Queen's Pawn Opening: Anti-Torre Attack
Queen’s Pawn Opening: Anti-Torre Attack
Definition
The Queen’s Pawn Opening: Anti-Torre Attack refers to Black’s early attempt to neutralise the Torre Attack (characterised by an early 3.Bg5 by White) with the move …h6, immediately questioning the bishop. If the bishop exchanges on f6, Black gains the bishop pair; if it retreats, the tempo-gaining advance …g5 can follow. The most common starting position arises after:
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 h6 4.Bxf6 Qxf6 (ECO code A46).
Typical Move Orders & Ideas
-
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 h6
• If 4.Bh4 c5! Black gains space and challenges the centre.
• If 4.Bxf6 Qxf6 Black obtains the bishop pair in an open game. - 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Bg5 Ne4 (an Anti-Torre by transposition). Here the bishop must decide whether to capture on e7 or retreat, again abandoning the typical Torre pressure against the knight on f6.
Strategic Themes
In contrast to a normal Torre Attack where White hopes for a quiet, structure-based squeeze, the Anti-Torre setups lead to sharper play:
- Bishop Pair vs. Structure – By enticing Bxf6, Black gains two bishops, at the cost of a slightly weakened pawn structure (doubled f-pawns after …gxf6 is optional).
- Wing Expansion – …h6 and …g5 can grab space on the kingside, taking the White knight on f3 under immediate question after …g4.
- Central Counter-punch – Moves such as …c5 and …d5 strike in the centre before White has castled, preventing a comfortable build-up with e3, Bd3, Nbd2.
- Transpositional Flexibility – The position can slip into a Queen’s Indian, Bogo-Indian, Classical Dutch or even a Pirc-flavoured setup, so both sides must stay alert to move-order tricks.
Historical Notes
The Torre Attack (named after the Mexican grandmaster Carlos Torre, 1920s) became popular for its solidity and low maintenance. Strong players such as Petrosian, Karpov, Yusupov, and later Kramnik adopted it as a surprise weapon. As a remedy, grandmasters began playing 3…h6 or 3…Ne4 very early. The term “Anti-Torre” gained currency in the 1980s in Soviet literature, and the tabiya with …h6 is catalogued today under ECO A46.
Illustrative Game
The following rapid encounter shows how rapidly the character of the position can change once Black opts for the Anti-Torre plan:
White: J. Polgar Black: B. Gelfand (Bosna, 1995 – rapid)
After 6…g5 Black seized the initiative on the kingside, while the bishop pair later
underpinned a break with …d5. The game ended in Black’s favour after a tactical
skirmish on the e-file.
Practical Tips
- For White: If you wish to avoid the Anti-Torre, consider delaying Bg5 or playing 3.g3 (Catalan-type) or 3.Bf4 (London System).
- For Black: In blitz you can accelerate …g5 and …Bg7 to pull the game into unfamiliar territory quickly, banking on the surprise factor.
- Endgame Outlook: When the f-pawn structure remains intact, Black’s bishop pair often dominates. If the structure fractures with …gxf6, White can play against the pawn weaknesses, so the capture timing is critical.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- In the 1993 PCA Candidates, Kramnik used 3…h6 against Short’s Torre to score a quick draw and maintain match strategy, commenting that he “wanted a solid bishop pair for free.”
- The line is a favourite of many engine authors; Stockfish evaluates the starting Anti-Torre tabiya as roughly equal, yet prefers Black if it can launch …g5–g4 quickly.
- Some modern databases label the move 3…h6 with a question mark (“provoking warfare on the wing”), while Fabiano Caruana jokingly tweeted in 2019 that it was “the most underestimated tempo in opening theory.”