Queen's Gambit Declined: Harrwitz Attack & Two Knights
Queen's Gambit Declined: Harrwitz Attack
Definition & Move-order
The Harrwitz Attack is a specific variation of the Queen’s Gambit Declined (QGD) that begins with the following moves:
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5
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With 4.Bg5 White develops the dark-squared bishop aggressively, pinning the knight on f6 to the queen on d8. The line is named after the 19th-century German master Daniel Harrwitz, who championed the idea of early pressure on Black’s center and kingside.
Strategic Ideas
- Central Tension: White keeps the pawn on c4 to attack d5 while the bishop on g5 increases the latent pressure on e4.
- The Pin: The f6-knight cannot easily move, making it harder for Black to play ...c5 or ...e5 in one go.
- Flexible Development: White can castle kingside or queenside. Popular set-ups include f3 & e4 (Shirov System) or the quieter e3 & Nf3.
- Black’s Counterplay: Breaking the pin with ...h6 & ...g5, or playing the solid ...Be7, followed by ...c5 to strike at the center.
Historical & Practical Significance
The Harrwitz Attack was a main battlefield in the famous Lasker–Capablanca world-championship match of 1921. Capablanca’s effortless play with Black popularized the maneuver ...Nbd7–f8–g6 as a method of unpinning. Modern players such as Vladimir Kramnik and Alexei Shirov have re-energized the line with dynamic pawn sacrifices.
Example Game
Rotlewi vs. Rubinstein, Lodz 1907 – one of Rubinstein’s masterpieces.
After 12 moves the legendary ...Bxh2+ sacrifice showcased Black’s latent
tactics in the Harrwitz structure.
Typical Plans at a Glance
- White: Reinforce the pin (e3, Qc2), push e4, exploit the d5-pawn and/or attack on the kingside after O-O-O.
- Black: Neutralize the pin with ...h6 or ...Nbd7, hit the center with ...c5, and aim for minority-attack structures on the queenside or tactical breaks like ...e5.
Interesting Facts
- Daniel Harrwitz played a celebrated +5 −2 =1 match vs. Adolf Anderssen in 1848 using this very bishop pin as one of his main weapons.
- The unorthodox 4…dxc4?!, once considered playable, is now called the Westphalia Gambit; modern engines refute it with precise play.
- Several strong engines (e.g., Stockfish) prefer 4…Be7 over 4…Nbd7, illustrating that even silicon respects a solid way out of the pin.
Two Knights Defense
Definition & Move-order
The Two Knights Defense is an open-game response to 1.e4 and arises after:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6
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By developing the king’s knight to f6 instead of the more symmetrical 3…Bc5 (Giuoco Piano), Black invites sharp play centered around the vulnerable f7-square. The opening was analyzed extensively in the 19th century by the towering chess theoreticians Paul Rudolf von Bilguer and Carl Jaenisch.
Main Branches & Tactical Motifs
- 4.Ng5 – The Fried-Liver and Lolli Attacks. White threatens the devastating 6.Nxf7, forcing Black either into the critical 5…Na5 line or the pawn sacrifice 5…d5 6.exd5 Na5.
- 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 – The Modern (Chigorin) Attack, a quieter yet strategically rich option aiming for space.
- 4.d3 – The positional Giuoco Pianissimo Transposition, where both sides maneuver behind their pawn chains.
- 4.c3 – The Ponziani-style gambit preparing d2-d4 at a favorable moment.
Strategic Themes
- Kingside Tactics: The open e-file and the inherent weakness of f7/f2 lead to dramatic sacrificial possibilities.
- Pawn Structure: Black often accepts structural concessions (e.g., doubled pawns after …Nxd5 exd5) in return for active piece play.
- Piece Activity over Material: Many main lines feature pawn sacrifices by either side for rapid development.
Historical Significance
In the romantic era, the Two Knights was considered the purest test of tactical vision. The famous duel Morphy – Anderssen, Paris 1858 treated spectators to the brilliant sacrifice 10.Nxf7!!, a line that still appears in opening manuals. Modern grandmasters such as Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana continue to wheel out the defense in must-win situations, valuing its imbalance.
Illustrative Miniature
Morphy vs. Duke Karl / Count Isouard, Paris 1858 – the “Opera Game.”
Though technically a Giuoco Piano, it transforms into a Two Knights
tactical theme the moment Black plays …Nf6 on move 3 in many amateur
recreations. The dazzling queen sacrifice ending with 17.Qb8# is a
evergreen lesson in piece activity.
Modern Engine Perspective
Current top engines assess the main line after 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 as roughly equal (≈0.30) but extremely complex. The forced sequence runs over 20 moves deep, making the Two Knights one of the rare openings where human memorization still lags behind engine preparation.
Interesting Facts
- The term “Two Knights Defense” can also occur with colors reversed in Petrov’s Defense after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6!? – sometimes dubbed the “Russian Two Knights.”
- Grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave once beat the supercomputer “ChessTiger 2005” in a blitz game using a sideline with 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nd4!, proving that even silicon can get mated on f7.
- In scholastic circles the Traxler (Wilkes-Barre) Counter-Attack, arising after 4.Ng5 Bc5!?, is a rite of passage for tactics-loving juniors.