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Grunfeld, Russian Variation (D81)
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 Qb3

Number of games in database: 316
Years covered: 1935 to 2025
Overall record:
   White wins 40.8%
   Black wins 22.5%
   Draws 36.7%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Yuri Yakovich  12 games
Samuel Reshevsky  8 games
Vladimir Makogonov  7 games
Vladas Mikenas  5 games
Salomon Flohr  5 games
Andre Lilienthal  4 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1935
Petrosian vs Botvinnik, 1963
Reshevsky vs Kashdan, 1942
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1935
M Feigin vs Flohr, 1937
Sokov vs S Wolk, 1937
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 page 1 of 13; games 1-25 of 316  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Alatortsev vs Lilienthal  1-0491935Alatortsev - LilienthalD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
2. I Rabinovich vs Ragozin 0-1341935LeningradD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
3. Alatortsev vs Lilienthal  ½-½431935Alatortsev - LilienthalD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
4. Levenfish vs Flohr  ½-½331935MoscowD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
5. Levenfish vs Spielmann  ½-½421935MoscowD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
6. Flohr vs Alatortsev  ½-½231935MoscowD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
7. Euwe vs Alekhine 1-0451935Alekhine - Euwe World Championship MatchD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
8. Euwe vs Alekhine 0-1441935Alekhine - Euwe World Championship MatchD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
9. Kotov vs Chernikov  1-0351936Giant Factory championshipD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
10. S Belavenets vs M Yudovich Sr  ½-½261936Moscow ChampionshipD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
11. E Zagoryansky vs S Belavenets 0-1231936Trade Unions ChampionshipD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
12. E Zagoryansky vs M Yudovich Sr  ½-½411936Trade Unions ChampionshipD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
13. E Book vs M Laisaari  0-1221936Training gameD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
14. Spielmann vs J van den Bosch  1-0281936Spielmann - Van den BoschD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
15. A Knoppers vs A Gibaud  1-0371936MadridD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
16. S Landau vs R Michell  1-0361936BCF-ch 29th Major Open AD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
17. E Myhre vs H Pedersen  0-1341936OsloD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
18. S Rubinstein vs J Lokvenc  1-0581936Trebitsch MemorialD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
19. E Zagoryansky vs S Gotthilf  1-0301937Ch Trade Unions (1/2 Final)D81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
20. Sokov vs S Wolk 0-116193712th Ch Leningrad sf group 8D81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
21. S Belavenets vs M Yudovich Sr  1-0371937Moscow InternationalD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
22. Fine vs Lilienthal 1-0381937Moscow InternationalD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
23. M Yudovich Sr vs S Belavenets ½-½361937USSR ChampionshipD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
24. V Tomovic vs M Schreiber  ½-½361937Yugoslav ChampionshipD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
25. M Feigin vs V Mikenas 0-1291937KemeriD81 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
 page 1 of 13; games 1-25 of 316  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
Jul-20-04  themindset: well, this opening has declined in popularity. i'm generally an e4 player, but i like to play d4 c4 once in a while, but i always hated playing agaist the gruenfeld - i usually play the exchange variation which seems to be more popular these days.

i guess i just need to book up, is there anyone who believes this line is still playable?

Jan-07-05  Flo: 4.Qb3 looks a bit strange to me. I wouldn't play this.

themindset: I like the exchange variation more than other variations, too! But I play the Grunfeld with the black pieces because I very often play 1.e4.

Jan-07-05  themindset: yeah, i'm a 1.e4 player by nature, but i think it's good to play a bit of everything. anyways, since i wrote that, i've booked up on the exchange variation and have had few problems with the gruenfeld since then.
Jan-07-05  refutor: the 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 Russian Variation is much stronger than this and is just as good as the exchange against the Grünfeld
Jun-28-05  aw1988: Yes, I have always thought of 4. Qb3 as a rather "unsuccessful attempt" and 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 to be of less questionable value.
Jun-30-06  blingice: This looks similar to a variation of the Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik attack I've been playing recently in a few of my correspondence games. Notice that the d4 pawn (and square) is unprotected, and is awfully vulnerable, as I'm learning from the corr games still going...
Apr-23-08  niemzo: Am I missing something here? Because tome, it seems very simple to transpose in the variaton <refutor> mentioned above. from this one. So how is this weaker?
Mar-02-09  FiveofSwords: In my experience the russian system is a moderate headache for black but usually its not so bad. I usually played the najdorf system against it, with Na6 planning c5. I do think 4 Nf3 is more accurate, because once white commits to this system black doesnt need to hurry so much on Bg7 necessarily and can instead quickly begin on his queenside counterplay-the sooner black does this the less options white would have.
Mar-02-09  samikd: Did anybody see today's game between Anand and Domoiguez-Perez ? Beautiful game in Russian Grunfeld. Does anybody know if 12..Ng4 is a novelty ? this whole line is kinda new to me , but looks interesting
Mar-02-09  Kaspykov: <samikd: Did anybody see today's game between Anand and Domoiguez-Perez ? Beautiful game in Russian Grunfeld. Does anybody know if 12..Ng4 is a novelty ? this whole line is kinda new to me , but looks interesting>

11... Nbd7 look playable but i never read anything about this move. the usual continuation of the hungarian variation is:

1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 g6
3. Nc3 d5
4. Nf3 Bg7
5. Qb3 dxc4
6. Qxc4 O-O
7. e4 a6
8. Be2 b5
9. Qb3 c5
10. dxc5 Bb7
11. O-O Nxe4

...


click for larger view

In my database, Ng4 seems to be a novelty, but Anand as black played a similar games vs Dlugy Maxim in 93'

Instead of 12..Ng4 he played Nxc4 which look like the best move.

Apr-17-09  notyetagm: Anyone know what Dembo recommends against the Russian System in her book <PLAY THE GRUNFELD>?

Thanks

May-20-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: Opening of the Day:
Grunfeld, Russian Variation (D81)
1.d4 ♘f6 2.c4 g6 3.♘c3 d5 4.♕b3
Nov-29-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: Wow. Today is the same Opening of the Day as last time I posted here!
Nov-29-11  knighterrant999: <Penguincw> you have the best avatar ever!
Nov-29-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: < knighterrant999: <Penguincw> you have the best avatar ever! >

Thanks. I heard that User: WannaBe had a contest last year. And one of the nominations last year was Best Avatar.

Feb-18-13  FiveofSwords: @mindset this line is certainly fine for white...but if you already have been studying the exchange variation...well thats better imho...in fact its why i stopped playing the grunfeld
Jul-12-23  DanQuigley: The reason to play the move order 4.Qb3 (instead of 4.Nf3 Bg7 first) is that after 4...dxc4 5.Qxc4 (this move always protects d4 adequately) 5...Bg7 6.e4 0-0 is that White can now play 7.Be2 and avoid the 7.Nf3 Bg4 line via transposition: 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 0-0 7.e4 Bg4. The only real problem with all this is that 7...Bg4 is no longer considered a truly strong move by Black. Thus White should welcome the move from Black. There is thus no reason whatsoever I can see to prefer the 4.Qb3 move order.

I personally think the Gruenfeld Defense, Rusiian Variation main line with 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3! dxc4 6.Qxc4 0-0 7.e4 line is wonderful for White. White has complete and not easy to break command of the center. Black has lots of different ways to try to undermine that control, however, and no less than seven good possible seventh moves all of which use different strategies. White has a lot of preparation work that must be performed to learn how the advantage is kept, more than a typical club player is willing to do. White has to learn seven lines: 7...a6, 7...Na6, 7...Nc6, 7...Bg4, 7...c6, 7...Nfd7, and 7...Be6, all of which are potentially good for Black. Black only has to learn one line.

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