Anglo-Indian Defense, Anglo-Grünfeld Variation

The Anglo-Grünfeld Variation arises after 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. Nf3. Black strikes at the center with ...d5, the defining Grünfeld move, and accepts the exchange on d5. The knight on d5 is centralized but exposed to Nc3 and to later e4 advances. Because White's d-pawn has not reached d4, White keeps a choice of central setups, and the c- and d-files are already half-open. The play stays close to Grünfeld themes without giving Black the fixed target of a pawn on d4.

The most common continuation by far is 4...Nxc3, trading knights at once to remove the piece that harasses d5. The next most frequent choices are 4...g6, which prepares the characteristic kingside fianchetto, and 4...Nc6, which develops toward the center. Among these, Black scores best in practice with 4...g6. The engine also rates 4...c5 highly; that move leans toward Symmetrical English structures. The position is a moderately common one and is considered roughly balanced. In practice White scores somewhat better than Black.