Chessy
The Queen's Pawn, Mengarini Attack: Playing 3.Qc2 Against the King's Indian
What happens when you, as White, bring your queen out on move three against a King's Indian setup? The Mengarini Attack (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Qc2) is a rare but perfectly playable line that steers the game toward original territory. The engine calls this dead level — Stockfish gives +0.07, a tiny edge for White that is statistically meaningless. That means you are neither better nor worse; you have simply asked Black a tricky early question. Below the interactive drill, you'll find the numbers that matter and the one early inaccuracy you can punish.
Play the Queen's Pawn, Mengarini Attack against the engine
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Ready to test the Mengarini Attack against a live opponent? Dive into the interactive drill below and practice the position until you know exactly how to handle
Create a free account →What You're Fighting For
By playing 3.Qc2, you protect the c4 pawn and prepare to develop while keeping an eye on the centre. You haven't committed your knight to c3 or f3 yet, which gives you flexibility against Black's most popular setups. The position is fundamentally a Queen's Pawn opening where Black has signalled a King's Indian or Grünfeld intention with 2...g6. Your early queen move is unorthodox but solid — you aren't giving Black any clear target. The main question is how Black chooses to respond, and your approach will differ depending on their answer.
The Statistics at a Glance
Across 6,293 games played from this exact position, the results are honest: White wins 44.8% of the time, Black wins 52.4%, and draws make up just 2.8%. So while the engine says the position is equal, the practical results slightly favour Black at the club level. This is typical for a sideline — opponents may know what to do against it, or White's plan may not be intuitive. The engine's top recommendation for Black is 3...d6, followed by Nc3 Bg7 Nf3, leading to a normal-looking King's Indian setup where you develop naturally. Your job is to prove the opening's worth by outplaying your opponent in the middlegame you steer toward.
Black's Most Common Replies
By far the most popular move is 3...Bg7, seen in 5,382 games. Against this, White scores 45.1% — slightly below average. Your queen on c2 is well-placed to support a later e4 push or a queenside expansion, and you can continue with Nc3 and Nf3, transposing to familiar King's Indian structures where the queen is a bit unusually placed but not badly off. The second-most popular reply is 3...d5 (444 games, White scores 42.8%), which directly challenges the centre. Here the Mengarini's flexibility helps — you can consider Nc3 or even cxd5. The third is 3...d6 (336 games, White scores 42.0%), which is the engine's favourite and leads to the cleanest development for both sides. Smaller samples show 3...c5 (25 games, White scores 56.0%) and 3...c6 (24 games, White scores 54.2%) — but don't get too excited about those percentages; the game counts are tiny.
The One Mistake to Punish
The known inaccuracy in this position is 3...c6. The engine says this loses roughly 0.6 pawns — a meaningful concession at the opening level. After 3...c6, Black's intended ...d5 can be met strongly, and White's queen on c2 already eyes the c6 pawn and the half-open c-file. If your opponent plays 3...c6, you have a concrete edge to work with. The better move, according to the engine, was 3...d6, which is Black's most principled continuation. So keep an eye out: if Black tries to shore up the centre with ...c6, you can punish it and turn that dead-level starting position into a real advantage.
Results across 6,293 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Bg7 | 5,382 | 45.1% |
| d5 | 444 | 42.8% |
| d6 | 336 | 42.0% |
| Nc6 | 44 | 40.9% |
| c5 | 25 | 56.0% |
| c6 | 24 | 54.2% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Mengarini Attack a good opening for beginners?
It is a reasonable choice. The position stays equal after 3.Qc2, and you avoid heavily theory-filled lines. However, the statistics show Black scores slightly better in practice, so you will need to play well in the middlegame to make it work.
What is the best move for Black against 3.Qc2?
The engine recommends 3...d6, continuing with Nc3 Bg7 Nf3 for a standard King's Indian setup. The most common move in practice is 3...Bg7, which transposes to similar structures.
Should I be worried that the engine evaluation is only +0.07?
Not at all. +0.07 is essentially zero — the position is completely equal. Your early queen move hasn't harmed your chances. The challenge is outplaying your opponent from a level position, which is the same challenge in most openings.
What should I do if Black plays 3...c6?
This is a mistake according to the engine, losing about 0.6 pawns. You have an opportunity to gain a real edge. Develop naturally and look to exploit the weak c6-square and your queen's pressure on the c-file.