Russian Variation
- 1.d4Nf6
- 2.c4g6
- 3.Nc3d5
- 4.Nf3Bg7
- 5.Qb3
1,493 games
Grünfeld line where White's 5. Qb3 hits d5, inducing ...dxc4 so that Qxc4 and e4 build a broad center at the cost of an exposed queen.
Train it in TheoriaAbout the Russian Variation
The Russian Variation, also called the Russian System, adds 5. Qb3 to the Three Knights setup, pressing on d5 and nearly forcing 5...dxc4; 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 gives White a broad center while the queen becomes a target for Black's queenside play. The seventh move defines the branches: 7...a6 (Hungarian), 7...Bg4 (Smyslov), 7...Na6 (Prins), 7...Nc6 (Byrne) and 7...c6 (Szabo). The engine rates the position as balanced.
Popular continuations
Named variations 9
- Accelerated Variation 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Qb3
- Hungarian Variation 5...dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 a6
- Szabo Variation 5...dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 c6
- Byrne Variation 5...dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Nc6
- Smyslov Variation 5...dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Bg4
- Prins Variation 5...dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Na6
- Levenfish Variation 5...dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 b6
- Yugoslav Variation 5...dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Bg4 8. Be3 Nfd7 9. Qb3 c5
- Keres Variation 5...dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Bg4 8. Be3 Nfd7 9. Be2 Nb6 10. Qd3 Nc6 11. O-O-O