Chessy
The Queen's Pawn Game: Levitsky Attack — When Black Plays ...f6
You've opened 1.d4, Black answered 1...d5, and you threw in the tricky 2.Bg5. But instead of the tame 2...e6 or 2...Nf6, Black lashes out with 2...f6 — kicking your bishop. You retreat 3.Bh4, and now it's Black's move in a sharp little scuffle. At first glance Black seems to be gaining time, but the stats tell a different story: across over 684,000 games from this position, White scores a punishing 54.8% with only 41.7% for Black. The engine evaluates this at -0.52, a small edge for Black — but the practical results strongly favour you. Why? Because Black's most natural replies are actually mistakes, and if you know how to react, you'll be the one pressing. Let's see what's really going on.
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Black's 2...f6 looks aggressive — you attack the d5 pawn, so why chase the bishop? The immediate threat is ...g5, trapping your light-squared bishop, and many players instinctively lunge at it. That's exactly the trap White wants them to fall into. The engine's best continuation is Nh6 (followed by Nf3 Nf5 e3), a quiet developing move that prepares to untangle Black's kingside rather than grabbing material. It shows that Black's ideal plan here is caution: get the knight to f5, challenge your bishop, and not overextend. The problem for Black is that most club players don't find Nh6 — they reach for the greedy g5 or develop normally with Nc6 or Bf5, all of which are suboptimal. Your job as White is to punish those natural-looking replies.
The Critical Move: Why g5 Is a Mistake
The most popular move in the position is g5 — played over 261,000 times. It looks crushing: you attack the bishop, force it to move, and gain space. But Stockfish calls g5 a mistake that loses roughly 1.7 pawns. Why? Because after 3...g5, your bishop retreats to g3, and Black's kingside is suddenly full of holes. The pawn on g5 cannot be defended easily, and Black's king has lost its shield. White can follow up with e3, Nf3, and later c4 or h4, targeting the overextended pawn chain. White scores 57.5% after g5 — the highest win percentage of any Black reply. When your opponent plays g5, they're giving you a direct target. Don't panic, don't try to hold onto the bishop: step back to g3 and start undermining those pawns.
The Engine's Favourite and the Most Common Inaccuracies
If Black finds the best move Nh6, the engine line runs Nh6 Nf3 Nf5 e3 — a solid but passive setup where Black's knight reaches f5 and challenges your bishop for real. This is Black's best try, and even then White scores a healthy 52.5% in practice. The other popular moves all fall short: Nc6 (171,000 games) is an inaccuracy costing about half a pawn; White scores 53.2% against it. Bf5 (52,800 games) is also an inaccuracy, losing roughly 0.8 pawns — after Bf5 you can play c4 immediately, attacking the centre while Black's bishop on f5 is poorly placed for defense. e6 (66,900 games) is a solid but passive choice that doesn't punish White for 2.Bg5. Only Nh6 keeps the position truly balanced; everything else gives you a chance to grab an edge.
Your Plan: What to Do on Every Reply
No matter what Black plays, your general approach is the same: develop quickly, control the centre, and be ready to prove that the ...f6 push was a weakness rather than a strength. Against g5, retreat the bishop to g3 and plan to attack the kingside pawns with h4 or undermine with e3 and c4. Against Nc6 and e6, play natural developing moves like Nf3, e3, and c4 — the d4-d5 centre is solid, and Black's f6 pawn has weakened the e6 square. Against Bf5, strike immediately with c4, threatening to win the d5 pawn or open the centre. And if Black finds the engine move Nh6, simply continue Nf3, e3, and prepare c4. Your bishop on h4 isn't trapped — it's a piece that restricts Black's kingside development. In every line, remember: Black's ...f6 gave up control of e6 and loosened their king position. That's an invitation you should accept.
Results across 684,500 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| g5 | 261,576 | 57.5% |
| Nc6 | 171,157 | 53.2% |
| e6 | 66,928 | 52.9% |
| Bf5 | 52,822 | 52.3% |
| Nh6 | 27,739 | 52.5% |
| e5 | 27,050 | 56.3% |
Frequently asked questions
Is 2.Bg5 vs the Queen's Gambit a good opening for White?
It's a tricky line called the Levitsky Attack. The engine gives a small edge for Black at -0.52 after 2...f6, but in practice White scores 54.8% across hundreds of thousands of games — meaning club players often mishandle the Black side. It's a perfectly fine surprise weapon.
What is the best move for Black after 1.d4 d5 2.Bg5 f6 3.Bh4?
The engine's best move is Nh6, preparing ...Nf5 to challenge your bishop directly. That quiet move avoids the weakening pawn pushes like g5 that most players try. The line continues Nh6 Nf3 Nf5 e3.
Why is g5 a mistake for Black in the Levitsky Attack?
After 3...g5, your bishop retreats to g3 and Black has created a serious weakness on the kingside. The g5 pawn becomes a target, and Black's king safety suffers. The engine says g5 costs roughly 1.7 pawns, and White wins 57.5% of the time after it.
Should I play the Levitsky Attack as White?
If you want to steer the game away from well-known Queen's Gambit theory and test your opponent's understanding, yes. Black's most natural replies (g5, Nc6, Bf5) are all mistakes or inaccuracies. You get good practical winning chances even if the engine slightly prefers Black.
How many games feature the Queen's Pawn Game: Levitsky Attack: f6?
Over 684K Lichess games have reached the Queen's Pawn Game: Levitsky Attack: f6 position. White wins 54.8%, Black wins 41.7%, with 3.5% draws — based on real rated games.