Richter-Veresov: 3...h6 – Black sideline
Richter-Veresov: 3...h6
Definition
In the Richter-Veresov Attack, the moves usually begin 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5. Black’s reply 3…h6 forms the line known as “Richter-Veresov: 3…h6.” By immediately driving the g5-bishop back or forcing it to exchange, Black hopes to blunt White’s early pressure on the f6-knight and avoid certain gambit ideas connected with 4. e4. The move 3…h6 is therefore a prophylactic, strategic sideline that diverts the opening away from the more forcing continuations 3…Bf5, 3…e6, or 3…c6.
Typical Move Order
The main sequence appears on the board as:
- 1. d4 Nf6
- 2. Nc3 d5
- 3. Bg5 h6
After 3…h6, White’s most common replies are:
- 4. Bxf6 – exchanging quickly and aiming for a modest structural edge (doubled f-pawns).
- 4. Bh4 – keeping the bishop, after which Black usually plays 4…e6, 4…c6, or 4…Bf5.
- 4. Bf4 – a positional retreat that preserves latent pressure on the c7-square.
Strategic Ideas for Black
The thrust 3…h6 achieves several goals:
- Removes the pin on the f6-knight, allowing …Nf6–e4 in many positions.
- Prepares …g5 in certain lines to gain space on the kingside and harass the bishop further.
- Makes a later …Bf5 or …Bg4 more comfortable, as the g5-square can no longer be used by a white knight.
- Encourages White to decide early whether to exchange on f6, giving Black a clear plan against doubled pawns.
Strategic Ideas for White
- If 4. Bxf6 exf6, White may target the isolated f-pawn with pieces and ideas like Qd2 and 0-0-0.
- If 4. Bh4, White keeps attacking chances on the e-file after e2-e4 or on the c-file after Qd2 and long castling.
- Rapid development (e3, Nf3, Bd3, 0-0) often leads to an IQP (isolated queen’s pawn) middlegame when White plays e4 later.
Typical Tactical Motifs
- f7-forks: After …exf6, the f-pawn can become a tactical weakness, e.g., Nxd5 Qxd5, Nxf6+.
- Exchange sacrifice ideas: White sometimes plays 0-0-0 and Rh1–e1 to rip open the e-file against Black’s king in the center.
- …g5 break: Black can seize space (…g5, …Bg7) and launch a kingside pawn storm if White castles short.
Historical Background
The Richter-Veresov Attack is named after Kurt Richter (Germany) and Gavriil Veresov (USSR), who popularized 3. Bg5 in the 1930s-1950s as a combative alternative to the Queen’s Gambit and the Colle. The specific move 3…h6 was recommended in the 1960s Soviet literature (notably by Isaac Boleslavsky) as a simple antidote to force White to declare intentions early. Although the variation has never been a mainstay at elite level, it appears sporadically in rapid and blitz play—Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave have all tried it online.
Illustrative Games
-
Veresov – Boleslavsky, USSR Championship 1940
White doubled Black’s f-pawns, castled long, and built up an initiative, but Boleslavsky’s accurate defense showed that Black’s pawn structure is solid enough if pieces are exchanged. - Tal – Keres, Tallinn 1965 The magician from Riga retreated 4. Bh4, developed rapidly, and uncorked a pawn sacrifice with e4 followed by Nxd5 that gave him lasting pressure, drawing after exciting complications.
Famous Modern Example
In “Dubov vs. Karjakin, Russian Superfinal 2020,” Daniil Dubov surprised Karjakin with the Veresov. Karjakin chose 3…h6, reached a roughly equal middlegame, and eventually converted in a long rook ending—evidence that the line is fully playable for Black even against top-ten opposition.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- When asked why he played 3…h6 against the Veresov in blitz, Mikhail Tal laughed: “The bishop scares me more than the pawn; tell it to go home, then we’ll talk.”
- Grandmaster Mark Hebden, one of today’s foremost Veresov practitioners, considers 3…h6 “the most annoying” reply because it side-steps much of White’s prepared theory.
- Chess engines rate 3…h6 as nearly equal (+0.20 for White at depth 40 in Stockfish 16), but club players often prefer other lines since early pawn moves can feel weakening. Paradoxically, the king’s rook pawn on h6 frequently bolsters Black’s later attack with …g5.
Summary
The Richter-Veresov: 3…h6 is a flexible, strategically sound way for Black to defuse the early pin of the f6-knight and steer the game toward calmer waters or a dynamic counter-attack, depending on taste. Understanding the typical pawn structures—doubled f-pawns, IQP positions, or kingside space grabs—helps both sides navigate this underrated yet rich sideline.