Ponderchess / Openings
Play the guided film, or select a scene to pause and study its position.
Opening
The Owen Defense in 3D
1.e4 b6. Black fianchettoes the queen's bishop at once to pressure e4 from b7, inviting White to build a broad centre and then attacking it.
Rebuild the sequence yourself. The board responds to each move, and hints are available.
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Owen Defense: Matovinsky Gambit, move by move: e4 b6 d4 Bb7 Bd3 f5 exf5 Bxg2 …
The white pieces
Build the centre with d4 and protect e4 with Bd3, Nc3 or f3. Use the extra space, and keep the long diagonal in mind when deciding where to castle.
The black pieces
Pressure e4 with ...Bb7 and ...Nf6, then challenge the centre with ...c5, or with ...e6 and ...d5.
Look a little deeper · 01
The usual continuation is 2.d4 Bb7. White then defends e4 with 3.Bd3 or 3.Nc3, or offers the pawn with 3.Nf3, the Smith Gambit.
Look a little deeper · 02
Black's typical setup is ...e6, ...Nf6, ...c5 and sometimes ...Bb4, reaching structures similar to the French or the English Defense, with pressure on the long diagonal.
Look a little deeper · 03
With 2...Ba6, the Guatemala Defense, Black aims to trade off White's light-squared bishop instead.
Look a little deeper · 04
The Matovinsky Gambit, 3.Bd3 f5 4.exf5 Bxg2, is a risky try that opens Black's own king to 5.Qh5+.
Owen Defense: Matovinsky Gambit, move by move: e4 b6 d4 Bb7 Bd3 f5 exf5 Bxg2 …
Keyboard: Space pauses, the arrow keys step. Gold arrows are White's moves, violet are Black's, red rays are threats, green shows support, blue shows plans.
