Power openings: Grünfeld Defence Volume 2 - Systems without cxd5 by Markus Ragger

You are looking for an active answer to 1.d4? Then the Grünfeld Indian is an excellent choice! Not by chance this opening is one of the main weapons of some top grandmasters: with active play and emphasis on tactics, Black counters White’s strong centre, immediately facing him with concrete problems.

In this video course, the Austrian number 1 and Grünfeld expert Markus Ragger gives you the necessary knowledge to outplay your opponents with the Grünfeld. In over 10 hours (volumes 1 and 2), he presents the most important main and side lines. Subsequently, you have the chance to apply your freshly acquired knowledge in interactive video format, finding the right moves in response to the author’s questions. What’s more, you can practice the repertoire and play out the Grünfeld structures against the computer. So - start studying the Grünfeld right away!

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6
- 3.f3, 3.g3, 3.h4, 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.e3, 3.Bg5
3.Nc3 d5
- 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.h4, 5.Qb3, 4.Bg5, 4.Bf4, 4.e3, 4.Qa4+/Qb3

• Video running time: 5 hours (English)
• With interactive training including video feedback
• Extra: Training with ChessBase apps - Memorize the opening repertoire and play key positions against Fritz on various levels
• Database with model games

1. Introduction
2. 3rd move sidelines
3. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6
4. Sidelines
5. 3.h4
6. 3.f3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.e4 e6
7. 3.f3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.e4 e6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Nge2/Be3/Bg5
8. 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.e3 0-0
9. 3.g3
10. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3
11. Sidelines
12. Double fianchetto
13. early cxd5
14. Ideas with Qb3
15. Russian Systems with Qa4/Qb3
16. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7
17. 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 0-0 7.e4/Bf4
18. 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 0-0 7.e4 a6 8.e5 b5
19. Early Qb3/Qa4
20. 4.e3
21. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5
22. 4.e3 Bg7 - Qb3 and b4 systems
23. 4.e3 Bg7 - cxd5 systems
24. 4.e3 Bg7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Bd2/Be2
25. 4.Bg5
26. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5
27. 4.Bg5 Bg7 5.Nf3 Ne4 - without an early cxd5
28. 4.Bg5 Bg7 5.e3/Bxf6 - systems without Nf3
29. 4.Bg5 Bg7 5.Bxf6 Bxf6 6.cxd5 c5 7.dxc5 Nd7
30. 4.Bf4
31. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5
32. 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.Rc1/Nf3
33. 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.e3 c5
34. 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.h4
35. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5
36. 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.h4
37. Exercises
38. Description
39. Exercise 1
40. Exercise 2
41. Exercise 3
42. Exercise 4
43. Exercise 5
44. Exercise 6
45. Exercise 7
46. Exercise 8
47. Exercise 9
48. Exercise 10
49. Exercise 11
50. Exercise 12
51. Exercise 13
52. Exercise 14
53. Exercise 15
54. Exercise 16
55. Outro

Grünfeld Defence

Grünfeld Defence

The Grünfeld Defence is part of the group of openings which arose only when a new understanding of the struggle for the centre was developed. In 1922 the Austrian grandmaster Ernst Grünfeld (1893–1962) introduced to practice this system which would later be taken up by Botvinnik, Fischer and Kasparov and which nowadays counts as one of the most important defences to 1.d4. In the diagram above, which shows the main line, Black has actually exchanged his d-pawn for the white b-pawn. And White has not only been able to set up the ideal centre e4/d4, but his d-pawn is even supported by the pawn on c3. The secret underlying the vitality of the black position can be found in the subsequent piece development and the counter-attack against the d4-square. Black only requires two moves, ...c5 and ...Nc6, in order to be able to exert strong pressure against the d4-pawn.