Indian: 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bg5

Indian: 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bg5

Definition

“Indian: 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bg5” is a shorthand reference to the position that arises after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bg5. In modern opening nomenclature this is classified as the Old Indian Defence, Janowski Variation (sometimes called the “Anti-Old-Indian” or simply “Janowski Indian”). White develops the bishop to g5 at the earliest opportunity, pinning the f6-knight and discouraging Black’s thematic …e7-e5 break.

How It Is Used in Chess

• Against the Old Indian set-up. 2.Nf3 sidesteps main-line King’s Indian or Grünfeld theory and keeps White’s options flexible. After 2…d6, 3.Bg5 immediately challenges Black’s most active piece.
• Move-order trick. The variation can also be reached from 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bg5 when Black later plays …d6; therefore many KID players learn an antidote to the early Bg5 systems.
• Practical weapon. Club and rapid-time-control players like the line because it avoids vast amounts of theory yet leads to rich middlegames.

Strategic Ideas

• Pin and pressure. The bishop on g5 pins Nf6, making …e5 tactically difficult and sometimes paving the way for an eventual e2-e4 by White.
• Flexible centre. White postpones c2-c4; depending on Black’s reply, White can choose c4 (transposing to normal Queen’s-pawn structures), e2-e4 (heading for King’s-pawn structures), or even a Colle-style setup with e3.
• Piece play over pawn breaks. Because neither side commits the central pawns early, the opening often revolves around piece placement, latent central tension, and timely breaks (…e5, …c5 or c4, e4).
• Black’s typical counter-plans.
  1. 3…Nbd7 4.Nc3 h6 5.Bh4 e5 (classical Janowski approach)
  2. 3…g6 aiming for a King’s Indian structure with the dark-square bishop fianchettoed
  3. 3…c6 followed by …Qa5 or …Qb6, pressuring d4 and b2
  4. 3…e6 breaking the pin quickly with …Be7

Theory and Key Continuations

Theory is relatively compact compared with mainstream Indian openings. A frequently cited main line runs:

After 8…c6 the position is balanced but razor-sharp; Black has temporary space in the centre while White enjoys the safer king and long-term pressure on the pinned knight.

Historical Background

The line is named after the Polish-French grandmaster Dawid Janowski (1868-1927), famed for his tactical flair and willingness to pin opponent’s knights at every opportunity. Janowski employed 3.Bg5 on several occasions in the early 1900s, notably versus Akiba Rubinstein (Vienna 1908). Although eclipsed by the hyper-modern King’s Indian surge in the 1930s–50s, the variation never disappeared and enjoyed sporadic revivals by players such as Boris Spassky, Lajos Portisch and, more recently, Baadur Jobava.

Example Games

• Janowski – Rubinstein, Vienna 1908
  A classic model game in which Janowski demonstrates the power of the early pin, eventually switching the bishop to c2 and launching a kingside attack.
• Karpov – Polugaevsky, USSR Ch. 1974
  Karpov chooses a quiet build-up with e3 and c4, squeezes space, and converts a small positional edge in the endgame.
• Jobava – Vachier-Lagrave, European Club Cup 2014
  Illustrates a modern, dynamic handling: White castles long, h-pawn storms forward, and both sides race attacks opposite flanks.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• Because 3.Bg5 can transpose into a Torre Attack (after …e6 or …g6) or even a Trompowsky (if White had played 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 right away), some opening manuals humorously dub it the “all-purpose pin.”
• When he was young, Garry Kasparov recommended the Janowski Variation as “an ideal surprise weapon” for juniors because “Black cannot force his beloved …e5.”
• Statistically, engines evaluate the position after 3.Bg5 as roughly +0.20 for White—modest, but enough to tempt players who want to side-step the encyclopaedic King’s Indian main lines.
• The move 3.Bg5 has a psychological sting: many King’s Indian aficionados feel obliged to spend a tempo on …h6, which subtly loosens the dark squares around their king.

Summary

Indian: 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bg5 is a practical, strategically rich sideline that uses an early pin to limit Black’s central ambitions. Easy to learn, hard to meet over the board, and steeped in early 20^th -century heritage, the Janowski Variation remains a valuable inclusion in any 1.d4 player’s repertoire.