D89 Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Spassky Variation
D89 holds two named lines, all under the name Grünfeld Defense. It leaves D86 (Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Classical Variation) with 7...c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 O-O 10.O-O Bg4 11.f3 Na5 12.Bd3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Be6. At 26 plies, its reference line is the second-longest of all 500 codes. Its deepest line, Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Sokolsky Variation, runs to 14.d5, the longest of the 20 Grünfeld Defense codes. Six captures are made along the reference line, level for the most of the 20 Grünfeld Defense codes.
| # | 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 | Bg4 |
| 11 | f3 | Na5 |
| 12 | Bd3 | cxd4 |
| 13 | cxd4 | Be6 |
Moves only D89 plays
Same as D88 up to 10.O-O, then:
- 10...Bg4 The bishop leaves c8 for g4, opening a line for the rook on a8 and the queen on d8, attacking the knight on e2.
- 11.f3 The f-pawn advances to f3, covering e4 and g4, opening a line for the rook on f1 and the bishop on e3, attacking the bishop on g4.
- 11...Na5 The knight goes from c6 to a5, guarding the pawn on b7, attacking the bishop on c4.
- 12.Bd3 The bishop goes from c4 to d3.
- 12...cxd4 The c-pawn takes the pawn on d4, covering c3 and e3, attacking the bishop on e3.
- 13.cxd4 The c-pawn takes the pawn on d4, covering c5 and e5.
- 13...Be6 The bishop goes from g4 to e6.
Lines filed under D89
Both share the start 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 and then split two ways at Black’s move 8.
| Name | After the shared start | Plies | At the end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Spassky Variation | 8...Nc6 9.Be3 O-O 10.O-O Bg4 11.f3 Na5 12.Bd3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Be6 | 26 | both castled |
| Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Sokolsky Variation | 8...O-O 9.O-O Nc6 10.Be3 Bg4 11.f3 Na5 12.Bd3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Be6 14.d5 | 27 | both castled |
Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Sokolsky Variation
- 8...O-O Black castles kingside, opening a line for the queen on d8, guarding the bishop on g7.
- 9.O-O White castles kingside, opening a line for the queen on d1, guarding the pawn on g2.
- 9...Nc6 The knight leaves b8 for c6, opening a line for the rook on a8.
- 10.Be3 The bishop leaves c1 for e3, opening a line for the rook on a1 and the queen on d1.
- 10...Bg4 The bishop leaves c8 for g4, opening a line for the rook on a8 and the queen on d8, attacking the knight on e2.
The road to D89
- 1.d4 … 4.cxd5six earlier stops: A40, A45, A50, D80, E60, E61
- 4...Nxd5D85 Exchange Variation
- 7.Bc4D86 Classical Variation
- 13...Be6D89
The position after 13...Be6
White has brought out the knight on e2, bishop on d3 and bishop on e3; Black the knight on a5, bishop on e6 and bishop on g7. White has a half-open b-file; Black a half-open d-file. The c-file is fully open. White is to move and has 37 legal moves.
Closest boards in other codes
| Code | Line | Differs on |
|---|---|---|
| B74 | Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Normal Line | 15 squares: b2, c2, e2, f2, b3, c3, d3, f3 … |
| B76 | Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack | 16 squares: e1, f1, g1, h1, b2, c2, e2, c3 … |
| D87 | Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Spassky Variation | 16 squares: c1, e1, f1, g1, h1, f2, c3, d3 … |
| E83 | King’s Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Yates Defense | 16 squares: e1, f1, g1, h1, b2, e2, c3, d3 … |
| D74 | Neo-Grünfeld Defense: Delayed Exchange Variation | 17 squares: b1, c1, b2, e2, f2, g2, d3, e3 … |
| D75 | Neo-Grünfeld Defense: Delayed Exchange Variation | 17 squares: c1, b2, e2, f2, g2, c3, d3, e3 … |
| D76 | Neo-Grünfeld Defense: Delayed Exchange Variation | 17 squares: b1, c1, b2, e2, f2, g2, d3, e3 … |