Exchange Variation
Grünfeld Defence · D85 · you play Black. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3
About the Exchange Variation
The Exchange Grünfeld, 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3, gives White a big centre and Black a target. Black plays ...c5, ...Qa5 and ...Nc6 against d4, trades queens when useful and uses the queenside majority in the endgame. Kasparov's Grünfeld games are the model.
Playing the Grünfeld Defence as Black? The Exchange Variation (D85) begins 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5, and is one of 3 lines you can practise here. Start in learn mode to see the idea behind every move, then play the Exchange Variation yourself and let the coach correct your mistakes. After the opening, the page shows the typical middlegame plans, the endgames that often follow and grandmaster games with the Exchange Variation. Add it to your set of defences against 1.e4 and 1.d4, and repeat it in speed mode or the drill until you no longer have to think about it.