Grigorian Variation
- 1.b4Nc6
2,086 games
A Polish Opening line in which Black answers 1. b4 with 1...Nc6, developing the knight while attacking the unprotected b-pawn at once.
Train it in TheoriaAbout the Grigorian Variation
The Grigorian Variation, 1. b4 Nc6, develops the queen's knight with an immediate attack on the unprotected b4-pawn. White's most common answer is 2. b5, which drives the knight from c6 and gains queenside space. The main alternatives are 2. Bb2, continuing the fianchetto, and 2. a3, protecting the pawn. The rarer 2. e4 leads to the Wheeler Gambit of the Nimzowitsch Defense, a line in which Black has scored better. Engines regard the position as roughly balanced.