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Grunfeld-like openings against e4

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HolyCrusader5

I've been having a lot of success with the Grunfeld defense and I am looking for an opening similar to that against e4.

FrogCDE

The Sicilian dragon seems the most appropriate - sharp, counter-attacking, highly theoretical, with a fianchettoed bishop on g7 raking the queenside. Rather you than me, though!

ThrillerFan

I would say the Alekhine for the exact reason that I hate the Alekhine and Grunfeld.

 

Both openings involve White getting the big, mobile center where Black's idea is that White is over-extended and attacks the White center with pieces.

 

When you talk about the 5 types of center - Blocked, Mobile, Static, Open, and Dynamic, the Grunfeld and Alekhine are literally the main sources of the Mobile Center.

 

The type of center is exactly the reason for my combination of choices as Black, the French and the King's Indian Defense, the two main defenses that most often result in the Blocked Center.

 

So the Alekhine is pretty much your answer if you are a Grunfeld fanatic, literally the two openings I hate most in the game of chess!

HolyCrusader5

What would you recommend as white?

ThrillerFan
HolyCrusader5 wrote:

What would you recommend as white?

 

There is no White equivalent unless you want to do something whacko like the Elshad System (1.c3/2.Qh4) where Black gets a mobile center.

 

It's just like how I have no equivalent to the French and King's Indian.  Playing White is a different beast!

kindaspongey
HolyCrusader5 wrote:

What would you recommend as white?

Maybe the Catalan?

HolyCrusader5

That's great actually because I have begun to play the Catalan.

StevieG65
Alekhine is definitely a good match for Gruenfeld. Arguably, it is just not as good, since white has not wasted a tempo on c4. As white, Catalan is structurally similar, but I would recommend 1.e4 mainlines as being similar in attitude.
FianchettoNoMore

The Grunfeld defense can be summarized as

1 fianchetto the king bishop

2 OO

3 throw the c and d pawns into the center of the board

The only defense against 1.e4 that is similar is the Sicilian Accelerated Dragon. Bent Larsen often played the SAD and the Grunfeld.

FYI, the Catalan is a Grunfeld attack.

See the old book Zoom001 by Larsen and Zeuthen.

Luskojs
Is there Any opening like the grünfeld that gives you a fianchetto but a safe king against e4.