Grünfeld Defense
What is the Grünfeld Defense?
The Grünfeld Defense is a chess opening that begins with 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5. It is classified under ECO A56–E60 and has 59 named variations. Black chooses it with the move d5.
Moves: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5
ECO: A56–E60
Chosen by: Black
Main variations
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. g4
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. f3
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Qb3
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3
All 59 variations
| ECO | Variation | Moves |
|---|---|---|
| D80 | Main line | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 |
| D82 | Brinckmann Attack | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 |
| D80 | Gibbon Gambit | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. g4 |
| D80 | Lutikov Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. f3 |
| D81 | Russian Variation, Accelerated Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Qb3 |
| D80 | Stockholm Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 |
| D90 | Three Knights Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 |
| D80 | Zaitsev Gambit | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. h4 |
| E60 | Counterthrust Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 d5 |
| D85 | Exchange Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 |
| D90 | Three Knights Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 |
| D85 | Exchange Variation, Nadanian Attack | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Na4 |
| D90 | Flohr Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qa4+ |
| D96 | Russian Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 |
| D94 | Three Knights Variation, Burille Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 |
| D92 | Three Knights Variation, Hungarian Attack | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bf4 |
| D91 | Three Knights Variation, Petrosian System | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bg5 |
| D83 | Brinckmann Attack, Grünfeld Gambit | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 O-O |
| D83 | Brinckmann Attack, Grünfeld Gambit, Capablanca Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Rc1 |
| D80 | Lutikov Variation, Murrey Attack | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. f3 c5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Na4 |
| D94 | Makogonov Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. b4 |
| D94 | Opocensky Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Bd2 |
| D93 | Three Knights Variation, Hungarian Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 |
| D94 | Three Knights Variation, Paris Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Bd3 |
| D95 | Three Knights Variation, Vienna Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Qb3 |
| D95 | Botvinnik Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Qb3 e6 |
| D80 | Lundin Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Ne4 5. Nxe4 dxe4 6. Qd2 c5 |
| D86 | Exchange Variation, Classical Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 |
| D85 | Exchange Variation, Modern Exchange Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 |
| D97 | Russian Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 |
| D83 | Brinckmann Attack, Grünfeld Gambit, Botvinnik Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Rc1 c5 7. dxc5 Be6 |
| D83 | Brinckmann Attack, Reshevsky Gambit | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. Rc1 O-O 6. e3 c5 7. dxc5 Qa5 |
| D85 | Exchange Variation, Modern Exchange Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 |
| D94 | Flohr Defense | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O Bf5 |
| D97 | Russian Variation, Byrne Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Nc6 |
| D97 | Russian Variation, Hungarian Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 a6 |
| D97 | Russian Variation, Levenfish Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 b6 |
| D97 | Russian Variation, Prins Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Na6 |
| D98 | Russian Variation, Smyslov Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Bg4 |
| D97 | Russian Variation, Szabo Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 c6 |
| D94 | Smyslov Defense | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O Bg4 |
| D84 | Brinckmann Attack, Grünfeld Gambit Accepted | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Nxd5 Qxd5 8. Bxc7 |
| D85 | Exchange Variation, Modern Exchange Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 c5 8. Rb1 |
| D85 | Exchange Variation, Modern Exchange Variation, Kramnik's Line | 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 c5 8. h3 |
| D95 | Pachman Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. e3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Bxc4 O-O 7. Nf3 Nbd7 8. Ng5 |
| D86 | Exchange Variation, Larsen Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Ne2 Qd7 |
| D86 | Exchange Variation, Simagin's Improved Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Ne2 Nc6 |
| D86 | Exchange Variation, Simagin's Lesser Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Ne2 b6 |
| D87 | Exchange Variation, Spassky Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 O-O |
| A56 | Three Knights Variation, Burille Variation, Reversed Tarrasch | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. e3 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 cxd4 7. exd4 d5 8. O-O Nc6 |
| D99 | Russian Variation, Smyslov Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Bg4 8. Be3 Nfd7 9. Qb3 |
| D86 | Exchange Variation, Larsen Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Ne2 Qd7 9. O-O b6 |
| D99 | Russian Variation, Yugoslav Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Bg4 8. Be3 Nfd7 9. Qb3 c5 |
| D85 | Exchange Variation, Modern Exchange Variation, Pawn Grab Line | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 8. Rb1 O-O 9. Be2 Nc6 10. d5 Bxc3+ |
| D88 | Exchange Variation, Spassky Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 Nc6 9. Be3 O-O 10. O-O cxd4 11. cxd4 |
| D98 | Russian Variation, Keres Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Bg4 8. Be3 Nfd7 9. Be2 Nb6 10. Qd3 Nc6 11. O-O-O |
| D87 | Exchange Variation, Seville Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 Nc6 9. Be3 O-O 10. O-O Bg4 11. f3 Na5 12. Bxf7+ |
| D89 | Exchange Variation, Spassky Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 Nc6 9. Be3 O-O 10. O-O Bg4 11. f3 Na5 12. Bd3 cxd4 13. cxd4 Be6 |
| D89 | Exchange Variation, Sokolsky Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 O-O 9. O-O Nc6 10. Be3 Bg4 11. f3 Na5 12. Bd3 cxd4 13. cxd4 Be6 14. d5 |
How to learn an opening
Learn the ideas before the moves: where the pieces go, which pawn breaks matter and what the typical middlegame plans are. Then play it, and after each game look up the point where you or your opponent left the known moves. MentoChess shows that point automatically for every game you import.
Opening lessons: Three golden opening rules · Scholar’s mate and how to stop it · Italian Game: plans, not just moves · Answering 1.d4: the Queen’s Gambit Declined · Meeting the Sicilian with 2.c3 · From moves to structures