Old Indian Defence: 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bg5 Nbd7
Indian Defence: 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bg5 Nbd7 (ECO A53 – Old Indian, Janowski Variation)
Definition
The sequence of moves 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bg5 Nbd7 defines a branch of the Old Indian Defence in which White develops the bishop to g5 early (a Torre-like idea), pinning the f6-knight, while Black answers with …Nbd7 instead of the more common …e6 or …g6. The variation is catalogued in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings as A53 and is sometimes nicknamed the Janowski Variation.
How it is used in play
The line typically arises when both players wish to avoid the most heavily analysed Queen’s Gambit or Indian systems:
- White’s 2.Nf3 sidesteps the Nimzo-Indian (possible after 2.c4).
- Black responds with the solid Old Indian setup (…d6, …Nbd7, …e5) rather than the more flexible King’s Indian (…g6).
- White’s 3.Bg5 exerts immediate pressure on the knight that supports the central break …e5.
Strategic Significance
- For White
- Claims light-square pressure without committing the c-pawn yet, keeping options open for either c4 or e4 advances.
- Aim is to delay Black’s …e5. If Black plays it anyway, the pin on f6 reduces piece mobility.
- Plans often involve Nc3, e4, Qd2, 0-0-0 and a kingside pawn storm.
- For Black
- …Nbd7 bolsters the e5 push while retaining queenside flexibility (…c5 or …b6).
- After …c6 and …Qc7 Black may achieve …e5 under good circumstances, obtaining a compact, Scheveningen-style centre.
- Alternatively, Black can fianchetto later with …g6, transposing to certain King’s Indian structures but with the bishop already on d7.
Typical Plans & Ideas
The following motifs often surface:
- White breaks with e4: 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bg5 Nbd7 4.Nc3 e5 5.e4, challenging the centre before Black is fully coordinated.
- Queenside expansion: if Black releases central tension, c4 followed by Nc3 and Qb3 can create pressure against b7 and d5.
- Black’s …h6 and …g5: a thematic attempt to unpin the f6-knight, though it loosens the kingside and must be timed accurately.
Illustrative Example
The following miniature shows the danger of premature kingside expansion for Black:
[[Pgn| d4 Nf6|Nf3 d6|Bg5 Nbd7|Nc3 h6|Bh4 g5|Bg3 Bg7|e4 c6|e5 Nh5|exd6 Nxg3|hxg3 exd4| Qe2+ Kf8|Ne4 g4|Nh4 Qa5+|Qd2 Qe5|Bd3 Nf6|0-0-0| ]]Historical Notes
The Old Indian Defence predates the modern King’s Indian by several decades; it was a favourite of early 20th-century masters such as Johannes Zukertort and later refined by Dawid Janowski, giving rise to the variation’s name. While overshadowed today by the more dynamic King’s Indian, it has appeared in top-level praxis when players wish to avoid mainline theory.
Famous Games
- Smyslov – Gligorić, Moscow 1956: A positional masterpiece where Black equalised comfortably and later took over the initiative.
- Ivanchuk – Kramnik, Linares 1993: Demonstrated a modern approach with …c5 and queenside play, ending in a sharp tactical draw.
Interesting Facts
- The move order is a favourite surprise weapon in rapid and blitz because many opponents expect 2.c4 after 1.d4 Nf6.
- In chess literature the line is sometimes lumped together with the Torre Attack; however, ECO distinguishes it as A53 because Black has not played …e6 (Bogo-Indian) nor …g6 (KID).
- Magnus Carlsen employed the setup from the Black side in online events, underlining its practical value even at elite level.
Further Study
Readers may explore transpositional possibilities to the King’s Indian, Bogo-Indian, or Torre Attack depending on whether Black plays …g6, …e6, or White advances c4. Databases list over 2,000 master-level encounters, making this variation a rich yet manageable field of study.