Bowdler Attack in the Sicilian Defense
Sicilian Defense – Bowdler Attack
Definition
The Bowdler Attack is an aggressive but theoretically dubious system for White against the Sicilian Defense. After the moves
- e4 c5
- Bc4 …
White immediately develops the king’s-bishop to the a2–g8 diagonal, eyeing the sensitive f7-square. The line is named after the 19th-century English amateur John Bowdler (sometimes spelled “Bowlder”), who employed the idea in casual play.
Typical Move Order
The attack is most often reached by:
- e4 c5
- Bc4 …
but it can also arise from 2.Nf3 followed by 3.Bc4 if Black delays …Nc6 or …e6.
Strategic Ideas
- White’s Plan
- Target f7 quickly with Bc4, Qh5 (or Qf3) and possibly a rapid Ng5.
- Catch an unwary opponent who treats the line too casually.
- Keep theory to a minimum; many club players know reams of Open-Sicilian theory but have never studied the Bowdler.
- Black’s Plan
- Refute the premature pressure with accurate defending moves such as …e6, …e5, …Nc6, or …g6.
- Exploit the fact that Bc4 often becomes a tactical target after …e6 and …d5, gaining time with tempo attacks on the bishop.
- Reach a healthy, usually superior structure once the initial threats are parried.
Why It’s Considered Dubious
The Bowdler Attack breaks several modern opening principles in the Sicilian:
- White reveals the bishop early, allowing Black to hit it with tempo (…e6 and …d5).
- The move Bc4 does nothing to fight for the d4-square, the usual battleground of the Sicilian.
- If Black plays accurately, White often falls behind in development while the bishop must retreat.
Historical & Theoretical Significance
Though never popular at master level, the line appears in romantic 19th-century games and in occasional blitz or rapid encounters when surprise value trumps objective soundness. Its chief value today is pedagogical: it teaches beginners the importance of concrete tactics (the threat to f7) versus long-term positional considerations (central control).
Model Sequence
After 8…Bb4, the bishop on c4 has already been “kicked” twice (…e6 and …Bb4) and White’s opening advantage has effectively evaporated.
In Practice
- Good for: Surprise weapon in blitz/rapid, teaching tactics to novices.
- Bad for: Classical tournament games against prepared opposition.
Famous (or Infamous) Games
Because strong players rarely adopt the Bowdler, notable examples are scarce. One of the better-known instances is the skittles game Morphy v NN, New York 1857, which ended in a brisk mating attack starting with 1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Qf3 g6 4.Qxf7# – an instructive miniature often cited in tactics manuals. However, Black’s play was patently unsound (3…g6??).
Typical Refutations for Black
- 2…e6 – the simplest; after 3.Nf3 d5! Black hits the bishop and seizes the center.
- 2…Nc6 – prepares …e6 and …d5 while controlling d4.
- 2…g6 is playable but risky; accurate moves (…Nc6, …e6) are safer.
Example Refutation Line
By move 30 Black enjoys a comfortable position and the two bishops, illustrating why top players avoid the Bowdler.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- The attack was once jokingly called the “Sicilian Scholar’s Mate” because beginners often try to recreate the 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Qh5 Qxf7# pattern against the Sicilian, seldom with success.
- In online blitz, databases show that 2.Bc4 scores surprisingly well under the 1400 rating bracket, but the win-rate plummets above 2000.
- Despite its reputation, a handful of grandmasters have toyed with it in bullet chess. GM Hikaru Nakamura used it to score a 7-move win on stream, quipping “sometimes bad openings work great when the clock is your main opponent.”
Bottom Line
The Bowdler Attack is fun, easy to learn, and tactically sharp, but objectively unsound. It can serve as a surprise weapon or a learning tool for tactics, yet players seeking a reliable edge versus the Sicilian should prefer main lines such as the Open Sicilian (2.Nf3 followed by 3.d4) or solid alternatives like the Alapin (2.c3) and the Closed Sicilian (2.Nc3).