Torre Attack Fianchetto Defense
Torre Attack
Definition
The Torre Attack is a Queen’s-Pawn opening characterised by the early development of White’s dark-squared bishop to g5 while postponing the advance of the c-pawn. The core position usually arises after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 (ECO codes A46–A48). Named after the Mexican grandmaster Carlos Torre Repetto, it is an “anti-Indian” system whose purpose is to sidestep the heavily analysed Queen’s Gambit, King’s Indian and Nimzo-Indian lines.
Typical Move-Orders
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 – the classical Torre.
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bg5 – aimed specifically at avoiding the King’s Indian/Grünfeld complex.
- 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg5 – sometimes reached via a Colle‐like move order.
Strategic Themes
- Pin & Friction. The bishop pins the f6-knight, making …d5 and …e5 harder to achieve. White often follows up with Nbd2, e2–e4, or c2–c3.
- Flexible centre. Because c2–c4 is delayed, White may choose between playing for e2–e4 (resembling a London-System plus pin) or switching to typical Queen’s-Pawn structures later.
- Kingside initiative. After h2–h4–h5 or Bxf6 followed by Qd2, White can generate attacks if Black castles short.
- Piece play over pawns. The opening rarely leads to immediate pawn breaks; instead, harmonious minor-piece placement and rapid castling are emphasised.
Historical Notes
Carlos Torre employed the system to stunning effect against former World Champion Emanuel Lasker in Moscow 1925, inspiring generations of “system players.” In the 1980s–1990s, Grandmasters such as Yusupov, Kramnik and Anand resurrected the Torre as a practical weapon when seeking to avoid computer-analysed main lines.
Illustrative Game
Torre Repetto – Lasker, Moscow 1925 (abridged)
After 19.Nxf7! White sacrificed a knight to open lines around Black’s king; the spectacular finish cemented the opening’s romantic reputation.
Modern Usage
The Torre Attack remains popular at club level because:
- It avoids reams of Nimzo-Indian and Queen’s Gambit theory.
- The plans are conceptually straightforward.
- It is less drawish than the London System, often leading to unbalanced positions.
Elite grandmasters still wheel it out as a surprise weapon; for example, Magnus Carlsen used it to beat Kirill Alekseenko in the 2020 Candidates Tournament.
Interesting Facts
- In the early ECO tables the Torre was grouped with the “Indian Defenses” despite being a White system.
- Carlos Torre reportedly learned the line from studying apprentice notebooks of Mexican coffee-house players rather than formal theory.
- The Torre bishop is sometimes humorously called the “Torre Tormentor” because of the irritation it causes Black’s knight.
Fianchetto Defense
Definition
The term “Fianchetto Defense” is less formal than names like the King’s Indian or Grünfeld, yet in modern opening manuals it usually denotes Black’s set-up 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 — a flexible system where Black fianchettos the king-side bishop to g7 without committing the centre early. ECO classifies it under codes A45–A47 (“Queen’s-Pawn Game: Fianchetto Defense”). The strategy can transpose into the King’s Indian, the Pirc, or remain in independent territory depending on how both sides proceed.
Typical Blueprint
- ...g7–g6 and ...Bg7 – the defining fianchetto.
- ...d7–d6 or ...d7–d5 – centre held in reserve until Black gauges White’s plan.
- ...0-0 – fast king safety.
- ...c7–c5 or ...e7–e5 – eventual counterstrike against White’s centre.
Strategic Features
- Hypermodern Philosophy. Black allows White to occupy the centre with pawns (c2–c4, e2–e4) and relies on piece pressure from g7 and the knight on f6 to undermine it later.
- Transpositional Weapon. Depending on whether White plays c4, Nc3, or g3, the game may transpose into King’s Indian Defense, the Modern Defense, or even a symmetrical English.
- Reduced Theory. By eschewing early pawn tension, Black keeps the opening repertoire compact, appealing to players who prefer understanding over memorisation.
Historical Context
The concept of the fianchetto (Italian: “on the little flank”) dates back to 18th-century Italian manuals, but the codified “Fianchetto Defense” versus 1.d4 gained traction in the 20th century when hypermodern pioneers—Réti, Grünfeld and Nimzowitsch—demonstrated that control of the centre did not require direct occupation.
Model Game
Smyslov – Korchnoi, Candidates 1968
Korchnoi began with the modest 2…g6 but transposed into a Grünfeld-like structure when White opted for c4 and Nc3, illustrating the system’s flexibility.
Practical Guidelines for Black
- If White keeps the knight on g1 (e.g., Colle System), consider striking with ...c5 or ...e5 before White consolidates.
- Against a g3-based set-up, mirror the fianchetto but watch out for d5 space-gains; timely ...b5 can break symmetry.
- Avoid routine ...d6–d5 when your light-squared bishop is still on c8; it risks becoming passive.
Common Transpositions
The diagram below shows three branching paths after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6:
- 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 d5 – Grünfeld structure.
- 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.0-0 d6 – Modern/King’s Indian hybrid.
- 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.e3 d6 5.h3 0-0 6.Be2 – stays in the pure Fianchetto Defense zone.
Interesting Tidbits
- Former World Champion Vassily Smyslov, famed for endgame mastery, preferred the Fianchetto Defense late in his career because it offered “easy-to-play positions and rich middlegame prospects.”
- The set-up is a favourite of correspondence and engine players, who appreciate the latent dart of the g7-bishop once central lines open.
- A spectacular miniature occurred in Jobava – Kotronias, Kavala 2002, where Black’s fianchetto bishop delivered mate on b2 in only 24 moves.