Trompowsky: 2...d5 3.Bxf6 exf6 4.e3 c6

Trompowsky: 2...d5 3.Bxf6 exf6 4.e3 c6

Definition

This line is a specific variation of the Trompowsky Attack, which arises after the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5. Black declines the immediate capture on g5 and instead plays 2...d5, challenging the center. White then exchanges on f6 with 3.Bxf6, doubling Black’s f-pawns after 3...exf6. The sequence 4.e3 c6 completes the basic setup:

Diagram after 4...c6 (move 5 to play)

In standard opening nomenclature you will sometimes see this line called the “Trompowsky Exchange vs. ...d5” or “Clarendon-Trompowsky Hybrid.”

Typical Usage in Play

• Club Level: Favored by players who enjoy forcing structural weaknesses (doubled f-pawns) without having to memorize long theory. The positions tend to be strategic but with clear attacking chances.
• Master Level: Used as a practical surprise weapon to steer opponents away from mainstream Queen’s Gambit or Indian-type structures.
• Online Blitz: The direct nature of Bxf6 leads to unbalanced positions quickly, making it popular in rapid and blitz time controls.

Strategic Themes

1. Structural Imbalance: Black’s doubled f-pawns (f7–f6) create both a half-open e-file for counterplay and long-term weaknesses around the king.
2. Light-Square Strategy: With the dark-squared bishop gone, White often places pawns on dark squares (d4, e3, c3) and aims the remaining bishop to c4 or d3, pressuring f7 and h7.
3. Development Race: Black’s plan ...c6–...Qb6–...Bf5 can generate quick activity. If White is slow, the doubled f-pawns may prove useful in central control.
4. Endgame Outlook: In many endgames the pawn formation f7-f6-f7 (after ...f6-f5) can be repaired, leaving Black with the bishop pair and solid structure. White therefore prefers middlegame pressure.

Historical Background

The Trompowsky Attack (named after the Brazilian master Octávio Trompowsky) became widely known in the 1980s thanks to English GMs Julian Hodgson and John Nunn. The 2...d5 line specifically was explored by Soviet trainers as an antidote, but Hodgson revitalized 3.Bxf6, showing that the doubled pawns are not harmless.

Illustrative Examples

Game 1: Hodgson – Kaidanov, Linares Open 1993
White demonstrates the classic plan of Qf3, Bd3, Nd2-f1-g3, and 0-0-0, building up a kingside attack while restraining ...e5.

Game 2: Anand – Kramnik, Blindfold Rapid (Amber) 1996
A heavyweight encounter where Black equalised quickly by active piece play and a timely pawn break ...f5.

Plans for Both Sides

• White
  • Rapid development: Nf3, c4, Nc3, Bd3, Qc2/Qf3.
  • Target the f6 pawn: moves like Qf3, Bd3, O-O-O, and Rh1–e1.
  • Pawn storms: h4–h5 exploiting Black’s weakened dark squares.
• Black
  • Counter in the center with ...c6, ...Bf5, and ...Qb6.
  • Break with ...f5 or ...e5 when sufficiently developed.
  • Bishop pair: after ...Bd6 and ...Be6 Black aims for long-term activity.

Theoretical Status (2020s)

Engines rate the position after 4...c6 as roughly equal (≈0.20 – 0.40 for White at depth 40). Human practice shows balanced results:

• White score: 54 % over ~3 000 games in the Chessbase online database.
• Black wins: Often come from dynamic breaks ...f4 or ...c5.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• Hodgson’s “coffee-house special”: GM Julian Hodgson famously quipped that he played the Trompowsky for “lazy preparation and fast coffee,” yet he achieved a peak rating of 2640 using it as a main weapon.
• Computer approval: Modern engines like Stockfish and Leela often suggest 3.Bxf6 as best play even at high depth—vindicating what was once considered off-beat.
• Transpositional trick: After 4...c6, if White later plays c4 and Nc3, the game can transpose into a Caro-Kann Panov structure, but with colors reversed and the extra move Bg5 already spent.
• Kingside castling rights: Black sometimes castles queenside despite the doubled f-pawns, leading to sharp races with opposite-side attacks.