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
Montevideo Defense
The knight goes out and comes straight back
- Offbeat
1.d4 Nc6 2.d5 Nb8. Black brings the knight out, White chases it with d5, and the knight goes back home. It is a curiosity, close to a joke: in two moves Black has developed nothing, while White has gained space in the centre. People try it for the surprise and to drag the game off the beaten track.
4…e6
Moves
(8 plies • 4 moves)- 1–4moves
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
Defining move
2…Nb8 — the knight goes home
The move that makes this a line of its own
After 2.d5 the knight on c6 has to move. Usually it goes to e5; here it simply returns to b8. Black loses two tempi, but the position stays closed, so White cannot cash in at once. The d5 pawn stands well and takes space.
Tabiya
A queen's pawn game with extra space for White
Black has hit the d5 pawn with …e6, and White holds it with the knight and the c4 pawn. The position looks like an ordinary closed queen's pawn game, but Black is behind in development and has won nothing in return. White has to develop and use the space. Black wants to trade off the d5 pawn and catch up.
White’s plan
- Hold d5 with c4 and Nc3 and keep the space.
- Develop and prepare e2-e4 to build a broad centre.
- Do not hurry: Black has no tricks, so just play the position well.
Black’s plan
- Hit the d5 pawn with …e6 or …c6.
- Develop quickly and catch up.
- Keep White from opening the game before development is done.
Games in the Atlas
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