Even when no preparation has been possible, which is common in league matches and in weekend tournaments with two or three rounds a day, we have usually decided beforehand what our first move will be as White.
Similarly, as Black, we normally know how we will respond to common moves such as 1.e4, 1.d4 and 1.c4.
But even quite strong players can find themselves out of their repertoires if the opponent opens with something relatively rare.
In this short series I want to look at two such moves, 1.g4 (the Grob) and 1.b4 (the Polish, aka the Orangutan or the Sokolsky).
At club level, Blacks often improvise against these openings, playing vaguely useful developing moves, and then spending the rest of the game wondering how they got into difficulties against such 'inferior' play by White.
For each opening I will be suggesting two radically different plans for Black - it being largely a matter of taste which to play.
I will start with the Grob
After 1.g4, the analysis engine Stockfish10 ludicrously claims White is lost; Komodo10's assessment of a slight edge for Black is much nearer the mark.
White's first move effectively commits to following up with Bg2, fighting for the central light squares.
Black's overwhelmingly most-popular reply is 1...d5, which is usually played as part of a plan to blunt the fianchettoed bishop.
The move also puts the white g pawn en prise, but White often ignores this, playing 2.Bg2!?
Grob pioneer Michael Basman preferred the 'natural' 2.h3, after which 2...h5 3.g5 e5 already looks good for Black, who has the f5 square for his queen's bishop or a knight.
After 2.Bg2!?, Black has a major decision to make, and there is no doubt the sensible thing is to make that decision before the game.
I am recommending the engines' choice, 2...Bxg4, but the conservative 2...c6 is certainly a valid alternative. Black can also, although it is not popular, grab more central squares with 2...e5, but many Grob players hope for this as they get an initiative attacking the black centre.
After Black grabs the pawn, White's logical attempt to justify the positional pawn-sac is by attacking on the queenside with 3.c4.
Unlike many lines in the Grob, this had a high-level try-out last year.
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| Position after 3.c4 |
PRO League rapidplay (US internet) 2019
3...c6 4.Qb3!?
More common is 4.cxd5, but the two lines can easily transpose.
4...Qd7
The engines prefer 4...e6, continuing 5.Qxb7 Nd7 6.Nc3 (6.Qxc6?! is met by 6...Rc8), following up with the apparent-novelty 6...Ne7 when Black, if nothing else, has the safer king.
5.cxd5 Nf6 6.Nc3
6.dxc6?! Nxc6 helps Black's development.
6...cxd5 7.Nxd5 Nc6
White has won back his sacrificed pawn, but Black has an edge in development and should be able to get his king to safety on the kingside.
8.d3!?
This seems to be a novelty. Known is 8.Nxf6+?!, but after 8...exf6 Black's development advantage and safer king more than set off White's passed d pawn, which has a long way to go before it becomes dangerous.
8...Nxd5?!
Now the queens will likely come off, after which Black's advantage is minimal. Almost certainly better is the engines' 8...Be6, when 9.Nxf6+ (practically forced) 9...exf6 is nice for Black.
9.Qxd5 e5 10.Qxd7+ Kxd7!?
Black's fewer pawn-islands means he is slightly for preference (½–½, 43 moves).
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After 1.g4, Black can treat the position very differently by reasoning that, since White is fighting for the light squares (1.g4 with Bg2 to follow), Black should take over the dark squares.
This is most usually begun with 1...e5, although Nakamura is among those who have preferred 1...c5.
White normally continues 2.Bg2, and now Black can get greedy for central squares with 2...d5!?, but I am suggesting keeping with a dark-square strategy by playing 2...Nc6.
The continuation 3.c4 Bc5 4.Nc3 d6 sees both sides following their respective light/dark-square strategies.
White's g pawn is now hanging, so there is no time to win the bishop-pair with ...Na4.
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| Position after 4...d6 |
Vlissingen (Netherlands) 2008
5.h3
The engines suggest 5.e3!?, when 5...h5 6.gxh5 Qh4 gives Black the upper hand, according to Stockfish10, although Komodo10 reckons White is close to equality.
5...h5 6.gxh5 Qh4
Continuing to play on the dark squares wherever possible.
7.Ne4 Bb6 8.d3 f5 9.Nf3 Qxh5 10.Neg5?!
The engines suggest 10.Nc3, but much prefer Black.
10...Nf6 11.e4 Qg6 12.Qe2 fxe4 13.dxe4 Nh7!? 14.h4?
This allows a strong pin, but the position is already difficult for White. The engines give best play as 13.Nh4 Qh6 14.Nf5 Qf6 15.h4, when Black has a choice of pleasant continuations, including 15...g6 16.Ne3 Nd4.
14...Bg4 15.a3?
Black has a strong attack in any event, but this move in such a sharp position is too slow.
15...Nxg5 16.Bxg5 0-0 17.Qd3 Qh5 (0-1, 22 moves).
*This is the highest-level game I could find in this line. Nieuwenhuijse joined the Fide rating list in September 2009 with a rating of 2109.
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