Queen's Pawn Game: Torre Attack, Gossip Variation
Queen's Pawn Game: Torre Attack, Gossip Variation
Definition
The Torre Attack, Gossip Variation is a sub-line of the Queen’s Pawn Game that
begins with the moves
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5 h6 (A46).
After Black questions the bishop with 3…h6, White may either maintain the pin
with 4. Bh4 or capture on f6 with 4. Bxf6. Both continuations are considered
part of the Gossip Variation, whose name honors the 19th-century Anglo-American
master and author George Hatfield Dingley Gossip.
Typical Move-orders & Key Position
The most common branch runs:
- 4. Bxf6 Qxf6 5. e4 d6 6. Nc3 a6 — White seizes the center while Black prepares …c5 or …b5.
- 4. Bh4 c5 5. e3 d5 6. Nbd2 — the bishop stays on the board; positions resemble an improved French or Queen’s Gambit structure.
In either case, the early …h6 concedes a tempo and slightly weakens the g6-square, giving White long-term attacking chances on the kingside.
Strategic Themes
- White
- Rapid development with Bg5 (and later Bd3/Qe2/0-0-0) to launch a kingside initiative.
- Central break with e2-e4 whenever possible.
- If 4.Bxf6, use the half-open g-file after Qxf6 for piece activity.
- Black
- Accepts a slightly loosened kingside in return for the two-bishop advantage once White captures on f6.
- Typical counterplay: …d5 or …c5 strikes in the center, or …b6/…Bb7 targeting e4.
- A well-timed …g5 can blunt White’s bishop and grab space.
Historical Background
• Carlos Torre (1904-1978) introduced 3.Bg5 as a practical weapon in the early
1920s.
• George H. D. Gossip (1857-1907) analyzed the line with …h6 in his treatise
“The Chess-Player’s Manual,” hence the variation’s name.
• The line was a surprise choice by Vladimir Kramnik against
Viswanathan Anand (Wijk aan Zee 1998), reaffirming its
viability at top level.
Illustrative Mini-Game
The following short battle shows the dangers Black can face after the seemingly modest 3…h6:
White’s e4-e5 break opened lines toward the black king, and the subsequent tactics on the b- and c-files exploited Black’s loosened queenside.
Modern Usage
The Gossip Variation is popular among club players who want to avoid the heavily analysed Nimzo-Indian and Queen’s Gambit lines without venturing into extreme sidelines. Grandmasters such as Aronian, Gelfand, and Jobava have adopted it as an occasional surprise weapon.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Because 3…h6 wastes a tempo compared to lines in which the bishop is chased by …Ne4, many theoreticians consider the Gossip Variation “positionally dubious,” yet its rarity often leads to over-the-board hesitation from the second player.
- In correspondence play, engines initially disliked White’s 5.e4 plan after 4.Bxf6 Qxf6 but later “changed their mind” as long-term g-file pressure proved difficult for Black to neutralise.
- George Gossip was better known as an author than as a player; his signature opening line ironically remains more respected than his tournament record.
Practical Tips
- If you choose 4.Bh4, anticipate …c5 and prepare to bolster the d4-pawn with e3 or c3.
- After 4.Bxf6 Qxf6, play e4 quickly; delaying allows …d5, neutralising White’s space advantage.
- Black defenders should keep the light-squared bishop active (…Bb4+, …Bb4, or …Bb7) to contest the long diagonal and blunt kingside attacks.
Related Terms
See also: Torre Attack, Queen's Pawn Game, Indian Defence.