing move, the line is called the Grob Gambit Declined.
Typical Move Orders
Common declinations include:
- 1. g4 d5 2. Bg2 e5 (solid central expansion)
- 1. g4 d5 2. Bg2 c6 (preparing …e5 or …Bf5 without allowing Bg2xb7)
- 1. g4 d5 2. Bg2 Nf6 3. g5 Ne4 (knight tour)
Strategic Consequences
- Safer for Black: By not taking on g4, Black avoids walking into tactics involving h3, c4, or Qb3 aimed at an exposed bishop.
- Classical center: …e5 or …c5 punishes White’s neglect of the middle; if White continues loosely, Black may seize overwhelming space.
- White’s plan shift: Without a target on g4, White often reroutes with h3, d3, Nd2, Nf1 and a slow kingside buildup—resembling a reversed Dutch with colors switched.
Evaluation
The consensus is that declining is objectively stronger for Black than accepting: Black preserves a full pawn structure and obtains a central lead, while White’s g-pawn remains overextended. Engines usually give Black between –0.30 and –0.60 in the early middlegame.
Example Line
Sample play after 1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 e5:
Black enjoys central pawns and easy development; White must prove the g-pawn is not simply a weakness.
Interesting Facts
- IM Gerard Welling recommends “Always decline!” in his anti-Grob chapter of Side Stepping Main Line Theory, calling 2…Bxg4 “tempting but unnecessary.”
- Because many Grob aficionados rely on opponent’s greed, facing the Declined line often throws them out of book.
Short Spike Variation
Definition
The Short Spike Variation is a sharp sub-line of the Grob’s Spike Gambit (1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 Bxg4 3.c4) attributed to GM Nigel Short’s analysis and over-the-board experiments. After the immediate 3…dxc4 (accepting the c-pawn as well), White plays 4.Qa4+ or 4.Qb3—rapidly hitting b7 and d5—to generate monster tactical pressure despite being two pawns down.
Canonical Move Sequence
- g4 d5
- Bg2 Bxg4
- c4 dxc4
- Qa4+ Bd7 (or 4.Qb3)
- Qxc4 … with threats against f7 and along the diagonal.
Strategic and Tactical Motifs
- Material imbalance: White typically sacrifices one or two pawns for a developmental lead and open lines.
- Diagonal crossfire: The Bg2 and queen on a4/b3 converge on b7, e8, and the f-file—forcing Black to spend tempi to untangle.
- King in the center: Castling for Black can be tricky; …c6 or …Nc6 may block relief squares.
Example Game Fragment
Internet Blitz, Short – “NN,” 2004:
White recovers a pawn, retains the initiative, and keeps Black’s king stranded.
Practical Assessment
Engines judge the position as roughly equal or slightly better for Black with best play, but in blitz or rapid the Short Spike scores well because the defending side must solve concrete problems immediately.
Interesting Tidbits
- Nigel Short surprised Vladimir Kramnik with a related pawn sacrifice (though not exactly this line) in a training game; Kramnik allegedly commented, “Only Basman disciples dare to do that!”
- Titled players on Chess.com often refer to the line jokingly as “the Hedgehog on a skateboard” because of its spiky pawn structure and high speed.