The Horwitz Defense is a

chess opening A chess opening or simply an opening is the initial stage of a chess game. It usually consists of established theory; the other phases are the middlegame and the endgame. Many opening sequences have standard names such as the "Sicilian Defens ...

defined by the moves: :1. d4 e6 This response to White's

Queen's Pawn Game Queen's Pawn Game broadly refers to any chess opening starting with the move 1.d4, which is the second most popular opening move after 1.e4 ( King's Pawn Game). Terminology The term "Queen's Pawn Game" is usually used to describe openings begi ...

, is named for the German chess master and writer

Bernhard Horwitz Bernhard Horwitz (1807 in Neustrelitz – 1885 in London) was a German and British chess master, chess writer and chess composer. Horwitz was born in Neustrelitz and went to school in Berlin, where he studied art. From 1837 to 1843, he was part ...

(1807–85), who is known to have played it four times against fellow German master

Daniel Harrwitz Daniel Harrwitz (22 February 1821 – 2 January 1884) was a German chess master. Harrwitz was born in Breslau (Wrocław) in the Prussian Province of Silesia. Harrwitz's correct birth and death dates (22 February 1821 and 2 January 1884 respectiv ...

between 1849 and 1852. Players such as the English grandmaster Simon Williams often use 1.d4 e6 as a way of playing for the

Dutch Defense The Dutch Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. d4 f5 Black's 1...f5 stakes a claim to the e4-square and envisions an attack in the middlegame on White's ; however, it also weakens Black's kingside to an extent (especia ...

while avoiding the

Staunton Gambit The Staunton Gambit is a chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. d4 f5 (the Dutch Defence) :2. e4!? White sacrifices a pawn for quick development, hoping to launch an attack against Black's , which has been somewhat weakened by 1. ...

(1.d4 f5 2.e4 !?). As such the opening has little independent significance. It is likely to

transpose In linear algebra, the transpose of a matrix is an operator which flips a matrix over its diagonal; that is, it switches the row and column indices of the matrix by producing another matrix, often denoted by (among other notations). The tr ...

to other openings listed below. *Dutch Defense (after 2.c4 f5 or 2.Nf3 f5) *

Keres Defense The Keres Defence (also known as the Kangaroo Defence or Franco-Indian Defence) is a chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. d4 e6 :2. c4 Bb4+ The opening is named for Estonian grandmaster Paul Keres. History This opening was known ...

(after 2.c4 Bb4+) *

French Defense The French Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. e4 e6 This is most commonly followed by 2.d4 d5, with Black intending ...c5 soon after, attacking White's and gaining on the . The French has a reputation for solidity ...

(after 2.e4 d5) *

Queen's Gambit Declined The Queen's Gambit Declined (or QGD) is a chess opening in which Black declines a pawn offered by White in the Queen's Gambit: :1. d4 d5 :2. c4 e6 This is known as the ''Orthodox Line'' of the Queen's Gambit Declined. When the "Queen's Gambi ...

(after 2.c4 d5) *

Sicilian Defense The Sicilian Defence is a chess opening that begins with the following moves: :1. e4 c5 The Sicilian is the most popular and best-scoring response to White's first move 1.e4. Opening 1.d4 is a statistically more successful opening for White b ...

(after 2.e4 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4) *

Benoni Defense The Benoni Defense is a chess opening characterized by an early reply of ...c5 against White's opening move 1.d4. Most commonly, it is reached by the sequence: :1. d4 Nf6 :2. c4 c5 :3. d5 Black can then sacrifice a pawn with 3...b5 (the Be ...

(after 2.e4 c5 3.d5). The ''

Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings The ''Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings'' () is a reference work describing the state of opening theory in chess, originally published in five volumes from 1974 to 1979 by the Serbian company Šahovski Informator (Chess Informant). It is current ...

'' code for the Horwitz Defense is A40. A famous game was played in this defense betwee
Edward Lasker and George Thomas.
The Queen was sacrificed and the King walked to the other side of the board.

References

Chess openings {{chess-stub

See also

References