Seirawan Attack

The Seirawan Attack, also called the Neo-Indian Attack, arises after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Bg5 and takes its name from Yasser Seirawan, a leading player of the 1980s. The move order is older than that: David Janowski used it against Edward Lasker at New York 1922. White pins the knight in the manner of the Torre Attack, but with ...e6 already played, Black can recapture with the queen on f6, so the pin carries no threat of doubled pawns. The line is seldom seen and is usually treated as a surprise weapon. It is classified as E00 unless it transposes elsewhere.

Black has several sound replies, and engines rate the position as level. 3...Be7 is the most frequent choice and breaks the pin directly. 3...d5 adopts a classical central stance. 3...h6 questions the bishop at once, and 4. Bxf6 gives up the bishop pair without damaging Black's structure. 3...Bb4+ transposes to the Leningrad Variation of the Nimzo-Indian after 4. Nc3, while 4. Nd2 leads to independent play. 3...c5 is generally answered by 4. d5. Results in the Lichess database are almost evenly split.