Ponderchess / Openings
Play the guided film, or select a scene to pause and study its position.
Opening
The Trompowsky Attack in 3D
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5. White threatens to take on f6 and double Black's pawns, steering away from main-line theory from the second move.
Rebuild the sequence yourself. The board responds to each move, and hints are available.
Click or drag to move · Arrow keys + Enter to play
Your turn · white to play
Select a piece, then its destination. Switch to 2D for a clear overhead view or rotate the 3D board to explore the position.
Trompowsky Attack: Edge Variation, Hergert Gambit, move by move: d4 Nf6 Bg5 Ne4 Bh4 d5 f3 Nf6 …
The white pieces
Decide early whether to take on f6. Follow with e3, c3, Nd2 and Bd3 for a solid setup, or e4 and Nc3 for a sharper centre, and keep an eye on b2.
The black pieces
Question the bishop with ...Ne4 or ...h6, attack b2 with ...c5 and ...Qb6, and use the bishop pair if White trades on f6.
Look a little deeper · 01
The most popular reply is 2...Ne4, hitting the bishop. White chooses between 3.Bf4, 3.Bh4 (the Edge Variation) and 3.h4 (the Raptor Variation), where after 3...Nxg5 4.hxg5 White's rook gets the open h-file.
Look a little deeper · 02
2...e6 (the Classical Defense) prepares to recapture on f6 with the queen, so there are no doubled pawns. White can instead play 3.e4, the Big Center Variation, and take the centre.
Look a little deeper · 03
Bishop against knight and doubled pawns against the bishop pair are recurring themes. When White takes on f6, it is to damage Black's structure and gain time.
Look a little deeper · 04
Once the c1 bishop has left, b2 is a target. ...c5 and ...Qb6 is Black's standard way to attack it.
Trompowsky Attack: Edge Variation, Hergert Gambit, move by move: d4 Nf6 Bg5 Ne4 Bh4 d5 f3 Nf6 …
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.
