D88 Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Spassky Variation
D88 holds a single named line. It leaves D86 (Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Classical Variation) with 7...c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 O-O 10.O-O cxd4 11.cxd4. Six captures are made along the reference line, level for the most of the 20 Grünfeld Defense codes. At 21 plies, its reference line is the second-longest of the 20 Grünfeld Defense codes. Both kings have castled by the end of the reference line, White on move 10 and Black on move 9.
| # | White | Black |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Moves only D88 plays
Same as D89 up to 10.O-O, then:
- 10...cxd4 The c-pawn takes the pawn on d4, covering c3 and e3, attacking the bishop on e3.
- 11.cxd4 The c-pawn takes the pawn on d4, covering c5 and e5.
The road to D88
- 1.d4 … 4.cxd5six earlier stops: A40, A45, A50, D80, E60, E61
- 4...Nxd5D85 Exchange Variation
- 7.Bc4D86 Classical Variation
- 11.cxd4D88
The position after 11.cxd4
White has brought out the knight on e2, bishop on c4 and bishop on e3; Black the knight on c6 and bishop on g7. White has a half-open b-file; Black a half-open d-file. Black could capture with Bxd4, Nxd4, Qxd4. The c-file is fully open. Black is to move and has 35 legal moves.
Closest boards in other codes
| Code | Line | Differs on |
|---|---|---|
| B74 | Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Normal Line | nine squares: b2, c2, e2, b3, c3, c4, d4, d6 … |
| D87 | Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Spassky Variation | ten squares: c1, e1, f1, g1, h1, c3, e3, c5 … |
| B73 | Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation | 12 squares: b2, c2, e2, c3, c4, d4, d6, f6 … |
| E97 | King’s Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Aronin-Taimanov Defense | 12 squares: c1, b2, e2, c3, e3, f3, c4, e5 … |
| A39 | English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Mecking Variation | 13 squares: c1, b2, e2, g2, c3, e3, f3, g3 … |
| D69 | Queen’s Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Classical Variation | 13 squares: a1, b2, e2, c3, e3, d4, e4, e5 … |
| E79 | King’s Indian Defense: Four Pawns Attack, Exchange Variation | 13 squares: e1, f1, g1, h1, b2, e2, f2, c3 … |