TacticForge

Chapter 7 of 7

1.c4 and 1.Nf3

Play 1…f5 against these too. If White plays d4, you are in the earlier chapters; if White never does, …e5 is free.

Against the English and the Réti the same setup works: …Nf6, …g6, …Bg7, …O-O, …d6. Without a pawn on d4, nothing stops …e5, and with …e5 and …f5 together Black has a strong centre.

At a glance

White plays d4

Chapter 1 (no fianchetto) or Chapter 2 (fianchetto).

White keeps the pawn on d3

…d6 and …e5, then …Nc6 or …c6.

Key ideas

…e5 is free without d4

When White keeps the d-pawn on d3, nothing stops …e5. With pawns on f5 and e5 Black has a big centre and the f-file, and …Bb4 can double White's pawns on the c-file.

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.

White plays 1.c4

1.c4 f5: where it leads

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 1.Nf3

1.Nf3 f5: where it leads

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 3.Nf3

3.Nf3: the Leningrad

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 3.d3

3.d3: …e5 and …Bb4

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.
  11. 6.
  13. 7.
  15. 8.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 2.d3

1.Nf3 f5 2.d3: …d6 and …e5

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.
  11. 6.
  13. 7.
  15. 8.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 4.d3

4.d3

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.
  11. 6.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 4.Nf3

4.Nf3

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.
  11. 6.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 4.Bg5

4.Bg5

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.
  11. 6.
  13. 7.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 3.g3

3.g3

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 3.Nbd2

3.Nbd2

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White takes on f5

4.exf5 Bxf5

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.
  11. 6.
  13. 7.
  15. 8.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 4.Be2

4.Be2

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 4.Bg5

4.Bg5: trade the bishops

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.
  11. 6.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 5.Be2

5.Be2

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.
  11. 6.
  13. 7.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White takes on f5

5.exf5

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.
  11. 6.
  13. 7.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 5.Bg5

5.Bg5

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White takes on f6

5.Bxf6 and Nd5

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.
  11. 6.
  13. 7.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 5.e4

5.e4

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.
  11. 6.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 5.Nc3

5.Nc3

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.
  11. 6.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White castles

5.O-O

−0.4
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.
  11. 6.

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 reaches this chapter's structure by another move order, starting with 1…e5: pawns on e5 and f5, and White's pawns doubled after …Bxc3.

Chess.com Rapid · 0-1

Sevian, Samuel – Caruana, F., 2022

0.0
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.
  11. 6.
  13. 7.
  15. 8.
  17. 9.
  19. 10.
  21. 11.
  23. 12.
  25. 13.
  27. 14.
  29. 15.
  31. 16.
  33. 17.
  35. 18.
  37. 19.
  39. 20.
  41. 21.
  43. 22.
  45. 23.
  47. 24.
  49. 25.
  51. 26.
  53. 27.
  55. 28.
  57. 29.
  59. 30.
  61. 31.
  63. 32.
  65. 33.
  67. 34.
  69. 35.
  71. 36.

Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

Take these into your games

e5 is free without d4

If White never plays d4, put a pawn on e5 and use it to support …f4.