King's Knight Opening: Konstantinopolsky

King's Knight Opening: Konstantinopolsky

Definition

The Konstantinopolsky Attack is a side-line of the King’s Knight Opening that arises after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. g3. White declines the immediate clash in the centre (3. d4 or 3. Bc4) and instead fianchettoes the king’s bishop with the idea of exerting long-range pressure on the e4–d5–c6 squares. In ECO it is most often catalogued as C40, sometimes cross-referenced under B00/B01 if Black avoids …e5 on move one. The sequence owes its name to the Ukrainian master Alexander Konstantinopolsky (1910-1990), whose experiments with an early g2–g3 gave the line its modern identity.

Typical Move Order

The most common route is:

• 1. e4 e5
• 2. Nf3 Nc6
• 3. g3 …
• 4. Bg2 (after 3…Nf6 or 3…g6) when White castles kingside and builds a flexible pawn centre with d2–d3 or d2–d4.

Alternative transpositions can occur from 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. g3 or even from the Pirc/Modern once White has played Nf3 + g3. In every case, the early g-pawn advance signals White’s intention to adopt a “King’s Indian Attack” structure versus an open e-pawn set-up.

Strategic Themes

The line is quiet by appearance but holds several strategic points of interest:

• Fianchetto Pressure: The bishop on g2 eyes the important e4–d5 diagonal; combined with a later d2–d4 it can become a strong attacking piece against Black’s centre.
• King Safety & Flexibility: Castling is rapid (O-O on move 5 or 6), after which White can decide between central pawn breaks (d4, d3 & c3) or a kingside pawn storm (h4–h5) if Black castles short.
• Avoiding Theory: By sidestepping the heavily analysed Ruy Lopez, Scotch and Italian openings, White forces Black to think independently from an early stage.
• Potential Transpositions: Depending on Black’s reply, the game can transpose into a Pirc-like position (…d6, …g6) or a Closed Sicilian structure (…c5, …g6).

Historical Context

Alexander Konstantinopolsky was a prominent coach and sparring partner of David Bronstein. He began employing 3. g3 in the 1930s, achieving respectable results against Soviet elite players who were ready for open e4-e5 battles but not for a quiet fianchetto system. The line never achieved the popularity of the Ruy Lopez, yet it periodically appears in high-level praxis as a surprise weapon.

Modern grandmasters such as Boris Avrukh, Baadur Jobava, and even Magnus Carlsen (in rapid/blitz) have sprinkled it into their repertoires, usually when they wish to steer the game away from mainstream theory.

Illustrative Game

Konstantinopolsky himself demonstrated the attacking potential of the line in this classic encounter:

[[Pgn| e4|e5|Nf3|Nc6|g3|Nf6|Bg2|Nxe4|O-O|d5|d3|Nf6|Re1|Bd6|Nxe5|Nxe5|d4|Bg4|dxe5|Bxd1|exd6|+|Kf8|Rxd1|Qxd6|Nc3|c6|Bf4|Qe7|Re1|Qd7|Qf3|Bxf4|Qxf4|Re8|Re5|Rxe5|Qxe5|Qe8|Qd6+|Kg8|Qe7|Qxe7|Rxe7|Rb8|Na4|Kf8|Rc7|Ne8|Rd7|Nf6|Rc7|Ne8|Nc5| |fen|| ]]

Konstantinopolsky – Cutner, USSR Ch Semi-Final 1940. After 15 moves White had engineered a powerful central bind; he eventually converted the endgame with two extra pawns, showcasing how the g2-bishop plus timely d2-d4 can yield a long-term advantage.

Practical Tips for Players

• Know Your Breaks: Memorise typical pawn levers d2-d4 and sometimes f2-f4. The former challenges Black’s e5-pawn; the latter signals a direct kingside assault.
• Be Patient: The opening rarely wins by force. Aim for piece activity and out-of-book middlegames rather than an immediate material grab.
• Watch for …d5: If Black strikes early in the centre (…d5) you should be ready to reply exd5 Qxd5 Nc3, gaining tempo, or d3 supporting e4. Both maintain harmony.
• Good Surprise Value: Because mainstream e4-e5 defences expect the Ruy Lopez, Black may misplace pieces (e.g. …Bc5?! too early) giving White easy gains with Nxe5 tactics.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• Legend has it that Konstantinopolsky first played 3. g3 in a coffee-house blitz session, astonishing onlookers who believed you “must” develop a bishop or strike in the centre on move three.
• In the early days of computer chess, engines underrated the line, branding it “harmless”; modern neural networks place it near equality with best play—proving “harmless” also means “safe.”
• The English chess writer Raymond Keene recommended it in his 1974 booklet “An Opening Repertoire for the Attacking Player,” calling it “a practical way to avoid book.”