52. Hungarian Defence: Exchange on d4
If after 4.d4 Black gives up the centre with 4...exd4, White recaptures with the knight and develops with Nc3, O-O and h3. Black is solid but passive and prepares ...Re8 and ...Bf8.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 d6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.O-O O-O 8.h3 Re8
Move by move
- 1.e4 – Occupies the centre and frees the queen and the f1-bishop, which in the Italian Game goes to c4 to aim at the weak f7 point.
- 1...e5 – Black contests the centre at once: the e5 pawn controls d4 and f4 and opens the diagonal for the f8-bishop and the queen.
- 2.Nf3 – Development with an attack: the knight hits the e5 pawn, controls d4 and prepares quick kingside castling.
- 2...Nc6 – Defends e5 while developing and adds control of d4, the square White wants for a pawn.
- 3.Bc4 – The Italian Game move: the bishop aims at f7, defended only by the king, and controls d5, making ...d5 harder to achieve.
- 3...Be7 – The Hungarian Defence: Black gives up the pressure of ...Bc5 or ...Nf6 and chooses a solid but passive position, with no targets for White's attack on f7.
- 4.d4 – Against the passive set-up White immediately occupies the centre and attacks e5.
- 4...exd4 – Black gives up the centre: it captures on d4 and leaves White more space, but its position stays solid.
- 5.Nxd4 – The knight recaptures in the centre: White has more space, comfortable development and no weaknesses.
- 5...d6 – Black opens the c8-bishop and controls e5: a structure similar to the Philidor Defence with the d6-pawn set back.
- 6.Nc3 – The knight develops, defends e4 and controls d5.
- 6...Nf6 – Black develops the knight and attacks e4, defended by the c3-knight.
- 7.O-O – White castles: the king is safe and the f1-rook can support an f4 push.
- 7...O-O – Black castles too; now it can think of ...Re8 and ...Bf8 to press on e4.
- 8.h3 – Takes the g4 square away from Black's knight and bishop: without ...Ng4 or ...Bg4 Black has fewer ways to disturb the d4-knight.
- 8...Re8 – The rook goes to the e-file and prepares ...Bf8: after the bishop's retreat it will press on e4.
How to exploit the position
White has more space and the strong knight on d4; Black has no weaknesses but few active squares, and aims for ...Re8, ...Bf8 and pressure on e4.
- Bb3 takes away from Black the trick ...Nxe4 followed by ...d5, which would attack the c4-bishop and the e4-knight.
- Re1 defends e4 before ...Bf8 arrives.
- f4 gains space on the kingside and prepares e5 or f5, exploiting the control of the centre.
- Bf4 or Be3 and Qd2 complete development; the exchange Nxc6 bxc6 leaves Black with weak c-pawns.
Master tips
The ...Nxe4 and ...d5 trick
With the bishop on c4 and the knight on c3, Black can play ...Nxe4 Nxe4 d5, attacking two pieces and regaining the material.