Openings
- Chess Atlas Subsections
- VOL. I • Chess HistoryFrom Chaturanga to Neural Engines
- VOL. II • Classic ChessPieces, Notation & Rules
- VOL. III • Legendary PlayersPantheon of Chess Immortals
- VOL. IV • Great GamesInteractive game studies
- VOL. V • OpeningsOriginal CAISSORA Opening Articles
- VOL. VI • Tactics & StrategyForks, Pins & Board Geometry
Mexican Defense
A knight on c6 where a pawn usually goes
- Offbeat
After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 Black plays the unusual 2…Nc6 instead of the familiar …e6 or …g6. The knight presses on d4 and e5, and the pawns stay free: Black can later pick …e5, …e6 or …d5. It is a rare but not a joke opening: it moves easily into Nimzo-Indian or King's Indian type positions. White can grab space with 3.d5, and the knight has to move.
4…Bb4
Moves
(8 plies • 4 moves)- 1–4moves
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
Defining move
2…Nc6 — the knight before the pawn
The move that defines the whole opening
The knight comes to c6 and presses on d4 at once, though it blocks the c-pawn. But Black has not fixed the structure: after 3.Nf3 Black can play …e6 or …e5, and after 3.d5 the knight goes to e5. The hope is that White pushes the pawns too far and invites a counterstrike.
Tabiya
A Nimzo-Indian set-up with the knight on c6
After 3.Nf3 e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 the position is of Nimzo-Indian type, but with the knight on c6. The bishop pins the c3 knight and keeps White from taking the centre easily. White wants space and the bishop pair; Black plays for pressure in the centre and waits for White to show weaknesses.
White’s plan
- Take the centre with 3.Nf3, then Nc3 and e4, or gain space with 3.d5.
- Do not overstretch the pawns; the pieces must back them up.
Black’s plan
- Develop in Indian style: …e6 and …Bb4, or …e5 and …Nd4.
- Strike at the centre with …e5 or …d5 when it suits.
- Not let White close the centre on good terms.
History
Carlos Torre played this defence against Friedrich Sämisch at Baden-Baden in 1925. Later the system was also called the Kevitz–Trajkovic Defence.
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