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ECO A00Flank opening

Grob Opening

The move that gets no forgiveness

  • Sharp play
  • Offbeat

White opens with g4 and plans to put the bishop on g2, where it eyes the long diagonal. The point is to drag the opponent out of familiar paths and play for surprise. The price is real, though: the g4 pawn loosens the kingside and Black gets the centre for free. Masters hardly ever play it, but it turns up often in blitz and club games.

Interactive Opening Board

3…c6

♚
Black
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
8
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4
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2
1
a
b
c
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e
f
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h
♔
White
3…c6
Speed:

Moves

(6 plies • 3 moves)
3…c6Tabiya
  1. 1–3moves
  2. 1.
  3. 2.
  4. 3.

Defining move

1.g4 — a pawn forward, the king left exposed

The move that gives the opening its name and all its problems

The g4 pawn prepares Bg2 and pressure on d5 and b7. It also weakens f4 and h4 and makes castling short an awkward business. Black has nothing to sacrifice: it is enough to take the centre and finish development.

Tabiya

The Keene Defence

Black has a pawn centre on d5 and e5 and has shored up d5 with c6, so the bishop on g2 bites on granite. White has propped up g4 with h3, but the king still has no safe home. White hopes for flank play and an error from the opponent; Black simply plays sensible moves.

White’s plan

  • Hold the g4 pawn with h3 and bring the bishop to g2.
  • Press down the long diagonal at d5 and b7.
  • Play for surprise: traps and a push of the h-pawn.

Black’s plan

  • Take the centre with d5 and e5.
  • Finish development before grabbing the g4 pawn.
  • Use the weakened squares f4 and h4 on the kingside.

History

The opening is named after the Swiss master Henri Grob, who studied it deeply and played it often in correspondence games. He wrote a book on it, published in Zurich in 1942.

Games in the Atlas

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