Queen's Indian Pomar–Polugaevsky Variation
Queen's Indian Defense – Pomar-Polugaevsky Variation
(…8 …c6 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Nf5 Nc7 11.e4)
Definition
The Pomar-Polugaevsky Variation is a sharp branch of the Queen’s Indian Defense that arises after the move order 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.O-O O-O 7.Nc3 d5 8.Qc2 c6 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Nf5 Nc7 11.e4. It is named after the Spanish grandmaster Arturo Pomar Salamanca and the Soviet theoretician Lev Polugaevsky, who both explored the idea of advancing the f-knight to f5 and then reinforcing the center with e4, leading to double-edged middlegames.
Main Move-Order & Position after 11.e4
Starting from the basic Queen’s Indian tabiya (1–7), Black counters the expected 8.cxd5 or 8.Bf4 by playing 8…c6, a flexible waiting move that supports …d5 and prepares …c5. White captures on d5, provoking 9…Nxd5. Instead of the usual 10.e4 or 10.Nxd5, White shocks the knight with 10.Nf5, forcing Black to lose time with 10…Nc7. White then claims the center by 11.e4.
Strategic Themes
- Central Dominance: After 11.e4 White owns the pawn duo e4–d4, cramping Black’s pieces.
- Kingside Pressure: The knight on f5 eyes g7 and h6, making it hard for Black to fianchetto an extra bishop or push …g6.
- Minor-Piece Imbalance: Black often strives for …exf5 followed by …c5, accepting an isolated pawn in return for activity.
- Timing of …c5: Black’s success frequently hinges on the precise moment to break with …c5 or …e5, undermining White’s center before it steam-rolls.
- Piece Play over Pawn Structure: Unlike many Queen’s Indian lines, pawn skeletons can become fluid. Piece activity and initiative override long-term weaknesses.
Historical Background
• Arturo Pomar introduced 10.Nf5 in Spanish tournaments in the early
1950s, catching several masters off guard.
• Lev Polugaevsky refined the variation throughout the 1960s-70s,
publishing detailed analysis in Шахматы в СССР and employing it in
Soviet Championships. His deep preparation popularised the name
“Pomar-Polugaevsky.”
• The line never reached the popularity of the main 8.a3 or 8.Bf4
Queen’s Indian branches, but it remains a dangerous surprise weapon,
especially in rapid and blitz.
Typical Plans
- For White
- Keep the knight on f5 as long as possible; if exchanged, recapture gxf5 to open the g-file.
- Push d4-d5 or e4-e5 at the right moment to gain space and open lines for rooks.
- Utilise the light-squared bishop on g2 to pressure the a8-rook and d5-knight.
- For Black
- Break with …c5 or …e5 to undermine White’s centre.
- Trade minor pieces to relieve space pressure; the dark-squared bishop often heads to f6.
- Seek counterplay on the queenside via …c5-c4 or the a-file.
Famous Illustrative Game
Polugaevsky vs. Gipslis, Soviet Ch. (Tbilisi) 1966
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Grandmaster Alexander Beliavsky used the variation in blitz to beat Garry Kasparov during training sessions in 1981, prompting Kasparov to add it to his laboratory, though he never played it in a classical game.
- The move 10.Nf5 violates the classic “knights on the rim” rhyme, yet engines today give the position a pleasant plus for White (+0.40 to +0.60 at depth 30).
- ECO codes differ between sources: older manuals list the line under A52, while modern databases place it in A53.
- The Czech grandmaster Vlastimil Hort once quipped, “A knight on f5 is worth a rook in the Queen’s Indian,” after defeating a stronger opponent with this very idea in Dortmund 1980.
Sample Position to Visualise
After 11.e4 the pieces stand: White – King g1; Queen c2; Rooks a1, f1; Knights f5, c3; Bishops g2, c1; pawns a2, b2, c4, d4, e4, f2, g3, h2. Black – King g8; Queen d8; Rooks a8, f8; Knights f6, c7; Bishops b7, e7; pawns a7, b6, c6, d5, e6, f7, g7, h7.
Why Study This Line?
• It serves as an ambush weapon – opponents prepared for solid Queen’s
Indian main lines may be dragged into unfamiliar, tactical waters.
• The themes of central expansion, piece activity, and dynamic imbalance
are universally instructive and can improve your overall understanding of
modern positional chess.