Owen's Defence (also known as the Queen's Fianchetto Defence) is an uncommon

chess opening The opening is the initial stage of a chess game. It usually consists of established Chess_theory#Opening_theory, theory. The other phases are the chess middlegame, middlegame and the chess endgame, endgame. Many opening sequences, known as ''op ...

defined by the moves: :1. e4 b6 By playing 1...b6, Black prepares to

fianchetto In chess, the fianchetto ( or spelling pronunciation ; "little flank") is a pattern of wherein a bishop is developed to the second of the adjacent b- or g-, the having been moved one or two squares forward. The fianchetto is a staple of man ...

the where it will participate in the battle for the . The downside of this plan is that White can occupy the centre with pawns and gain a . Moreover, 1...b6 does not prepare

castling Castling is a move in chess. It consists of moving the king (chess), king two squares toward a rook (chess), rook on the same and then moving the rook to the square that the king passed over. Castling is permitted only if neither the king ...

as 1...g6 does, and it is harder for Black to augment their pressure against the centre with ...f5, which weakens the kingside, than it is to play the corresponding move ...c5 after 1...g6.

Christian Bauer Christian Bauer (born 11 January 1977) is a French chess grandmaster and author. He is a three-time French Chess Champion (1996, 2012, 2015). In 2005 he won the 2nd Calvia Chess Festival. In 2009, came first at Vicente Bonil ahead of 21 GMs an ...

, ''Play 1...b6'', Everyman Chess, 2005, p. 5. . Owen's Defence accordingly has a dubious reputation. Owen's Defence is classified as code B00 by the ''

Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings The ''Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings'' (''ECO'') is a reference work describing the state of Chess theory#Opening theory, opening theory in chess, originally published in five volumes from 1974 to 1979 by the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugos ...

''.

History

The 17th-century writings of

Gioachino Greco Gioachino Greco ( – ), surnamed Cusentino and more frequently ''il Calabrese'', was an Italian chess player and writer. He recorded some of the earliest chess games known in their entirety. His games, which never indicated players, were q ...

contain three games featuring 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7.Louis Hoffmann, ''The Chess Games of Greco'', George Routledge & Sons, Ltd., 1900, pp. 82–86. The first master strength player to employ 1.e4 b6 on a regular basis was the 19th-century vicar and strong amateur chess player John Owen, David Hooper and

Kenneth Whyld Kenneth Whyld (6 March 1926 – 11 July 2003) was a British chess author and researcher, best known as the co-author (with David Hooper) of ''The Oxford Companion to Chess'', a single-volume chess reference work in English. Whyld was a st ...

, ''

The Oxford Companion to Chess ''The Oxford Companion to Chess'' is a reference book on the game of chess written by David Vincent Hooper and Kenneth Whyld. The book is written in an encyclopedia format. The book belongs to the Oxford Companions series. Details The first ed ...

'' (2nd ed. 1992), p. 286. . after whom the opening is named. Owen seems to have used 1.e4 b6 as his main defence for the majority of his career, including in two games against

Paul Morphy Paul Charles Morphy (June 22, 1837July 10, 1884) was an American chess player. During his brief career in the late 1850s, Morphy was acknowledged as the world's greatest chess master. A prodigy, Morphy emerged onto the chess scene in 1857 ...

in 1858 (scoring one win and one loss.) In 1889, Owen's Defence was played seven times by

Isidor Gunsberg Isidor Arthur Gunsberg (also spelled ''Günzberg'', ; 1 November 1854 – 2 May 1930) was a Hungarian chess player, best known for narrowly losing the 1891 World Chess Championship match to Wilhelm Steinitz. Biography Gunsberg began his caree ...

at the US Chess Congress (scoring +4,=2,-1), but the opening was otherwise a very rare visitor in master level chess until the 1970s when it was adopted by freethinkers such as

Bent Larsen Jørgen Bent Larsen (4 March 1935 – 9 September 2010) was a Danish chess Grandmaster (chess), grandmaster and author. Known for his imaginative and unorthodox style of play, he was the second-strongest non-Soviet Union, Soviet player, behind ...

and

Michael Basman Michael John Basman (16 March 194626 October 2022) was an English chess player and author. He was awarded the title of International Master in 1980. Chess career Once described by Murray Chandler as "the most bizarre player in the universe", B ...

. In more recent times Owen's Defence has been played with some regularity by grandmasters

Pavel Blatny Pavel ( Bulgarian, Russian, Serbian: Павел; Czech, Slovene, and (although Romanian also uses Paul); ; ; ) is a male given name. It is a Slavic cognate of the name Paul (derived from the Greek Pavlos). Pavel may refer to: People Given ...

Artashes Minasian Artashes Minasian (also Transliteration, transliterated as ''Minasyan''; ; born 21 January 1967) is an Armenian Grandmaster (chess), chess grandmaster. He tied for first in the 1991 USSR Chess Championship and is a six-time Armenian Chess Champi ...

Nona Gaprindashvili Nona Gaprindashvili ( ka, ნონა გაფრინდაშვილი; born 3 May 1941) is a Georgian chess Grandmaster. Noted for her aggressive style of play, she was the women's world chess champion from 1962 to 1978, and in 1978 ...

Tony Miles Anthony John Miles (23 April 1955 – 12 November 2001) was an English chess player and the first Englishman to earn the International Grandmaster, Grandmaster title. Early and personal life Miles was born on 23 April 1955 in Edgbaston, a sub ...

Edvīns Ķeņģis Edvīns Ķeņģis (born 12 April 1959, in Cēsis) is a Latvian chess Grandmaster. Ķeņģis is an eight-time Latvian Champion, winning the national contest in 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1997, 2004 and 2005. He won the Baltic Chess Champio ...

, and

Normunds Miezis Normunds Miezis (born 11 May 1971) is a Latvian chess Grandmaster (1997). Chess career He won the Latvian Chess Championship in 1991 and 2006. He played for Latvia in the Chess Olympiads of 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014 ...

, and by

International Master FIDE titles are awarded by the international chess governing body FIDE (''Fédération Internationale des Échecs'') for outstanding performance. The highest such title is Grandmaster (GM). Titles generally require a combination of Elo rating and ...

s Bauer, Bricard and Filipovic. The opening remains rare but has enjoyed a certain amount of popularity in top-level online blitz tournaments, including in games by

Alireza Firouzja Alireza Firouzja (, ; born 18 June 2003) is an Iranian and French Grandmaster (chess), chess grandmaster. Firouzja is the youngest player to have surpassed a FIDE Elo rating system, rating of 2800, beating the previous record set by Magnus Carls ...

Magnus Carlsen Sven Magnus Øen Carlsen (born 30 November 1990) is a Norwegian Grandmaster (chess), chess grandmaster. Carlsen is a five-time World Chess Championship, World Chess Champion, five-time World Rapid Chess Championship, World Rapid Chess Champio ...

Hikaru Nakamura Christopher Hikaru NakamuraIan Nepomniachtchi Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi ( rus, Ян Алекса́ндрович Непо́мнящий, r=Yan Aleksandrovich Nepomnyashchiy, p=ˈjan ɐlʲɪkˈsandrəvʲɪtɕ nʲɪˈpomnʲɪɕːɪj, a=Ru-Ian Alexandrovich Nepomnyashchij.ogg; born 14 J ...

and

Teimour Radjabov Teimour Boris oghlu Radjabov (also spelled Teymur Rajabov; , ; born 12 March 1987) is an Azerbaijani Grandmaster (chess), chess grandmaster. A former child prodigy, he earned the title of Grandmaster (chess), Grandmaster in March 2001 at age 14, ...

Theory

The

theory A theory is a systematic and rational form of abstract thinking about a phenomenon, or the conclusions derived from such thinking. It involves contemplative and logical reasoning, often supported by processes such as observation, experimentation, ...

of Owen's Defence is less developed than that of other openings. This makes it attractive to some players, since their opponents will often be ill-prepared for it and hence forced to think for themselves. GM

observes:

To be honest, I don't think Black can equalise as quickly with 1...b6 as he sometimes does in standard openings, and he may suffer against a well-prepared opponent. Then again, the well-prepared opponent is rare for such marginal variations as 1...b6, and in any case, with reasonable play I'm sure White can't get more than a slight advantage from the opening – a risk everyone is running as Black, aren't they?

After 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 the mainline has historically been 3.Bd3 e6 4.Nf3 (4.c4 would transpose to the English Defence) c5 5.c3 (see diagram), after which '' MCO-15''de Firmian 2008, p. 385. gives clear advantage to White after either: 5…Nf6 6.Nbd2 Nc6 7.a3! d5 8.e5 Nfd7 9.b4 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Re1 or 5...cxd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Qe2 d5 9.e5 Ne4 10.0-0!? Bxc3 11.bxc3 Nxc3 12.Qe3 Nc6 13.Bb2 Ne4 14.Ba3

Adams Adams may refer to: * For persons, see Adams (surname) Places United States *Adams, California *Adams, California, former name of Corte Madera, California * Adams, Decatur County, Indiana *Adams, Kentucky *Adams, Massachusetts, a New England to ...

–Vanderwaeren, Moscow Olympiad 1994). GM John Shaw has suggested that White may fare even better by opting for 5.Nc3 after which Black has little option but to play ...cxd4 (either immediately or in the next few moves) transposing into an unorthodox type of Open Sicilian where Black has played an early ...b6/...Bb7. According to IM

Lawrence Trent Lawrence Trent (born 28 April 1986) is an English International Master chess player and commentator. Trent has host-commentated for major FIDE tournaments, including the World Chess Championship Finals for Anand–Carlsen (2013), World Candidat ...

, 4…c5 has ‘generally been almost refuted by cloud engines’. He therefore suggests that Black may be better off exploring the sideline 4…d5. Possibilities offered by Trent include 5.e5 Ba6, which gives an Advance

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

type structure where Black can swiftly exchange off his bad bishop, and 5.exd Qxd 6.Nc3 Qd8 where the structure might be taken to resemble either an unusual form of Qd8 Scandinavian or a rare type of Exchange

where Black had re-captured with the Queen to keep the pawn structure asymmetrical (i.e. 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e4xd5 Qxd5!?). German opening theoretician FM Klaus Gewehns considered much of the complex after 3.Bd3 e6 to be dangerous for Black and instead concentrated on 3...Nf6 (as often played by Owen's Defence specialist

), the most frequently played continuation here is 4.Qe2 e6 5.Nf3 d5 6.e5 Nfd7 7.0-0 c5 (see diagram), another French-type handling of the opening. The main 3rd move alternative for White has been to defend the e4 pawn with 3.Nc3, after which a typical continuation would be 3...e6 4.Nf3 Bb4 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bxf6 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Qxf6 (see diagram), ''MCO-15'' now gives advantage to White following 9.0-0 d6 10.Nd2 e5 11.f4 Qe7 12.Qg4, as in David– Bauer, France 2005. Instead of playing 3...e6, Black may also transpose into the

Hippopotamus Defence The Hippopotamus Defence is a chess employed by Black, consisting of a double structure (bishops on b7 and g7) and a small (pawns on d6 and e6). The knights are typically developed to e7 and d7 and the rook's pawns to a6 and h6. This structure ...

by playing 3...g6 and 4...Bg7, attaining a double fianchetto formation. This approach was used by GM

Boris Spassky Boris Vasilyevich Spassky (; January 30, 1937 – February 27, 2025) was a Russian chess grandmaster who was the tenth World Chess Champion, holding the title from 1969 to 1972. Spassky played three world championship matches: he lost to Tigra ...

in games 12 and 16 of his 1966 World Championship match against the then World Champion

Tigran Petrosian Tigran Vardani Petrosian (; ; 17 June 1929 – 13 August 1984) was a Soviet-Armenian chess grandmaster and the ninth World Chess Champion from 1963 to 1969. He was nicknamed "Iron Tigran" due to his almost-impenetrable defensive playing s ...

; Spassky drew both games. It had been developed and played by the Slovakian

Maximilian Ujtelky a few years before this. If White plays 3.Bd3 g6 4.f4 Andrew Martin considers 4...f5! to be strong, citing the game Serpik–Blatny, U.S. Open 2003. After 1. e4 b6 2. d4 Bb7 3. Bd3, the direct 3...f5? is "simply suicidal" according to Bauer. In the 17th century Greco had already given the line 4. exf5! Bxg2 5. Qh5+ g6 6. fxg6 (see diagram) Nf6 7. gxh7+ Nxh5 8. Bg6#. A better move for Black is 6...Bg7, but White is winning after 7.Qf5! Nf6 8.Bh6,

John Nunn John Denis Martin Nunn (born 25 April 1955) is an English chess grandmaster, a three-time world champion in chess problem solving, a chess writer and publisher, and a mathematician. He is one of England's strongest chess players and was form ...

Graham Burgess Graham K. Burgess (born 24 February 1968 in Liverpool, England) is an English FIDE Master of chess and a noted writer and trainer. He became a FIDE Master at the age of twenty. He attended Birkdale High School in Southport, Merseyside. In 1 ...

, John Emms, and Joe Gallagher, ''Nunn's Chess Openings'', Everyman Chess, 1999, p. 123. . or the "clearer" 7.gxh7+ Kf8 8.Nf3 (the Stockfish computer programme prefers 9.Nh3) Nf6 (8...Bxf3? 9.Qxf3+ Nf6 10.Qxa8; 8...Bxh1 9.Ne5 Bxe5 10.dxe5 Bd5 11.hxg8=Q+ Kxg8 12.Qg6+ Kf8 13.Bh6+) 9.Qg6 Bxf3 (9...Bxh1 10.Bh6 Rxh7 11.Ng5 Bxh6 12.Nxh7+ Nxh7 13.Qxh6+) 10.Rg1 Rxh7 11.Qg3! Be4 12.Bxe4 Nxe4 13.Qf3+ Kg8 14.Qxe4 with an extra pawn and safer king for White.

Guatemala Defence

After 1.e4 b6 2.d4, instead of 2...Bb7, the move 2...Ba6 is known as the Guatemala Defence. This opening was invented by a Guatemalan named Roberto Asturias, and further investigated by his compatriots including and .

Joel Benjamin Joel Lawrence Benjamin (born March 11, 1964) is an American chess player who holds the FIDE title of Grandmaster (GM). In 1998, he was voted "Grandmaster of the Year" by the U.S. Chess Federation. Life and career Benjamin is a native of Bro ...

and

Eric Schiller Eric Schiller (March 20, 1955 – November 3, 2018) was an American chess player, trainer, arbiter and one of the most prolific authors of books on chess in the 20th century. Early life and education Schiller was born in New York City. He atten ...

see some logic in Black's concept to exchange White's light-squared bishop as soon as possible, as it often proves troublesome for Black in many openings.

Andrew Soltis Andrew Eden Soltis (born May 28, 1947) is an American Grandmaster (chess), chess grandmaster, author and columnist. He was inducted into the United States Chess Hall of Fame in September 2011. Chess career Soltis learned how the chess pieces mov ...

writes that it has "no other discernible benefit than to get out of '

book A book is a structured presentation of recorded information, primarily verbal and graphical, through a medium. Originally physical, electronic books and audiobooks are now existent. Physical books are objects that contain printed material, ...

' as quickly as possible".

, "GM Follies", ''

Chess Life The monthly ''Chess Life'' and bi-monthly ''Chess Life Kids'' (formerly ''School Mates'' and ''Chess Life for Kids'') are the official magazines published by the United States Chess Federation (US Chess). ''Chess Life'' is advertised as the "m ...

'', August 1997, p. 12.

Illustrative game

Speelman vs. Basman, British Championship 1984:
1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 b6 3. d4 Bb7 transposing to a position more commonly reached by 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Nc3 e6. 4. Bd3 Nf6 5. Nge2 c5 6. d5! a6 6...exd5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.Nxd5 Bxd5 9.Nf4 Bc6 (9...Be6 10.Be4 wins; 9...Qe7+!?) 10.Bc4! "gives White strong pressure". 7. a4 exd5 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. Nxd5 Bxd5 10. Nf4 Be6 11. Be4 Ra7 12. 0-0 Be7 Watson and

Schiller Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (, short: ; 10 November 17599 May 1805) was a German playwright, poet, philosopher and historian. Schiller is considered by most Germans to be Germany's most important classical playwright. He was born i ...

also give 12...g6 13.a5! as favoring White after 13...bxa5 14.Bd2 or 13...b5 14.Be3 d6 15.b4 Be7 16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.Qg4 Qc8 18.bxc5 dxc5 19.Bh6, intending Rad1, Rfe1, and h4–h5 "with great pressure for just a pawn". 13. Ra3 0-0 14. Rg3 f5 15. Bd5 Rf6? Better is 15...Bxd5!? 16.Qxd5+ Rf7 17.Nh5 with a strong attack.Speelman's annotations in ''Chess Informant'', Volume 38, Šahovski Informator, 1985, p. 74. 16. Re1 Bxd5 17. Qxd5+ Rf7 18. Nh5 g6 19. Bh6 Nc6 20. Rge3 (see diagram) Speelman–Basman, British Championship 1984
ChessGames.com. Retrieved on 2009-07-15. White threatens both 21.Rxe7! Nxe7 22.Nf6+ Kh8 23.Qxf7 and 21.Nf6+! Bxf6 (21...Kh8 22.Qxf7) 22.Re8+. On 20...gxh5, 21.Rg3+ wins; 20...Bf8 21.Re8 gxh5 23.Bxf8!; 20...Ra8 21.Rxe7! Nxe7 and now either 22.Rxe7 Qxe7 23.Qxa8+ or 22.Nf6+ Kh8 23.Qxf7 wins.

Bibliography

* Bauer, Christian. ''Play 1...b6'' (Everyman Chess, 2005). * Coles, Nevil. ''Owen's Defence'', chapter 19 (pp112-120) in the 1977 & 1978 impressions of ''Nimzowitsch/Larsen Attack'' by Keene, R. (Batsford, 1977). Absent from subsequent reprints. * Gawehns, Klaus. ''Theorie und Praxis: Owen-Verteidigung'' (Part I in ''Kaissiber'' 30, pp20-42, Part II in ''Kaissiber'' 32, pp45-61, both 2008, ISBNs 4194305406103/80030 & 4194305406103/80032). * Lakdawala, Cyrus. ''1...b6: Move by Move'' (Everyman Chess, 2014). * Odessky, Ilya. Winning quickly with 1.b3 and 1...b6'' (New In Chess, 2020). * Trent, Lawrence. ''1...b6 Against Everything'' (Chessable.com, 2021).

References

External links

* Marcin Maciaga
Flexible System of Defensive Play for Black – 1...b6
{{Chess, state=collapsed Chess openings