Mokele Mbembe (English Opening)

Mokele Mbembe (English Opening)

Definition

The Mokele Mbembe is an unorthodox counter to the English Opening that arises after the moves

1. c4 g5!?

and usually continues with …g4 on the very next turn. It is named—tongue-in-cheek—after the legendary “dinosaur” said to inhabit the Congo basin. The line was popularised by English IM Michael Basman, famous for giving colourful, mythical names to his pet systems.

Usage & Core Ideas

• Shock value. From move one Black invites the opponent into a strategically imbalanced struggle few will have prepared for.
• Early kingside space. By thrusting the g-pawn two squares (and often to g4), Black clamps down on the natural g2-g3 fianchetto White loves in the English.
• Hyper-modern set-ups. Black often delays castling, fianchettos the bishop to g7 (after …g4 clears the file), and strikes at the centre with …c5, …e5, or …d5.

Main Branches

1. 2.d4 g4 – The critical test. After 3.Nc3 Bg7 both sides have left book theory almost entirely.
2. 2.Nc3 g4 – White keeps central flexibility; Black plans …Bg7, …c5.
3. 2.g3 – Trying to ignore the flank pawn, but 2…Bg7 3.Bg2 c5 quickly challenges the centre.

Illustrative Game (short)

The following ten-move miniature highlights typical motifs—…g4, rapid bishop development, and a dark-square skirmish in the centre:

Strategic & Historical Significance

• Practical weapon. Objectively risky, it nevertheless scores well in blitz and rapid where preparation is scarce and clock pressure high.
• Basman’s legacy. The line stands alongside the St George Defence (1…a6 vs 1.e4) and the Grob (1.g4) as part of Basman’s crusade to prove that creative ideas can thrive even in “unsound” openings.
• Teaching tool. Coaches sometimes show it to illustrate the trade-off between space-gaining pawn storms and long-term king safety.

Typical Plans

• White
  • Hit back in the centre with d4–e4 or d4–d5 before Black finishes development.
  • Exploit the weakened dark squares (f6, h6) with quick h2-h3 or Bxg5 if the chance appears.
  • Prevent Black’s long castling by timely a4, Qa4+, or Be3.
• Black
  • Maintain the pawn spear on g4; support it with …h6 and sometimes …h5.
  • Fianchetto the bishop to g7, then break with …c5 or …e5.
  • Consider keeping the king in the centre or castling queenside after …c6 and …Qa5.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• Basman allegedly chose the name after spotting the creature in a cryptozoology magazine while travelling to a weekend Swiss.
• The ECO slots 1.c4 g5?! under A10: “English, Unusual Replies,” and theory usually stops after move one—an opening explorer’s shortest chapter!
• Despite its reputation, the line has been tried in online blitz by grandmasters such as Andrew Tang and Alireza Firouzja, proving that even top players enjoy a walk on the wild side now and then.

Conclusion

The Mokele Mbembe is unlikely to unseat mainstream defences to the English, but it delivers exactly what its creator intended: a plunge into unexplored jungle terrain where resourcefulness, not rote memorisation, decides the outcome.