Hungarian Defence (Italian Game) - Strategic Chess Opening

Hungarian Defence

Definition

The Hungarian Defence is a quiet but resilient reply to the Italian Game that arises after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Be7. Instead of challenging the centre immediately with 3…Nf6 (Two Knights Defence) or developing actively with 3…Bc5 (Giuoco Piano), Black retreats the king’s-bishop to e7, adopting a solid, almost waiting posture. The idea is to avoid early tactical skirmishes, maintain a sturdy pawn structure, and prepare …Nf6 and …d6 or …d5 under more favourable circumstances.

Typical Move-Order

Main line: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Be7 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Nf6 6. Nc3 d6, when both sides have reached a calm, semi-open position reminiscent of certain Philidor and Ruy Lopez structures.

Strategic Ideas

• For Black
  • Control the e5-pawn firmly and avert early sacrifices on f7.
  • Prepare …Nf6, …d6, and eventually …Be6 or …Bg4 to challenge White’s central light-squared bishop.
  • Delay castling so that the king can sometimes remain in the centre if circumstances warrant …O-O-O.
  • Seek …d5 breaks when piece co-ordination allows, equalising the space balance.
• For White
  • Exploit the temporary passivity of Black’s pieces by seizing space with d4 and c3.
  • Develop quickly (Nc3, 0-0, Re1) and exert pressure on the e-file and f7 square.
  • Switch to kingside attacks if Black castles short, using the typical Italian manoeuvre Qe2-h5.

Historical Background

The opening gained prominence in the mid-19^th century through the efforts of Hungarian masters such as József Szén and Johann Löwenthal, who used it to good effect against strong contemporaries. Its name therefore honours their nationality. Although it never entered the top tier of fashionable defences, it has remained a respectable sideline, occasionally surfacing in grandmaster practice.

Illustrative Games

1. Paul Morphy – Johann Löwenthal, London 1858
   One of the earliest high-profile appearances. Löwenthal steered the game into a solid Hungarian set-up and held the great Morphy to a draw—a rare feat at the time.
2. Artur Yusupov – Mikhail Gurevich, USSR Ch. 1987
   Gurevich employed the defence to neutralise Yusupov’s theoretical preparation, eventually grinding out a win in a long endgame, showing the system’s latent counter-punching potential.
3. Viktor Korchnoi – David Navara, Wijk aan Zee 2007
   Navara chose the Hungarian to avoid Korchnoi’s deep knowledge of the mainlines, proving that even in modern elite chess it can serve as a practical surprise weapon.

Common Variations

• 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.d4 (Modern Line) – White delays d4 one move; positions often transpose to the main line.
• 4.d3 (Quiet System) – White keeps the centre fluid, aiming for an improved Ruy Lopez structure. Black may respond with 4…Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 or 5…O-O.
• 4.d4 exd4 5.c3 (Diemer-Duhm Gambit) – An obscure gambit where White seeks rapid development and kingside pressure at the cost of a pawn.
• 4…d6 (Byrne Variation) – Black declines the immediate exchange on d4, heading for Philidor-type setups.

Typical Plans & Pitfalls

• After 4.d4, unwary Black players who capture on d4 and then play 5…Na5? can fall into trouble because the bishop on c4 can retreat to b5+, regaining the piece with advantage.
• If Black postpones …Nf6 too long, White may execute e4-e5 followed by Ng5 with mating nets reminiscent of the Fried Liver Attack.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• Although considered “passive,” the line enjoys a respectable draw percentage in practice, especially in correspondence and engine play, where its solid structure is hard to crack.
• The defence briefly appeared in computer-human matches: Deep Blue’s opening book contained the Hungarian as a fallback line to defuse Kasparov’s aggressive tendencies.
• Grandmaster Sergey Tiviakov once quipped, “It’s like the Berlin Wall of the Italian—ugly but effective.”

When to Use the Hungarian Defence

Ideal for players who:

• Prefer strategic manoeuvring to early tactical complications.
• Want a surprise weapon against opponents booked-up on the Two Knights or Giuoco Piano.
• Are comfortable defending slightly cramped but solid positions, looking to outplay the opponent in the middlegame or endgame.

Summary

The Hungarian Defence offers Black a low-maintenance, strategically sound alternative in the Italian Game. While it concedes a modicum of space and initiative to White, it compensates with rock-solid pawn formation and flexible piece play. Understanding its subtleties—timely …d5 breaks, harmonising the minor pieces, and exploiting over-extensions—can turn this understated opening into a formidable practical weapon.