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Learn the Queen's Pawn Game: Torre Attack with e6
After 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg5 e6 4.c4 you've reached the Torre Attack, a solid setup where the bishop on g5 puts pressure on Black's pinned knight. Stockfish gives the position +0.32, a small edge for White. The database of over 1.3 million games shows White winning 50.5% of the time, outperforming Black's 45.0%. Most of your opponents will reply with Be7, but the engine's top choice is the check on b4. Let's break down what you need to know — then you'll get to practise it in the interactive drill below.
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The Torre Attack (1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg5) is a flexible Queen's Pawn system. You develop naturally, pinning Black's knight against their queen and keeping options open about how to build your centre. After 3...e6 4.c4 you challenge Black's d5 pawn in classic Queen's Gambit fashion, turning the game into an open fight for central space. Your light-squared bishop can develop to several squares depending on how Black responds, and you can choose between setups with e3 or e4 later. The position is rich but forgiving — you're fighting for a slight initiative, not trying to force a knockout.
The Engine's Top Move: Bb4+
Stockfish's recommendation for Black is Bb4+, a check that forces you to react. Your best answer is Nc3, blocking the check and developing with tempo. Then the most accurate continuation runs O-O cxd5. Black castles and you capture on d5, opening the centre while your pieces are well placed. This line scores 53.2% for White — your best result among all major replies, despite being the one the engine prefers for Black. That means if your opponent knows theory and plays the check, you're still coming out ahead on the scoreboard. Learn the simple response Nc3, and you'll be ready.
The Most Common Replies and Your Results
Black has six main choices here, each leading to a different character of game. Let's look at how White scores against each one. Be7 is by far the most popular, played 769,594 times, and White scores 50.0% — a solid, even game. h6 (137,241 games, White 52.6%) attacks your bishop; you can retreat to h4 or exchange — both are fine, and the stats favour you. Bb4+ (89,205 games, White 53.2%) we already covered. Nbd7 (78,585 games, White 49.4%) and c5 (75,368 games, White 48.8%) and c6 (56,392 games, White 48.9%) are slightly more challenging for White, but the margins are very small — all are within a couple of percentage points of equal fighting chances. No reply crushes you; this is a reliable opening for club players.
Mistakes to Avoid on Both Sides
Your opponents will sometimes grab a pawn too early or misplace their pieces. Common Black errors include taking on c4 prematurely (giving up the centre before finishing development) or wasting a tempo with ...h6 without a clear follow-up. For you, watch out for over-pressing: the Torre edge (+0.32) is real but modest. Don't try to mate your opponent in twenty moves. A typical club-level slip is reacting to ...Bb4+ with Bd2, blocking the check but blocking your own queen's bishop after you've already committed Bg5, or playing e3 before developing your knight, letting Black equalise easily. Stick to simple development, contest the centre with cxd5 when appropriate, and castle early. The engine will guide you in the drill.
Results across 1,313,969 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Be7 | 769,594 | 50.0% |
| h6 | 137,241 | 52.6% |
| Bb4+ | 89,205 | 53.2% |
| Nbd7 | 78,585 | 49.4% |
| c5 | 75,368 | 48.8% |
| c6 | 56,392 | 48.9% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Torre Attack a good opening for beginners?
Yes. The Torre Attack follows natural development principles — develop knights, pin the opponent's knight, fight for the centre with c4. The positions are straightforward and you rarely get blown off the board. With a +0.32 evaluation and a 50.5% win rate for White, it's a reliable choice for any level.
What if Black plays ...h6 after 4.c4?
Black plays ...h6 137,241 times in the database, and White scores a strong 52.6%. You have two good options: retreat the bishop to h4 (keeping the pin) or exchange on f6. Both are fine. In the drill, try both and see how the engine responds — the stats suggest you'll be doing well either way.
Should I play the Torre Attack as White against the Queen's Gambit Declined?
Absolutely. After 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6, playing 3.Bg5 moves into Torre territory before Black has committed to ...e6 or ...c6. If they play 3...e6 4.c4 you have the position from this lesson. It's a great way to avoid long QGD main lines while still getting an active, sound position.
Why does Stockfish recommend ...Bb4+ if White scores 53.2% against it?
Stockfish evaluates the position objectively, not by human win rates. The engine sees ...Bb4+ as the most active move for Black — it forces White to react accurately. But in practice, White scores very well against it because the right reply (Nc3) is natural and leads to comfortable positions. The evaluation (+0.32) still favours White; the check doesn't solve Black's problems.
How many games feature the Queen's Pawn Game: Torre Attack: e6?
Over 1 million Lichess games have reached the Queen's Pawn Game: Torre Attack: e6 position. White wins 50.5%, Black wins 45.0%, with 4.5% draws — based on real rated games.