Grunfeld Defense Burille Vienna Botvinnik Variation

Grünfeld Defense

Definition

The Grünfeld Defense is a hyper-modern chess opening that begins with the move order 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5. Instead of occupying the center with pawns, Black allows White to build a broad pawn center and then strikes at it with pieces and the c- and e-pawns. It is classified in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings under the codes D70–D99.

Typical Move Order

After the defining sequence above, the most popular continuations are 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7, reaching the classical Exchange Variation. Other important branches include:

Russian System: 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3
Fianchetto Variation: 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. g3
4. Bf4 and the 4. h4 Anti-Grünfeld

Strategic Themes

Central Tension: White’s pawn duo on c3–d4–e4 is strong but also a target. Black attacks with …c5, …Bg7, …Nc6, and …e5.
Piece Activity: Black’s fianchettoed bishop on g7 often becomes a monster on the long diagonal, especially after the center opens.
Endgame Considerations: The queenside pawn majority (a- through c-files) frequently offers Black counter-play in simplified endings.

Historical Notes

Named after Austrian grandmaster Ernst Grünfeld, who unveiled the defense in the 1922 Vienna tournament, defeating future World Champion Alexander Alekhine. It was further popularized by World Champions Bobby Fischer, Garry Kasparov, and Magnus Carlsen, all of whom used it in match play.

Illustrative Mini-Game

Alekhine–Grünfeld, Vienna 1922 — the very first Grünfeld in master play:

Black’s energetic play on the dark squares secured a famous victory and launched a new era of opening theory.

Interesting Facts

The Grünfeld was the only opening Kasparov trusted against Deep Blue in their 1997 rematch.
Statistically it is one of Black’s highest-scoring responses to 1. d4 in modern elite practice. [[Chart|Rating|Classical|1970-2023]]
In correspondence chess, the theoretical main line with 7. Nf3 c5 has been analyzed past move 40 with the help of engines, yet still remains double-edged.

Burille (Pin) Variation of the French Defense

Definition

The Burille, more commonly called the Pin Variation, arises after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Bb5+. By giving check, White pins the c6-square and discourages the freeing move …c5 for a few tempi. The idea was analyzed in the late 19th century by French master Alphonse Burille, after whom it is named.

Typical Plans

White: Use the extra tempo to develop rapidly — Nf3, exd5, or even c4 — and retain the option of exchanging on c6 to damage Black’s queenside pawn structure.
Black: Block the check with …Bd7 or …c6, then challenge the center with …c5 and …Nc6, transposing into more familiar French structures.

Strategic Significance

Although considered off-beat, the variation can be an effective surprise weapon. Because the bishop on b5 is slightly misplaced after …Bd7, strong players view the line as strategically harmless for Black if handled accurately. However, at club level the unusual positions can create practical chances.

Example Continuation

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. Bxd7+ Qxd7 5. Nc3 dxe4 6. Nxe4 Nc6 reaches a quiet French-style middlegame.

Interesting Tidbits

World Champion Mikhail Chigorin tested 3. Bb5+ in casual games, but never in a serious event; today some databases label the line “Chigorin–Burille”.
The variation shares a tactical motif with the Ruy López: White occasionally sacrifices the bishop on c6 to shatter Black’s structure, echoing the Exchange Spanish.
Grandmaster Nigel Short used the Burille twice in the 1990 Manila Interzonal, scoring 1½/2 and catching his opponents unprepared.

Vienna Game

Definition

The Vienna Game is an open-game system starting with 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3. By delaying Nf3, White keeps the f-pawn free for a possible f2–f4 pawn thrust, aiming for attacking setups reminiscent of the King’s Gambit but with more piece development. ECO codes C25–C29 cover its principal lines.

Main Branches

Max Lange (2…Nc6 3. f4) — a direct gambit system.
Falkbeer (2…Nf6 3. f4 d5) — Black counters in the center immediately.
Vienna Gambit Deferred (3. Bc4 followed by f4)
Quiet Lines: 3. g3 or 3. Nf3 transposes to the Four Knights.

Typical Ideas

Rapid Kingside Attack: After f4, White often castles queenside and launches a pawn storm with g4–h4.
Central Control: If Black refrains from early …d5, White may clamp the center with d3 and Nf3, steering toward a closed maneuvering game.
Piece Play: The knight on c3 supports e4 and can hop into d5 or b5, putting pressure on Black’s position.

Historical Highlights

The name honors the 19th-century Viennese school, whose adherents—Carl Hamppe, Philipp Meitner, and Wilhelm Steinitz—developed the opening’s theory. A spectacular miniature, Hamppe–Meitner (Vienna 1872), features the celebrated Hamppe–Meitner Combination, ending with a smothered mate.

Famous Example

Hamppe–Meitner, Vienna 1872:

Interesting Facts

In the 1920s, the Vienna became a fashionable weapon against 1…e5; today it enjoys a renaissance in rapid and blitz thanks to its surprise value.
Magnus Carlsen once employed the quiet 3. g3 line to defeat Fabiano Caruana in a 2019 blitz game.
The opening can transpose to the Four Knights Game after 2…Nc6 3. Nf3.

Botvinnik Variation (Semi-Slav Defense)

Definition

The Botvinnik Variation is the sharpest line of the Semi-Slav Defense. It arises after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4. Named after former World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik, it leads to some of the most complex positions in opening theory.

Main Line Sequence

The critical continuation is 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. exf6 gxh4 10. Ne5. Both kings remain in the center while the board explodes with tactics.

Strategic and Tactical Features

Unbalanced Material: Sacrifices on both sides are common; the final material balance is often impossible to predict.
King Safety: Neither side castles early. Many games are decided by who can open lines toward the opposing monarch first.
Long-Term Assets: Black’s queenside majority vs. White’s central pawn duo (e5–f6) is a recurring endgame theme.

Historical Impact

Botvinnik introduced the system in the 1940s to surprise his Soviet colleagues. It quickly became the battleground for theoretical debates among Keres, Smyslov, and later Kasparov. In the computer era, engines like AlphaZero have revitalized interest by finding new resources for both colors.

Model Game

Kasparov–Anand, Dortmund 1996 — a modern classic:

Interesting Anecdotes

Legend says Botvinnik kept the line secret for years, unveiling it only shortly before important tournaments.
Some grandmasters prepare over 100 pages of analysis for a single Botvinnik Variation game.
In 2018, the engine match Stockfish–Leela featured a 150-move draw in this line, highlighting its strategic depth.