Zukertort Opening: Reversed Mexican Defense

Zukertort Opening: Reversed Mexican Defense

Definition

The Reversed Mexican Defense is a branch of the Zukertort Opening that occurs after the moves 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 Nc6 3. d4. White deliberately copies the set-up of the so-called Mexican Defense (better known today as the Black Knights’ Tango — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 Nc6) but plays it with an extra tempo. Because the colour roles are reversed, the position is “+1 move” in White’s favour, hence the label Reversed.

Typical Move Order

The critical sequence normally runs:

1. 1. Nf3   Nf6
2. 2. c4   Nc6
3. 3. d4   e6 or 3…d6

After 3…e6 4.Nc3 the game may transpose to a reversed Queen’s Gambit, Nimzo-Indian, or even Catalan-type positions with colours switched. Black can also steer the game toward King’s Indian, Grünfeld, or Benoni structures by …g6, …d5, or …c5 in the next few moves.

Strategic Themes

• Central Control with a Tempo in Hand. White occupies the centre early with d4 and often follows with e4, using the extra tempo to claim more space than Black gets in the original Tango.
• Flexible Knight Placement. The queenside knight is free to develop to c3, d2, or even b1–d2–f1 to support a kingside pawn storm once the centre is fixed.
• Transpositional Weapon. Because both sides have many pawn and piece choices after the first three moves, the opening is an excellent way to reach favourable versions of mainstream systems while avoiding opponent preparation.
• Counter-Punching for Black. Black often responds with …Bb4 (pinning the c3-knight), …d5, or the dynamic …e5 break to undermine White’s centre, mirroring typical ideas of the original Mexican Defense.

Historical Context

The name “Mexican Defense” honours Carlos Torre Repetto (Mexico’s first grandmaster), who championed the 2…Nc6 reply to the Queen’s Gambit in the 1920s. When White begins with 1.Nf3 and copies the same knight manoeuvre on move two, the structure becomes reversed. The line was popularised in modern praxis by elite grandmasters such as Alexander Morozevich, Hikaru Nakamura, and Vladimir Kramnik, usually as a surprise weapon to sidestep well-analysed Queen’s Gambit or English theory.

Illustrative Game

The following miniature shows how quickly White’s extra tempo can become a direct attacking resource:

Kasimdzhanov – Iordachescu, Essen Open 2003
White exploited the extra move to seize space, open lines, and launch a swift assault on Black’s king.

Plans for Both Sides

• White’s Main Ideas
  1. Rapid development (g3–Bg2 or Bf4/Bg5) while Black decides on a pawn structure.
  2. Prepare e2–e4 or c4–c5 thrusts to gain space and drive pieces forward.
  3. Exploit the extra tempo in simplified positions: endgames reached from symmetrical pawn structures are usually better for White.
• Black’s Counterplay
  1. Target White’s centre with …d5 or …e5 breaks as early as possible.
  2. Pin the c3-knight with …Bb4, aiming for doubled pawns after …Bxc3.
  3. Adopt flexible set-ups (…Bb4, …b6, or …g6) to transpose to familiar Indian-defense structures.

Notable Examples

• Morozevich vs. Anand, Linares 2001 – a tense strategic battle in which Anand equalised comfortably by adopting a rapid …d5 break.
• Kramnik vs. Aronian, Zurich 2014 – Kramnik steered play into a favourable Catalan-type structure and converted a small edge in the endgame.

Trivia & Anecdotes

• The nickname “Tango” comes from the dance-like manoeuvre of Black’s knights in the original Mexican Defense (…Nf6–Nc6–e5–g6). In the reversed version, White gets to “lead the dance.”
• ECO classifies the line under A04, one of the many sub-branches of the Zukertort Opening.
• Because it begins with the flexible move 1.Nf3, the opening is a popular “anti-computer” choice in engine handicap matches, where side-stepping mainline book theory is paramount.