Trompowsky Attack
The Trompowsky Attack (1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5) is a direct way to sidestep the huge theory of the Indian defences. Read the guide
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Statistics from Lichess
7,782,580 games: White 49.2% / Draw 5.5% / Black 45.3%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Classical Defense | 2,161,0002.2M | |
| 1,809,1821.8M | ||
| 1,227,3001.2M | ||
| 1,113,2451.1M | ||
| 549,082549K | ||
| 375,251375K | ||
| 275,761276K | ||
| 136,724137K |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 6, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.02 The position is about equal
Best play: 2... d5 3. e3 c5 4. Bxf6 gxf6 5. dxc5 Nc6 6. a3 e6 7. b4
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
The stronger the players, the better this line does for White: White scores 50% under 1400, 53% at 2200 and up and 53% in master games (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 1.1M | |
| 1400–1799 | 3.1M | |
| 1800–2199 | 4.2M | |
| 2200 and up | 1.7M | |
| Masters, over the board | 23K |
Master games
- Carlsen, M. – Kramnik, V.
- Carlsen, M. – So, W.
- Carlsen, M. – Karjakin, S.
- Nakamura, H. – Carlsen, M.
- Mamedyarov, S. – Kramnik, V.
Rated blitz, rapid and classical Lichess games by rating band, and over-the-board games of players rated 2200+ from the Lichess masters database, updated Sep 26, 2026
Description
The Trompowsky Attack (1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5) is a direct way to sidestep the huge theory of the Indian defences. White develops the bishop at once and prepares to exchange it for Black's knight, giving Black doubled pawns.
Origins
The opening is named after the Brazilian master Octávio Trompowsky (1897–1984), who played it in the 1930s and 1940s. The Czech master Karel Opočenský also played it in the 1930s, so it is also known as the Opočenský Opening, and William Allen Ruth worked on it independently in Pennsylvania. Julian Hodgson, Antoaneta Stefanova and Arjun Erigaisi are among the grandmasters who play it often. Magnus Carlsen used it in the first game of the 2016 World Championship.
The idea
2.Bg5 threatens to take on f6 and double Black's pawns. If Black allows it, White gets a better structure in return for the bishop pair. White also avoids the whole theory of the King's Indian, Nimzo-Indian, Queen's Indian and Grünfeld.
Main lines
- 2...Ne4: the most common reply, attacking the bishop. White can retreat with 3.Bh4 or 3.Bf4, or defend the bishop with 3.h4, the Raptor Variation.
- 2...e6: Black avoids the doubled pawns, since after Bxf6 the queen recaptures. White can continue with 3.e4.
- 2...d5: Black allows the doubled pawns in return for the bishop pair.
- 2...c5: Black grabs central space and plans to trade the c-pawn for White's d-pawn; one line is the Poisoned Pawn line 3.d5 Qb6.
- 2...g6: a fianchetto setup.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
- Avoids a huge amount of opening theory.
- Creates imbalances early: bishop against knight, doubled pawns.
- Many Black players are less familiar with it than with the main lines.
Weaknesses
- White gives up the bishop pair in many lines, which can matter in the long run.
- Black has several good replies, and 2...Ne4 and 2...c5 lead to sharp play that White must know.
- It gives no clear advantage against accurate play.
Who should play it
The Trompowsky suits practical 1.d4 players who want to avoid main-line theory and like unbalanced positions. It is effective against Indian-defence players who rely on their preparation after 2.c4. It is less effective against opponents who know the sharp 2...Ne4 and 2...c5 lines well.
The numbers
On Lichess the Trompowsky is even below 1800, with about 48% each. From 1800 up White does better, with 49.4–49.7% against 42.8–45.3%. In master games over the board, White wins 34%, Black 28.5% and 37.5% are drawn.
Suggest an improvement or report a mistake
How to play against the Trompowsky Attack
2…c5 scores best for Black: 50.8%, with Black winning 48.1% and White 46.5% of 549K games. The most played, 2…e6, scores 47.9% in 2.2M games, and 2…g6 scores lowest: 47.7%. Stockfish's first choice is 2…d5.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Popularity by year
The Trompowsky Attack peaked in 2019 at 0.37% of Lichess games and has slipped since: 0.28% in 2025.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.32% | 113,864 |
| 2017 | 0.35% | 191,024 |
| 2018 | 0.36% | 285,670 |
| 2019 | 0.37% | 458,415 |
| 2020 | 0.34% | 997,757 |
| 2021 | 0.3% | 1,155,946 |
| 2022 | 0.29% | 1,087,049 |
| 2023 | 0.29% | 1,086,547 |
| 2024 | 0.28% | 1,012,967 |
| 2025 | 0.28% | 960,277 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.29% | 312,907 |
Share of rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500 (blitz, rapid and classical) that reach this position, by year; 2026: January to April. Which openings are rising and falling
Variations (5)
All 9 named lines that continue from here
Sources
- History and theory: adapted from the Wikipedia article Trompowsky Attack, version of 28 September 2025, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Results: Lichess opening explorer, figures collected from September to November 2026.
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Trompowsky Attack (A45)”. Lichess data as of 6 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/trompowsky-attack