Ponderchess / Openings
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Opening
The Torre Attack in 3D
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5. White pins the knight, builds a solid centre with e3, c3 and Nbd2, and prepares the e4 break.
Rebuild the sequence yourself. The board responds to each move, and hints are available.
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Torre Attack: Classical Defense, Petrosian Gambit, move by move: d4 Nf6 Nf3 e6 Bg5 c5 e3 b6 …
The white pieces
Keep the pin, complete e3, c3, Nbd2 and Bd3, castle, then prepare e4. Trading on f6 is worth it when it gains time or weakens Black's kingside.
The black pieces
Break the pin with ...h6 or ...Be7, play ...c5 and ...Qb6 against b2, and challenge the centre with ...d5, or with ...d6 and ...e5.
Look a little deeper · 01
The main setup is e3, Nbd2, c3 and Bd3 with short castling, followed by e4. White takes on f6 when it gains time or damages Black's pawns.
Look a little deeper · 02
Black's sharpest answer is ...c5 with ...Qb6, hitting b2 as against the London System. After 3...c5 4.e3 Qb6, White defends with 5.Qc1 or offers the pawn with 5.Nbd2, when 5...Qxb2 6.Bd3 gives White quick development.
Look a little deeper · 03
3...h6 (the Nimzowitsch Variation) asks the bishop at once. 4.Bxf6 Qxf6 gives Black the bishop pair, while 4.Bh4 keeps the pin.
Look a little deeper · 04
Against 2...g6 (the Fianchetto Defense) White uses the same setup, with c3 blunting the bishop on g7 and e4 as the central break.
Torre Attack: Classical Defense, Petrosian Gambit, move by move: d4 Nf6 Nf3 e6 Bg5 c5 e3 b6 …
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.