Queens Gambit Declined Three Knights Harrwitz Attack
Queen’s Gambit Declined: Three Knights, Harrwitz Attack
Definition & Move-order
The Three Knights, Harrwitz Attack is a sub-variation of the Queen’s Gambit Declined (QGD). It arises after the following typical sequence:
1. d4 d5
2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 Nf6
4. Nf3 (Three Knights Variation)
… Be7 (main reply)
5. Bg5 (Harrwitz Attack)
— After 4.Nf3, three knights (White’s on c3 & f3, Black’s on f6) have
been developed, giving the variation its name.
— White’s fifth move, Bg5, pins the f6-knight to the queen and
qualifies the position as the Harrwitz Attack, named for the
19-century German master Daniel Harrwitz.
Strategic Ideas
- For White
- Create latent pressure on the d5–pawn by increasing the pin on the f6-knight (e.g., Qc2, Rd1).
- Fight for the classical e4 break. If Black captures on c4, White often regains the pawn with Qa4+ or Bxc4, entering positions resembling the Orthodox QGD.
- Prepare a minority attack (b4–b5) in Carlsbad structures that frequently arise after …c6 and …c5.
- For Black
- Neutralise the pin by …h6, …g5 or the more solid …Nbd7 followed by …c6.
- Decide when (or whether) to break with …c5; correct timing often equalises completely.
- Aim for the Lasker Defence setup — …Ne4, …f5 — if the centre is locked, trading pieces to reach a solid ending.
Typical Plans & Piece Placement
• White bishops usually land on g5 and d3, Knights on f3 & c3.
• Black often keeps the dark-squared bishop on e7 (or occasionally b4 as an
early pin) before deciding whether to emerge on d6 or h4 after …h6.
• Both sides must watch the e4 square: White wants to push, Black
wants to prevent or trade to defuse it.
Historical Significance
Daniel Harrwitz (1821-1884) popularised early Bg5 systems against various queen-pawn defences. The line was fashionable in the late-19th and early 20th centuries — Emanuel Lasker and José Raúl Capablanca both adopted it in world-championship practice. Modern grandmasters still use the line as a low-theory, strategic alternative to sharper QGD systems like the Exchange Variation or the Catalan.
Illustrative Game
Capablanca – Janowski, New York 1916 quickly reached a typical minority-attack structure. White’s simple 16.Rc2 followed by doubling on the c-file eventually forced weaknesses on the queenside.
Modern Usage
- Still employed as a surprise weapon; theory is lighter than the ever-popular QGD Exchange.
- Has appeared in online rapid and blitz games by elite players such as Magnus Carlsen and Levon Aronian, who like its flexible pawn structures.
- Engines assess the line as roughly equal, but practical chances abound, especially if Black mishandles the centre.
Interesting Facts
- In several early manuals the line was dubbed “The Pin Variation,” but “Harrwitz Attack” prevailed after it was included under that name in the 1912 edition of the Handbuch des Schachspiels.
- The three-knights formation is one tempo up on the older Orthodox QGD (where White’s knight often reaches f3 only after Bg5 and e3). That extra speed lets White delay cxd5 or e3, keeping the tension longer.
- If Black replies 4…Nbd7 instead of 4…Be7, the game can transpose to the fabled Cambridge Springs Defence after 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 Qa5, offering rich tactical motifs around …Bb4 and queen forks on b4.