Trompowsky Attack: Classical Defense, Big Center
Trompowsky Attack: Classical Defense, Big Center Variation
Definition
The Trompowsky Attack begins with 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5. Black’s most frequently played reply, 2…e6, is known as the Classical Defense. When White immediately seizes space with 3.e4, the game enters the Big Center Variation. Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO) code: A45/46.
Typical Move-order
Standard sequence:
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 e6 3.e4
- Black’s most common replies are:
- 3…h6 4.Bxf6 Qxf6 (forced if Black wants to avoid doubled pawns)
- 3…c5, striking at White’s broad pawn center in typical Benoni-style fashion
- 3…d5 transposing to a French-like structure after 4.e5
Strategic Ideas
The variation’s nickname—“Big Center”—reflects White’s early occupation of e4 and d4. Key strategic themes include:
- White
- Rapid development: the bishop already sits on g5; knights usually come to c3 and f3 and the queen often goes to d2.
- Space advantage: the pawn duo on d4–e4 cramps Black’s pieces.
- Kingside initiative: after …h6 White frequently provokes …g5, creating dark-square weaknesses to aim at with moves like h4, Qd2, and O-O-O.
- Flexible transpositions: the position may resemble a French Advance, King’s Indian (4…d6 5.Nc3 g6), or a Pirc/Modern.
- Black
- Counter-attacking the center with …c5, …d5, or …d6 followed by …c5.
- Testing White’s bishop commitment: …h6 can force Bxf6 and obtain the bishop pair at the cost of structural weaknesses.
- Delayed castling: Black sometimes keeps the king in the center until the pawn storm’s direction becomes clear.
Historical Background
The Trompowsky (named after the Brazilian master Octávio Trompowsky) was a minor sideline until the 1980s, when English grandmasters Julian Hodgson and Nigel Short championed it as a surprise weapon against strong Indian- Defense specialists. The Big Center line in particular blossomed after the 2…e6 Classical Defense grew popular; Hodgson’s successes in the 1990s demonstrated how dangerous White’s central grab could be in practical play.
Illustrative Example
The following short PGN fragment shows one of the critical main lines:
After 10.h4 White intends h5 or exd6, while Black eyes …dxe5 and …Rd8 to contest the center.
Notable Games
- Julian Hodgson – Giovanni Vescovi, Buenos Aires 1999 (Hodgson uncorked 3.e4 h6 4.Bh4!? and steam-rolled the center.)
- Vladimir Kramnik – Peter Svidler, Dortmund 1995 (Demonstrates Black’s counterplay with …c5 and …d5.)
- Ding Liren – Sergey Karjakin, Wijk aan Zee 2013 (A modern elite-level clash highlighting the flexibility of Tromp Classical setups.)
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- The move 3.e4 shocked traditional opening theorists; in earlier
manuals it was labelled
dubious
because the pawn on d4 is left en-prise. Modern engines, however, confirm full equality with accurate play for Black, making it an exciting practical weapon. - Julian Hodgson cheekily called the line
The Python
because of how the pawn center slowly squeezes Black’s position. - Even Garry Kasparov experimented with 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 during blitz and
rapid sessions, praising its
healthy aggression
.
When to Choose the Big Center
Opt for 3.e4 if you:
- Enjoy open central pawn structures reminiscent of the French Advance but with your light-squared bishop outside the chain.
- Want to sidestep mountains of theory in the Queen’s Indian, Nimzo-Indian, and King’s Indian Defenses.
- Are comfortable meeting early …h6 with Bxf6 and steering the game into unbalanced, dynamic territory.
Further Study Tips
- Analyze the stem game Hodgson – King, London 1994 to grasp typical attacking motifs after 3…h6 4.Bxf6.
- Play training blitz adopting both sides to understand the timing of breaks like …c5 and f4–f5.
- Compare the resulting pawn structures with those from the French Advance and the Pirc Defense to appreciate transpositional nuances.