caissora.com
CAISSORA
CAISSORA
THE LIVING BOARD•Fantasy Chess
HomeCaissora WorldChess Atlas
All subsections
Openings
5 / 6
ECO B00Semi-open game

Barnes Defense

The f6 pawn takes the best square from Black's own knight

  • Offbeat

1…f6 is one of the most dubious answers to 1.e4. The pawn does nothing for the centre, opens no lines for the pieces, takes the best square from the g8 knight and weakens the e8–h5 diagonal. White only needs to take the centre and develop calmly. It is rarely played, and then for the surprise.

Interactive Opening Board

3.Nf3

♚
Black
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
♔
White
3.Nf3
Speed:

Moves

(5 plies • 3 moves)
3.Nf3Tabiya
  1. 1–3moves
  2. 1.
  3. 2.
  4. 3.

Defining move

1…f6 — a pawn in front of the knight

The move that defines it, and its main problem

The f6 pawn prepares …e5 or …d5, but the price is high. The g8 knight has lost f6, the king is weaker, and a queen can now use the e8–h5 diagonal. The strongest reply is usually 2.d4: White grabs the centre and Black has to catch up.

Tabiya

White holds the centre, Black has weaknesses

After 2.d4 e6 3.Nf3 White has pawns on e4 and d4 and a developed knight. Black has shut in the f8 bishop with the e6 pawn and has not yet developed a piece. Black must play …d5 or …c5, build with …Ne7 and keep the king safe. White needs to develop and watch for tactics on the e8–h5 diagonal.

White’s plan

  • Take the centre with d4 and Nf3 and just develop.
  • Remember the e8–h5 diagonal: queen checks on h5 can become tactics.
  • Do not get too clever: Black's weaknesses will not go away.

Black’s plan

  • Challenge the centre with …d5 or …c5 and catch up in development.
  • Develop the knight to e7 or c6, since f6 is occupied by its own pawn.
  • Castle and take the king off the weakened diagonal.

History

It is named after the Englishman Thomas Wilson Barnes, who beat Paul Morphy with it in 1858.

Legends who played it

Games in the Atlas

No games in the Atlas yet