Updated London Page

 Just Cleaned Up , Organized, and Updated  The London Opening page on the Sidebar.

          - Added some New Guides and Articles
          - Added New Opening Lesson Video Playlist (From GM Aman Hambleton)
          - Added links to The Chessgames.com and 365Chess pages of London games
          - Added Some New Annotated game Videos  and 2 Playlists of  70+ Annotated Game Videos

          -  Added Highlighted Links To The Following Pages There Now
          -  Link  To Jobava London Opening Page 
          -  Link To Anti-London Page 

The Trompowsky Attack: A Complete Guide to White's Aggressive Weapon A45

"The aim of chess is not only to attack your opponent's king, but also to force him to defend badly." - Aron Nimzowitsch

The Trompowsky Attack
Unleash Chaos on your Opponent

Want to ditch complex opening theory and unleash aggressive, surprising play on your opponent?

Look no further than the Trompowsky Attack!

This exciting opening, played with the moves 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5, offers White a unique path to victory:

• Disrupt Black's Development: White's early bishop development targets Black's knight, potentially forcing a trade that creates doubled pawns for Black. This disrupts their development and creates imbalances in the position.
  
  
• Fight for the Center: The Trompowsky often leads to dynamic positions where White can vie for control of the center and launch a quick attack.
  
  
• Sharp and Unpredictable: By bypassing common opening lines, the Trompowsky can throw your opponent off balance and create opportunities for tactical brilliance.

Whether you're a beginner seeking a dynamic weapon or an experienced player looking to surprise your rivals, the Trompowsky Attack can be a valuable addition to your chess arsenal. This comprehensive guide compiles the best resources to master the Trompowsky Attack, from articles and video lessons to puzzles and interactive studies.

Trompowsky Wikipedia Page

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Books & Courses (Free)

FREE Chessable Courses

• Short & Sweet: The Trompowsky  - -23 Trainable variations w/59 Min Video - FM Kamil Plichta- Learn a full opening repertoire with 20 core lines and a 59-minute video guide. Perfect for beginners looking for a structured approach.
  
  
• Trompowsky Tactics  -  123 Chess Tactics you can train - 81 puzzles for White, and 42 for Black. Sharpen your tactical skills with puzzles specifically designed for the Trompowsky Attack, including variations for both White and Black from Chess Miniatures.
  
  
• Trample the Trompowsky  -   36 Variations to Learn and play against Trompowsky - This repertoire for Black recommends an easy-to-remember setup aimed at controlling the center (d5, c5) and exploiting opportunities where White delays or avoids capturing on f6.
  
  
• Short & Sweet: Pseudo Trompowsky -  30  Trainable Variations w/64 Min Video -Master the fundamentals of the Pseudo-Trompowsky, a related opening with similar ideas, in just a few hours through 30 core lines and a 64-minute video.

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Trompowsky Chess Articles

This section dives into the Trompowsky Attack's rich history, key variations, and strategic ideas.

• Try the Dangerous Trompowsky Attack Today  -  Chessable Blog Guide (Very Detailed) Master the Trompowsky for White and Black with this in-depth guide - perfect for players of all levels.
  
  
• Trompowsky Attack -IM Alberto Chueca -Explore theory, strategic concepts, and typical plans for White with this comprehensive resource.
  
  
• Playing Against The Trompowsky: A Standard Response - WGM Raluca Sgîrcea, IM Renier Castellanos - Learn how to handle White's aggression with 3 different responses w/ game analysis to play against the Trompowsky.

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Trompowsky LiChess Studies

Explore interactive training tools to solidify your understanding of the opening's concepts.

• The Trompowsky Attack - 7 Chapter Study (Detailed)  (189 Hearts) - 6 different 2nd Move Lines Explored.
  
  
• Trompowsky Attack  -  9 Chapter Interactive Study - This 9-chapter interactive study lets you explore different lines, from the engine line to different sidelines. (Test your understanding!)
  
  
• Lifetime Repertoire Trompowsky - 14 Chapter Study - (102 Hearts)Quickstart Guide  also featuring analysis and plans for 13 key Trompowsky lines.
  
  
• Trompowsky Attack: 2.. Ne4 - 7 Chapter Study  - This comprehensive 7-chapter study explores various lines, including the Main Line and responses to Black's 2...Ne4 (Edge, Bf4, Raptor variations). (Great for a deep dive!)

LiStudy Training Page 

(LiChess Movetrainer) - 

Sharpen your skills with training sets focused on specific Trompowsky Attack variations, including lines from Hanging Pawns and those inspired by GothamChess' 10-minute Trompowsky video. (For targeted practice!)

• Trompowsky Attack by Hanging Pawns  -  8 Lines To Practice here
  
  
• Trompowsky Attack  -  11 Lines to Practice here (Created from Gotham Chess 10 Min Trompowsky Video)
  
  
• Torre Attack Model games  - 8 games
  
  

New to Lichess studies? They are a fantastic way to learn chess concepts and variations move-by-move. You can test your understanding, explore different lines, and deepen your knowledge of the Trompowsky Attack at your own pace.

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Trompowsky Puzzles

Test your tactical skills with puzzles specifically designed for the Trompowsky Attack.

LiChess Openings Puzzles:

• Trompowsky Attack - 2772 Puzzles  (All Variations): Dive into a massive pool of 2772 puzzles covering the entire spectrum of Trompowsky Attack variations. (For a comprehensive challenge)
  

Individual Variations:

• Trompowsky Attack: Classical Defense - 754 Puzzles
• Trompowsky Attack: Raptor Variation - 174 Puzzles
• Trompowsky Attack: Edge Variation - 172 Puzzles
• Trompowsky Attack: Borg Variation - 60 Puzzles

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Games Databases

Examining real Trompowsky Attack games is a fantastic way to see how theory translates into practice. Here are some curated databases to get you started:

Chessgames.com (Collections)

• Black plays 2... d5 against Trompovsky  - Analyze 28 games where Black challenges White's bishop with an early pawn push.
• Defending against the Trompowski - Learn from Black's perspective with 8 games showcasing various defensive strategies.
• A45 Winning Games (White)  -  Explore 15 Trompowsky victories for White, seeing how they capitalized on the opening's advantages.
• General Trompowsky Games  - Browse 20 well-played Trompowsky games to gain a broad understanding of the opening's flow.
• Famous Trompowsky Attack Games   - Immerse yourself in 14 classic Trompowsky battles featuring renowned chess players.
  
  

ChessTempo.com

• Trompowsky Attack, General (A45) - 28,078 Games
• Trompowsky Attack, Raptor Variation (A45) - 1626 games

365chess.com

• A45: Trompovsky attack (Ruth, Opovcensky opening) 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 - 28,300 games 
  
  

Tip: When using these databases, you can filter the games by player rating, year, and specific variations to target your learning goals.

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Trompowsky Opening Video Lessons

Learn from chess masters in video tutorials that explain the Trompowsky key ideas and strategies.

Playlists

• Trompowsky - Opening Series  -  8 Video Series  -  90+ Min - Palm Beach Chess NM Bryan Tillis - This video series focuses on how to play the Trompowsky Attack for white.
• Trompowsky Attack Opening Theory  - 7 Video opening Series - 3.5 Hrs  - Hanging Pawns - Here you can find all ideas, plans and variations explained in detail for both white and black.

CRUSH People With The Trompowsky Attack!  - 34 Min  Gotham Chess - The Trompowsky Attack, a great opening for beginners, intermediate, and advanced players. Covering theory/strategy and games.

Chess Openings: Learn to Play the Trompowsky Attack! - 27 Min  The Chess Giant - In this beginners chess lesson, we hope to show that by playing this chess opening, you can improve at chess quickly and use chess opening tricks and traps to win games fast.

The Tromp-Wall Attack | Complete Guide - 46 Min   Chess Dojo -  A blueprint for playing the Tromp-Wall Attack, a hybrid system merging the Trompowsky & Stonewall openings.

Trompowski Attack: Typical Ideas for White  - 17 Min  Remote Chess Academy
The Trompowsky Attack Played by Julian Hodgson - 17 Min Remote Chess Academy


Vaganian Gambit - The Trompowsky Attack  - 32 Min  GM Boris Alterman

Starting Out: Trompowsky (1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5) - 6 Min - GM Max Illingworth - In-depth guide to the Trompowsky Attack. Strategies for white to gain a comfortable advantage by avoiding the King’s Indian Defense and creating double pawns for black. Various responses from black are discussed and emphasizes strategic play.

The Trompowsky Attack! IM John Watson on the basics of this opening - 38 Min - Watson explains the basics of the opening, its strategic content, and provides a repertoire for both inexperienced and advanced players.

Trompowsky - Levitsky Attack with IM Milovan Ratkovic - 33 Min

Black Vs. Trompowsky

• Easily Destroy Trompowsky Players!! - 42 Min  IM Miodrag Perunovic - A comprehensive guide on how to counter the Trompowsky Attack in chess, focusing on strategies with the black pieces
• How to Destroy Everyone with The Trompowsky Attack!! - 14 Min  IM Miodrag Perunovic - The aggressive h4 move, also known as the Raptor Attack, and highlights the achievements of Grandmaster Igor Miladinovic with this line.

GM Nadia Kosintseva

Variations that I am going to show you from the black's point of view are not the main lines, but still solid and, what's also good, do not require a lot of memorization on your side.

• Facing the Trompowsky and London Systems as Black 1 of 5 - 5 Min
  
• Facing the Trompowsky and London Systems as Black 2 of 5 - 5 Min
  
• Facing the Trompowsky and London Systems as Black 3 of 5 - 5 Min
  
• Facing the Trompowsky and London Systems as Black 4 of 5 - 5 Min
  
• Facing the Trompowsky and London Systems as Black 5 of 5  - 5 min

Trompowsky  Chess Traps

Trompowsky Levitsky Attack - The Levitsky Trap (trap no. 974) - 4 Min
Trompowsky Levitsky Attack - Baltic Hodgeson Levitsky Red Herring Trap (trap no. 975)- 3 Min
0978 Trompowsky - The Trompowsky Poison - 3 Min
0976 Trompowsky The Levitsky Sucker Blow - 3 Min
Trompowsky - Winning on Move 3 (trap no. 988) - 3 Min
Trompowsky - The Gallagher Trap (trap no. 977) - 3 Min
Basic Opening Chess Trap | Trompowsky | Punished for developing queen too soon! - 3 Min
Chess Trap 8 (Trompowsky Attack) - 5 Min
Trap in the 1...d5 Trompowsky - 5 Min

 

Trompowsky Game Videos (w/Analysis)

Playlists

• Trompowsky Attack   -  12 Video Playlist  - Games from Carlsen to Stockfish  - agadmator chess channel
  
• Trompowsky Attack   - 30 Videos  Playlist - Kingcrusher
  
• Trompowsky   - 8 Video Playlist   - Chessbase India
  

Grandmaster Simon Williams Plays Trompowsky Opening in Real Tournament  - 35 Min

Breaking Down The Trompowsky Attack | King's Indian | Top Theory Speedrun | GM Naroditsky - 33 min - He discusses various responses to the Trompowsky, emphasizing the move 1…d5 as an underrated but solid choice. Naroditsky plays through a game, explaining strategic concepts like the importance of controlling the center, the drawbacks of certain pawn moves, and how to exploit weaknesses in the opponent’s position.

Defeating an IM with the Trompowsky Attack! - 17 Min - GM Sipke Ernst analyses a game where he played the deadly Trompowsky Attack to defeat a strong International Master.

Mastering the Benoni Defense: Ultimate Chess Resources Guide

Benoni Defense
 Crush White's d4 Dreams with Razor-Sharp Counterplay

The Benoni Defense is a bold and dynamic chess opening for Black, characterized by the moves:

• 1. d4 Nf6
• 2. c4 c5
• 3. d5 e6

Named after Hungarian chess player Gyula Benoni, this opening offers Black sharp counterplay and leads to complex, unbalanced positions. Here's what you need to know:

• Strategic Aims: Black challenges White's center early, aiming for queenside counterplay and potential kingside attacks.
• Pawn Structure: The characteristic c5 pawn thrust creates tension in the center, often leading to a closed center with opposing pawn chains.
• Piece Activity: Black often develops the light-squared bishop to g7 (fianchetto), applying pressure on the long diagonal.
• Tactical Opportunities: The unbalanced nature of the position frequently leads to sharp tactical play and sacrificial attacks.
• Variations: The Benoni family includes the Modern Benoni, Czech Benoni, and the aggressive Benko Gambit, each with its own strategic nuances.

While considered slightly risky for Black, the Benoni Defense rewards precise play with dynamic counterattacking chances. It's favored by players who enjoy tactical, high-stakes chess and are willing to navigate complex middlegame positions.

 Bishops Bounty Benko Gambit page

Bishops Bounty Czech Benoni Page 

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Books & Courses (Free)

Chessable Course (Free)

• Short & Sweet: Modern Benoni  -  Opening course by GM Mircea Parligras - with 29 Trainable Variations and 72 Min of Video - A weapon to give White a run for his money against 1.d4
  
  
• Short & Sweet: Alonso's Modern Benoni - GM Alvar Alonzo Rosell - 10 Variations w/ 39 Min of Video. 10 lines of the purest Modern Benoni repertoire to sample. You'll also get Alonso's unique descriptive move-by-move annotations.

Internet Archive

• 200 Modern Chess Traps In The Fianchetto Openings - by J.B.Howson   (Page 69-89)
  
  

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Benoni Chess Articles

Delve into the theory, history, and key variations of the Benoni Defense.

• Benoni Defense: Complete Guide - FM Zaur Tekeyev - Chess World Article - Nice Overview of all the Main variations, Modern, Snake, Czech, Benko and Classical w/ example Games.
  
  
• The Benoni defense  - Article By Alberto Chueca  (Simple with main ideas)
  
  
• The Velimirovic's Guide to the Modern Benoni - GM Gregory Serper - GM Dragoljub Velimirovic Games w/ Analysis (7 Games w/ several puzzles Included)
  
  
• Benoni Defense Guide - 365Chess.com - Ideas, Most Played moves, General Overview of the Variations and Links to Games in these Extensive Database.
  
  
• When White Avoids the Benoni: The Vaganian Gambit - GM Gregory Serper - A positional Gambit w/ a Kasparov game analyzed in great detail.
• A Modern Approach With the Benoni Defense  - Chessable Blog Article w/ embedded Video 
  
  
• Fighting the Benoni: The Remarkable Nh5 Idea - ChessWorld Article - In which situations should black seriously consider playing Nh5? 3 Famous Games including a Fisher Game w/ analysis.

 

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Benoni LiChess Studies

Explore interactive training tools to solidify your understanding of the opening's concepts.

• The Benoni Defense  - 32 Chapter Study (Very In-depth)  - Some explanations of the main lines w/ many repertoire variations against many of Whites different Attacks.
  
  
• The Benoni Defense explained - 12 Chapter Study - Detailed Explanations of Variations.
  
  
• Deep Into the Benoni Defense  - 18 Chapter Study - Detailed mainly about the Old Benoni
  
  
• Black Repertoire in the Benoni - 16 Chapter Study - Detailed Modern Benoni Variations

  

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GAMES & DATABASES

Analyze real-life games featuring the Benoni Defense and see how it's played in practice.

• THE FORGOTTEN MODERN BENONI  -  GM Walter Browne vs GM Nick deFimnian
  Played in the U. S. Championship, 1994.   (Full Analysis )
  
  
• Magic in the Benoni Defense - ChessWorld.com - 3 games w/ Analysis of GM Vladamir Savon 
  
  
• g3 Benoni by GM Magesh and GM Arun - Chess.com Article w/ 2 Games w/ analysis

Chessgames.com

• Benoni Defense (A56) -  4280 Games - Database
  
  Collections
  
  • Benoni Defense - 24 games - Modern Benoni Defense great games from White and Black points of view.
    
  • Tal the tactician -//- The benoni as black - 13 Games
  • Instructive Benoni Defense Games - 10 Games - This collection is for instructive black wins in the Benon

365chess.com

• A43: Old Benoni defence 1. d4 c5  - 17,000 Games  
  
• A56: Benoni defence 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 - 54,600 Games 
  
  

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Benoni Chess PUZZLES

Test your tactical skills with puzzles specifically designed for the Benoni.

WTHarvey.com 

• Old Benoni (ECO A43)  -  50 Puzzles
  
• Old Benoni Defense (ECO A44)  - 12 Puzzles
  
• Benoni Defense (ECO A56)  - 34 Puzzles
  
• Benko Gambit (ECO A59)  - 18 puzzles
  
• Benoni, Four Pawns Attack, Main line (ECO A69) - 8 Puzzles
  
• Benoni, Classical, 9.O-O (ECO A73)  - 8 Puzzles
  
  

LiChess Openings Puzzles

• LiChess Benoni Defense Puzzles -  7600 Puzzles 
• ( Puzzles Openings Theme Page - Can be broken down into 12 Benoni Variations)

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BENONI VIDEO Lessons

Playlists

• Benoni Defense Opening Theory   -  6 Part Playlist   -  4+ Hrs   Hanging Pawns
  
• Czech Benoni  -  13 Video Playlist  (Short Videos to the point of Diff Lines and Middle-game Plans) - NM Bryan Tillis
  
  

The Benoni: Lecture by GM Ben Finegold  - 50 min - GM Ben Finegold (New 2024)
Mostly covering the Modern Benoni

Understanding Your Openings | The Benoni Defence - 24 Min IM Andreas Toth - A mini lecture about the importance of pattern recognition in the opening/early middlegame in the Benoni structure!

Chess Openings: Learn to Play the Benoni Defense! - 15 Min  Chess Giant - Lesson on the Modern Benoni, which is the most popular variation at the Grandmaster level.
Chess Openings: Learn to Play the Old Benoni Defense - 11 Min  Chess Giant - The Old Benoni Defense is one of the best responses to d4 and in this video we cover the chess strategy, chess moves, chess ideas, chess principles, chess theory, chess traps, chess tricks, and a chess lesson.

NM Spencer Finegold

• The Modern Benoni Part 1: Vugar Gashimov with NM Spencer Finegold - 55 Min - Discusses several of Vugar Gashimov's wins as Black in the Modern Benoni.
  
• The Modern Benoni Part 2: Vugar Gashimov with NM Spencer Finegold - 58 Min
  
• The Modern Benoni Part 3: Nd2 and f3 Variations - 60 Min - Discusses 7.Nd2 as well as f3 variations White can play against the Modern Benoni.

Benoni Chess Traps

• Chess Traps - Old Benoni Trap - 8 Min
  
• Chess Trap 16 (Fischer's Trap in Modern Benoni) - 7 Min
  
• Dirty Chess Tricks 37 (Tricky line against Benoni Openings) - 16 Min

 

Chess 24 Lessons

• Great Games in the Benoni - Lessons on cochess.com - 74 Min  WIM Sgircea|- An interactive chess lesson with her student and will answer questions from the chat.
  
• Test your Knowledge in the Benoni - lessons with WIM Raluca Sgircea - 74 Min - Looking at classical games and typical ideas and this time let's test our knowledge in the Benoni.
  
• Great games in the Benoni #3 | WIM Raluca Sgirea - 89 Min - Classical games and typical ideas
  
• Great games in the Benoni #4 | WIM Raluca Sgircea - 70 Min
  
• Play the Benoni Defense | Kestony | World Online Schools | Cochess.com - 56 Min - A stream on learning the Benoni.

St.Louis Chess Club

Jonathan Schrantz presents three Modern Benoni lectures.

•  The Modern Benoni is No Baloney: Part 1 - Chess Openings Explained  - 52 Min - Part 1 focuses on the Taimanov Attack variation.
• The Modern Benoni is No Baloney: Part 2 - Chess Openings Explained  - 50 Min -  Explores the classical and modern main lines of the Modern Benoni
• The Modern Benoni is No Baloney: Part 3 - Chess Openings Explained  - 54 Min -  Completes the Benoni trilogy with this walkthrough of the Fianchetto and Knight's Tour Variations of the Modern Benoni.

Game Videos w/ Analysis

Playlists

• Benoni Defence (includes Modern Benoni) - Chess Opening - 100 Game Playlist  - Kingcrusher
  
  
• Benoni  - 14 game Playlist  - Chessbase India

FM Dennis Monokroussos - Tactics in the Benoni  - 37 Min
Benoni is Back! | Xiong VS Caruana | US Championship 2018. - 10 Min
Boris Spassky vs Bobby Fischer - 1972 World Championship - Game 3 - Benoni - 9 Min
Mikhail Tal's sharpest Modern Benoni games - vs Averbakh - 20 Min
Mikhail Tal's most emphatic and crushing Modern Benoni games: Black vs Gurgenidze : USSR 1957 - 15 Min
Ponomariov vs Donchenko | Benoni Masterclass by Alexander Donchenko - 17 Min
Analyzing Benoni Games with Eric Rosen - 60 Min
Modern Benoni many years ahead of its time! || Alekhine vs Capablanca - 13 Min
Sacrifice in the Benoni | Journey to GM #14 - 13 Min  GM Molton