Trompowsky Attack

Overview

The Trompowsky Attack (1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5) sidesteps mainstream theory by immediately challenging Black's knight. White is ready to trade the dark-squared bishop for the f6-knight, often doubling Black's pawns and steering the game into original, less-charted positions.

Position after 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5

Key Ideas

• White aims to inflict structural damage by capturing on f6 at the right moment.
• By avoiding ...d5 main lines, White takes opponents out of prepared theory early.
• Black's most testing replies are 2...Ne4 and 2...e6, fighting for the dark squares.
• A practical, low-maintenance weapon that prizes understanding over memorization.

Main Variations

History

Named after Brazilian champion Octávio Trompowsky, the opening gained a cult following through the games of Julian Hodgson and Antoaneta Stefanova, who showed its venom at grandmaster level.