White plays 2.Bg5
2.Bg5 g6: the Leningrad anyway
1
23
4
5
6
7
8h
g
f
e
dcba−0.4
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
Chapter 4 of 7
Against an early Bg5
Three ways for White to bring the bishop to g5 early. The answers that score best at club level are also the simplest.
Club Dutch players score only 43% after 2.Bg5. The bishop pins nothing yet, but it threatens to take a knight on f6 and spoil your pawns. The popular reply 2…h6 3.Bh4 g5 scores worse still: 41% in 176,000 club games. It loosens your kingside and opens the e8–h5 diagonal.
The simple answer scores best. Against 2.Bg5, play 2…g6 and the Leningrad setup: 48% in 96,000 games. Against the bishop after Nf3 or Nc3, play …e6 with …Be7 or …Bb4, or …d5 against Nc3.
At a glance
2.Bg5
2…g6, then …Bg7 and …Nf6. The Leningrad, with the bishop on g5 hitting nothing.
Nf3 and Bg5
…e6 and …Be7; after Bxf6 Qxf6 Black has the two bishops.
Nc3 and Bg5
…d5. After Bxf6 exf6, …Be6, …Qd7, …Nc6.
Key ideas
123
4
5
6
78hgfedcbaPlain development beats pawn chases
Against 2.Bg5 the natural reaction is …h6 and …g5, but at club level it scores worst: the pawns loosen the king and open the e8–h5 diagonal. 2…g6 simply carries on with the Leningrad; the bishop on g5 has nothing to pin.
123
4
5
6
78hg
fed
cbaAfter Bxf6: the bishop pair
When White gives the bishop for the knight, recapture with the queen or a pawn and keep both bishops. In open positions they are worth more than a knight and bishop, and the e5 square is no longer covered by White's dark-squared bishop.
The lines
Click a move or use the arrows. Highlighted moves carry a note, and under each note you'll find the other moves played from that position, including the tempting mistakes. The number under the board is Stockfish's evaluation from your side: minus means your opponent is better.
1278hgfedcbaWhite plays Nf3 and Bg5
2.Nf3 and 3.Bg5
123
4
5
6
78hgfedcba−0.4
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
- 7.
- 8.
Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
White plays Nc3 and Bg5
2.Nc3 and 3.Bg5: …d5
123
4
5
6
78hgfedcba−0.4
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
White plays 3.Nc3
3.Nc3 and e4
123
4
5
6
78hgfedcba−0.4
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
White plays 3.h4
3.h4: the h-pawn attack
123
4
5
6
78hgfedcba−0.4
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
White plays 4.Nbd2
4.Nbd2 and e4
123
4
5
6
78hgfedcba−0.4
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
- 7.
Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
White takes on f6
4.Bxf6 Qxf6: the bishop pair
123
4
5
6
78hgfedcba−0.4
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
White plays 4.Nc3
4.Nc3: pin it
123
4
5
6
78hgfedcba−0.4
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
White plays 5.c4
5.c4: queenside fianchetto
123
4
5
6
78hgfedcba−0.4
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
- 7.
Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
White plays 4.e3
4.e3: a Stonewall with …Ne4
123
4
5
6
78hgfedcba−0.4
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
- 7.
Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
White plays 4.Nf3
4.Nf3
123
4
5
6
78hgfedcba−0.4
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
White plays 5.a3
5.a3: take the knight
123
4
5
6
78hgfedcba−0.4
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
- 7.
Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
A model game
Master games from the Lichess database, with the engine's evaluation under the board.
Fabiano Caruana answers 2.Nc3 and 3.Bg5 with 3…d5, as in this chapter, and meets White's kingside pawn storm by opening the centre.
US Championship · 0-1
Akobian, V. – Caruana, F., 2019
123
4
5
6
78hgfedcba0.0
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
- 7.
- 8.
- 9.
- 10.
- 11.
- 12.
- 13.
- 14.
- 15.
- 16.
- 17.
- 18.
- 19.
- 20.
- 21.
- 22.
- 23.
- 24.
- 25.
- 26.
- 27.
- 28.
- 29.
- 30.
- 31.
- 32.
- 33.
- 34.
- 35.
- 36.
- 37.
- 38.
- 39.
- 40.
- 41.
- 42.
- 43.
- 44.
- 45.
- 46.
- 47.
- 48.
- 49.
Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
Take these into your games
Keep it simple
Against an early Bg5, plain development scores best: …g6, …e6 or …d5. Chasing the bishop with pawns loosens your king.
The bishop pair is yours
If White takes on f6, recapture and enjoy the two bishops. Don't fear the doubled pawns after …exf6.