Chessy
Grob Opening: London Defense – How to Play Black
When White pushes the g-pawn on move one, you get a rare gift: a clear, lasting advantage with Black straight out of the opening. The Grob Opening (1.g4) weakens White's kingside before any pieces are developed — and with the London Defense (1.g4 e5 2.h3 Nc6) you take immediate control of the centre while White's first two moves have done almost nothing to fight for it. Stockfish evaluates this position at -1.37, which is a comfortable edge for Black. That means you are clearly better already. The drill below will train you to handle White's most common replies and convert this advantage into a full point.
Play the Grob Opening: London Defense against the engine
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Create a free account →Why 1.g4 e5 2.h3 Nc6 Works So Well for Black
White's first two moves are a concession: 1.g4 does nothing for the centre and weakens the kingside, and 2.h3 is a defensive move that doesn't address the real problem. Your reply 1...e5 claims the centre immediately, and 2...Nc6 develops a piece while supporting the e5-pawn and preparing ...d5 or ...Bc5. The statistics back this up — across nearly 30,000 games from this exact position, Black wins 51.0% of the time versus White's 45.0%, with only 4.0% draws. In practical play, that means you are winning roughly one more game out of every ten than your opponent, which is a huge edge coming out of move two.
The Engine's Best Reply: d3 (and What It Means)
Stockfish's top recommendation for White is 3.d3, preparing to meet ...h5 with gxh5 and then d5. But even this best line leaves Black firmly on top. After 3.d3 h5 4.gxh5 d5, Black has strong central control, open lines for the bishop on c8, and White's kingside is permanently compromised. In practice, though, White rarely plays d3 — it appears in only 1,670 games out of the database, and White scores a weak 45.2% there. The critical lesson: if White does find this move, don't panic. Keep developing, target the h5-pawn, and trust your advantage.
The Most-Played Reply: 3.Bg2 — White's Favourite Mistake
By far the most popular move is 3.Bg2, appearing in 20,368 games (more than two-thirds of all continuations). White places the bishop on the long diagonal, but this move ignores the centre and does nothing about the g4 weakness. White scores only 47.4% from here — the worst outcome you'd expect from a position already favouring Black. Your plan: continue developing naturally, likely with ...Nf6, ...Bc5, and ...d6 or ...0-0, targeting the light squares around White's weakened king. The bishop on g2 looks active but has few real targets while your centre pawns limit its range.
Three Other Replies to Know
Beyond Bg2 and d3, White has several other tries that all score poorly for them. Here is what you should be ready for: - 3.a3 (1,300 games, White 44.5%): A completely passive move. Develop normally with ...Nf6 and ...Bc5 — White has wasted a tempo. - 3.e3 (1,302 games, White 44.2%): White prepares d4 but spends another move on a pawn push. You can strike back with ...d5 or ...Bc5. - 3.Nf3 (935 games, White 32.5%): This is White's worst-scoring move by far, and for good reason — it blocks the f-pawn while the g-pawn is still hanging. Your simplest reply is 3...d5, grabbing space in the centre and threatening ...Bxg4. White's pathetic 32.5% score shows how punishing the position can be when you know the right plans.
Results across 29,805 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Bg2 | 20,368 | 47.4% |
| d3 | 1,670 | 45.2% |
| e3 | 1,302 | 44.2% |
| a3 | 1,300 | 44.5% |
| e4 | 998 | 43.7% |
| Nf3 | 935 | 32.5% |
Frequently asked questions
Is 1.g4 a good opening for White?
No — 1.g4 is objectively poor, and Stockfish rates the resulting position at -1.37, a clear advantage for Black. In the London Defense line (1.g4 e5 2.h3 Nc6), Black scores 51.0% wins versus White's 45.0%, showing that White's first two moves have already put them on the back foot.
What is the best move after 1.g4 e5 2.h3 Nc6?
Stockfish's top recommendation for White is 3.d3, which prepares to meet ...h5 with gxh5 followed by d5. Even in this line Black keeps a clear advantage. In practice White most often plays 3.Bg2, which scores only 47.4% for them.
How should Black respond to 3.Bg2 in the Grob London Defense?
Develop naturally: ...Nf6, ...Bc5, and either ...d6 or ...0-0 are all good plans. The bishop on g2 looks active but Black's centre pawns limit its scope. White scores only 47.4% from this position, so you are already the favourite.
What is White's worst move in the Grob Opening: London Defense?
3.Nf3 scores only 32.5% for White across 935 games — by far the worst result. It blocks the f-pawn and does nothing about the weak g4-pawn. Simple development with ...d5 gives Black a strong centre and immediate threats.