Scandinavian Defense & Closed Grunfeld Defense

Scandinavian Defense

Definition

The Scandinavian Defense is an opening that begins with the moves 1. e4 d5. Black immediately challenges White’s central pawn, choosing activity and simplicity over a slower build-up. The ECO (Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings) codes for the Scandinavian are B01.

Typical Move Order & Main Branches

After 1. e4 d5 2. exd5, Black has two principal ways to recapture:

• 2…Qxd5 — The Classical or “Center Counter” line. The queen will often drop back to a5 or d6 after 3. Nc3.
• 2…Nf6 — The Modern (or “Portuguese”) Variation, delaying the queen’s appearance and aiming for rapid development.

Representative continuation of the Classical line:
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Strategic Themes

• Queen Activity vs. Tempo: By bringing the queen out early, Black concedes tempi but hopes that the pressure on the d-file and queenside compensates.
• Piece Development: Scandinavian players aim for quick …Nf6, …c6, and …Bf5 or …Bg4, while avoiding the trap of falling too far behind in development.
• Pawn Structure: The resulting structures are often symmetrical. Isolated queen’s pawns (IQPs) can arise if Black later plays …c5 and recaptures with a piece.

Historical Notes

The Scandinavian is one of the oldest recorded openings—Gioachino Greco analyzed it in the 17th century. It gained renewed popularity in the 20th century through the efforts of grandmasters such as Bent Larsen and Curt Hansen, both Danes—fittingly for an opening dubbed “Scandinavian.”

Illustrative Games

• Larsen vs. Spassky, Belgrade 1970: Larsen employed 2…Nf6 and scored a famed victory, showing that the queenless middlegame positions can be rich in counter-play.
• Kasparov vs. Anand, PCA WCh 1995 (Game 10): Anand used the Modern Scandinavian, achieving a solid draw against the then-world champion.

Interesting Facts

• The Scandinavian is one of the very few 1. e4 openings where Black’s d-pawn advances two squares before the e-pawn moves at all—an inversion of classical principles.
• A popular sideline, the “Icelandic Gambit” (1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 c6), was developed by Icelandic masters in the 1970s and features a pawn sacrifice for rapid development.
• An ultra-solid variation is 2…Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 c6, sometimes called the “Smerdon Scandinavian,” after the Australian GM David Smerdon’s extensive analysis.

Closed Grünfeld Defense

Definition

The Closed Grünfeld Defense arises when White deliberately avoids early cxd5 exchanges and instead maintains a solid pawn chain with e3 (or sometimes Nf3 e3) against the classical Grünfeld setup. A typical starting sequence is 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. e3. The position remains “closed” because the center stays locked, contrasting with the open diagonals of mainstream Grünfeld positions.

How It Differs From the Main Grünfeld

• In the main line Grünfeld, White plays 4. cxd5 and erects a broad pawn center with e4; Black targets that center with pieces and pawn breaks.
• In the Closed variation, White supports the d-pawn with e3, often postponing or even avoiding cxd5 altogether.
• Black loses some of the typical Grünfeld counter-play based on the long-diagonal pressure against d4 but gains chances to maneuver in a more restrained, Benoni-like structure.

Strategic Themes

1. Central Tension: Because pawns remain in contact on d4 and d5, both players can choose when to release the tension, leading to strategic battles over timing.
2. Minor-Piece Play: Knights are excellent on c6/e4 for Black and on f3/b5 for White. Light-squared bishops often become “bad” and may be exchanged or rerouted.
3. Space vs. Flexibility: White enjoys extra central space; Black banks on flexibility and solid pawn breaks such as …c5 or …e5.

Typical Plans

• For White
  • Expand on the queenside with b4, c5 after preparatory a4.
  • Play for e4, converting to a powerful pawn center once pieces are harmoniously placed.
  • Exploit the kingside with f3 & g4 in certain setups.
• For Black
  • Break with …c5 or …e5, undermining the d4-pawn.
  • Transfer a knight to e4 or c4 and pressure d2, b2 squares.
  • Adopt a Hedgehog-style setup with …a6, …c6, and await an opportune pawn break.

Historical & Modern Usage

The Closed Grünfeld was explored in the 1950s by Soviet grandmasters seeking an alternative to the hyper-sharp Exchange Variation. In the computer era, it has appeared sporadically in elite play as a surprise weapon:

• Ivanchuk vs. Gelfand, Linares 1999: White employed 4. e3 and slowly outplayed Black in a complex middlegame.
• Carlsen vs. Vachier-Lagrave, Sinquefield Cup 2017: The World Champion used a Closed setup (4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3) to sidestep MVL’s deep Grünfeld preparation and scored a smooth victory.

Example Line

A blueprint for typical play:
. Notice how the position stays closed until move 7, when White chooses to capture.

Interesting Facts

• The move 4. e3 was once considered too passive, but engines now evaluate many Closed Grünfeld lines as dynamically equal—illustrating how modern analysis has rebalanced positional vs. dynamic factors.
• Because the opening tends to transpose into Catalan or Queen’s Indian-like middlegames, players who prefer those systems can reach familiar terrain while limiting Black’s Grünfeld playbook.
• Soviet theoretician Isaac Boleslavsky allegedly advised his pupils, “If you fear your opponent’s Grünfeld preparation, close the door first”—a nod to the strategic idea behind 4. e3.