Queens Pawn Opening & Accelerated London: Steinitz & Morris
Queen's Pawn Opening
Definition
The Queen’s Pawn Opening is the broad family of openings that begin with the move 1. d4. By advancing the queen’s pawn two squares, White immediately stakes a claim in the center and opens lines for the dark-squared bishop and the queen. Unlike 1. e4, the pawn on d4 is protected by the queen, making early tactical strikes against it more difficult.
Usage in Play
The term is used in two ways:
- Generic umbrella: Any position that stems from 1. d4, no matter what Black replies, belongs to the Queen’s Pawn Opening universe (including the Queen’s Gambit, King’s Indian Defence, Benoni, etc.).
- ECO code D00: If White plays 1. d4 and Black answers with something other than 1…d5 or 1…Nf6 (for example 1…e6, 1…d6, 1…c5, 1…f5) and no early c4 appears, many databases record the line simply as “Queen’s Pawn Opening.”
Strategic & Historical Significance
Historically, 1. d4 lagged behind 1. e4 in popularity until the late 19th century. Wilhelm Steinitz and Siegbert Tarrasch demonstrated that closed openings could be handled scientifically, and World Champion Emanuel Lasker used 1. d4 to great effect against Steinitz in 1894. In the 1920s José Raúl Capablanca popularized Queen’s Gambit structures, and ever since, 1. d4 has been a mainstay of top-level play.
Strategically, 1. d4 tends to lead to:
- Closed or semi-closed pawn structures with slower maneuvering.
- Long-term space advantages on the queenside once c2-c4 is played.
- Reduced early tactics because the d-pawn is protected by the queen, but more latent central tension.
Illustrative Example
Capablanca – Tartakower, New York 1924 began 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5, evolving into the Orthodox Queen’s Gambit. Capablanca’s smooth positional win is still shown in textbooks as a model of handling the isolated queen’s pawn.
Interesting Facts
- Database statistics for top events since 2000 show 1. d4 scoring fractionally higher than 1. e4 in classical chess [[Chart|Rating|Classical|2000-2023]].
- Many engines evaluate 1. d4 and 1. e4 as essentially equal, but 1. d4 often produces fewer forced draw lines, making it a practical weapon at elite level.
Accelerated London
Definition
The Accelerated London System is a streamlined version of the traditional London System. White plays 1. d4 2. Bf4 (sometimes even 1. Bf4!), bringing the bishop outside the pawn chain before committing the knight to f3. Typical move-order: 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 (or 1. d4 d5 2. Bf4).
Why “Accelerated”?
In the classical London (1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4), the bishop emerges only on move 3. By playing Bf4 immediately White:
- Avoids …Bf5 pin ideas if Black answers 2…Bf5 after 2.Nf3.
- Retains flexibility: the g1-knight may go to e2, h3, or even c3 (morphing into the Jobava-Prié hybrid).
- Sidesteps some Grünfeld-style set-ups because c2-c4 can be delayed or omitted.
Strategic Themes
- Solid core: After e3, c3, and h3 (optional), White builds an unbreakable pawn pyramid (d4-e3-c3).
- Flexible development: Knight-to-d2 instead of f3 supports e4 breaks.
- Early queen development: Qd2 followed by long castling is a typical attacking pattern versus King’s Indian set-ups.
Model Game
Carlsen – Ding, Lindores Abbey Blitz 2020: 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. e3 Bg7 5. h4! and Carlsen launched a dangerous kingside pawn storm, demonstrating the system’s attacking potential.
Interesting Nuggets
- The line was a favorite of the 19th-century English master James Mason (hence older sources label 1. d4 Bf4 the “Mason Opening”).
- Internet rapid and blitz databases show an explosion of Accelerated London games after 2018, largely influenced by video-series from popular streamers.
Steinitz
Definition
“Steinitz” in chess is most commonly shorthand for Wilhelm Steinitz (1836-1900), the first official World Chess Champion (1886-1894). The name also prefixes numerous opening variations and strategic concepts derived from his teachings, such as the Steinitz Defence in the Spanish, the Steinitz Variation of the French, and the Steinitz Gambit in the Vienna Game.
Steinitz the Thinker
Steinitz revolutionized chess by formulating positional principles:
- Accumulation of small advantages.
- The necessity of a sound position before launching an attack.
- Defense as a weapon. He showed that with accurate play the defender could repulse even seemingly crushing attacks.
Key Opening Lines Bearing His Name
- Steinitz Defence, Ruy López: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6. A solid, somewhat passive line that Steinitz used to great effect against contemporaries.
- Steinitz Variation, French Defence: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5. White grabs space and clamps the center.
- Steinitz Gambit, Vienna Game: 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4!? An audacious pawn sacrifice designed to accelerate development.
Historical Impact
Steinitz’s victory over Johannes Zukertort in the 1886 match is regarded as the dawn of the modern chess era. His theories influenced every subsequent world champion—from Lasker’s pragmatic style to Capablanca’s simplicity and even to modern engine evaluations that value structural advantages Steinitz first articulated.
Anecdote
Steinitz famously claimed he could give a pawn and move odds to God and still draw the game. While hubristic, the quote underscores his confidence in the supremacy of correct play, a notion that remains foundational in contemporary chess philosophy.
Morris Countergambit
Definition
The Morris Countergambit is an ambitious reply to the Philidor Defence. After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4, Black strikes back with 3…f5!?, immediately challenging the center and offering a pawn to seize the initiative.
Move-Order and Early Ideas
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 f5!?
- If White accepts: 4. exf5 e4 5. Ng5 Bxf5, Black gains a lead in development and open lines for the bishops.
- If White declines: 4. Nc3 exd4 5. Nxd4, a sharp, unbalanced middlegame arises reminiscent of the King’s Gambit reversed.
Strategic Features
- Dynamic imbalance: Black risks structural weaknesses (isolated e- and f-pawns) for piece activity.
- King safety: Castling kingside can be risky for either player; many games feature opposite-side castling and pawn storms.
- Psychological weapon: Because it is rare, it can knock well-prepared opponents out of mainstream Philidor theory as early as move 3.
Historical Notes
Named after the 19th-century English master George Lewis Morris, who advocated the line in club play. Although never adopted by world champions, it has appeared sporadically in master praxis. Notably, Latvian tactical wizard Mikhail Tal tried it in a 1960 simultaneous exhibition, sacrificing material to unleash a trademark attack.
Sample Continuation
The PGN above shows a mainline where Black obtains active pieces at the cost of a pawn. The arrows highlight the pivotal f-file tension.
Interesting Tidbits
- Modern engines rate the gambit as roughly +0.7 for White, but practical results in rapid/blitz are close to 50 % because of the surprise factor.
- Some authors dub 3…f5 the “Philidor Viking Countergambit” due to its berserker-style pawn thrust—yet the traditional name honors Morris.