Openings 1.d4 Nf6: Indian defenses

Trompowsky Attack (2.Bg5): 2...Ne4, 2...e6, 2...d5 and Stats

2.Bg5 threatens to take on f6 and double Black’s pawns before Black has settled on a setup. It avoids almost all main-line 1.d4 theory and is popular from club level up to grandmasters.

For White1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5Seen in 0.2% of rated games

Lichess rating

A45Trompowsky Attack

Games from this position (1600–1999): 13k

Played	Games	White · Draw · Black
28%	3,581	50%46%
18%	2,359	49%47%
17%	2,160	48%48%
17%	2,154	49%47%
7%	840	47%48%
5%	692	50%46%
4%	528	45%52%
2%	275	44%51%
1.0%	124	56%40%
0.5%	60	48%43%
0.5%	58	53%43%

Practice as White Practice as Black

Plans for both sides

White

After 2...Ne4, 3.Bf4 is the main retreat; 3.h4 is a sharp try that defends the bishop with a pawn.
Against 2...e6, 3.e4 takes the center; after ...h6 and Bxf6 Qxf6 Black has the bishop pair but you have the center.
Against 2...d5, 3.Bxf6 gives up the bishop for structure, and 3.e3 keeps it.

Black

2...Ne4 asks the bishop to move at once and prepares ...c5 and ...Qb6.
2...e6 and 2...d5 are solid; if White takes on f6, recapture with ...Qxf6 after 2...e6 or ...exf6 after 2...d5, and use the bishop pair.
...c5 with ...Qb6 hits b2 once the bishop has left the queenside.

Trompowsky Attack at each rating

How often the position after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 comes up in rated Lichess games, how it scores and what players answer next.

Rating	Games (Share of games)	White · Draw · Black	Top next move
<1200	1,969<0.1%	49%47%	2...e621%
1200–1599	7,1790.1%	49%48%	2...e626%
1600–1999	13k0.2%	49%47%	2...e628%
2000+	11k0.5%	50%44%	2...Ne427%
All	33k0.2%	49%46%	2...e626%

What usually comes next

The most played moves from here, all ratings together. Thicker line = played more often.

Main variations

The main line: Black checks with ...Qa5+ and White grabs space with d5.
Too rare in our data for numbers.
Show on the board: 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bf4 c5 4.f3 Qa5+ 5.c3 Nf6 6.d5
White defends the bishop with the h-pawn; at 2000+ about one in four choose it.
Too rare in our data for numbers.
Show on the board: 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.h4 c5 4.d5
White builds a big center; Black gets the bishop pair after ...h6 and ...Qxf6.
619 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 47%, 8% were drawn, Black won 46%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 e6 3.e4 h6 4.Bxf6 Qxf6
White gives up the bishop and leaves Black with doubled f-pawns; Black has the bishop pair in return.
2,098 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 52%, 5% were drawn, Black won 43%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 d5 3.Bxf6 exf6 4.e3

At club level

Below 1200, 2...e6, 2...d5 and 2...g6 are each played in about one game in five, and 2...Ne4 is less common. At 2000+ 2...Ne4 becomes the top reply at 27%, and after 2...d5 about half of White players take on f6 at once. White scores about 51 to 53% after 2.Bg5.

Practice it

The trainer answers with the replies people at your rating choose, in the same proportions, and brings back your mistakes on a schedule.

Practice as White Practice as Black

Related openings

Indian Defense: 1.d4 Nf6
1.d4 Nf6
810k games
King’s Indian Defense
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6
47k games
Nimzo-Indian Defense
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4
43k games
Old Indian Defense
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6
36k games
Budapest Gambit
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5
22k games
Grünfeld Defense
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5
19k games