Chessy
Playing Against the Trompowsky Attack: h6
So White has just played 2.Bg5, and you pushed 2...h6. Now White trades on f6 with 3.Bxf6 — and you have a decision to make. Should you recapture with the pawn on g7 or the pawn on e7? It might not feel like a big deal, but this choice shapes the entire game. Over 230,000 online games have reached this exact position, and the statistics are clear: one recapture is far, far better than the other. In the drill below, you'll face this moment and learn to steer the game into Black's comfortable waters.
Practice playing against the Trompowsky Attack: h6
Free, no signup — you play black, the engine adapts to your level.
Now it's your turn — jump into the interactive drill and practise meeting the Trompowsky: h6 with the correct recapture. Each attempt sharpens your instincts, a
Create a free account →The One Critical Choice
After 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 h6 3.Bxf6, you have a simple but hugely important decision: which pawn takes back? The Lichess database shows that 162,926 games chose exf6 and 66,726 games went with gxf6 — and the results tell a stark story. With exf6, White scores just 49.2%, meaning Black actually scores slightly better than White from that move. But with gxf6, White shoots up to a 53.2% score. That's a real swing at the club level. The engine prefers exf6 by a wide margin. You want to be in that 49.2% club, not the 53.2% one.
Why exf6 Works and gxf6 Doesn't
Recapturing with the e-pawn opens lines for your dark-squared bishop and keeps your kingside pawn structure flexible. You can follow up with moves like ...d5 and ...c6 or ...Nc6, building a solid centre. Your king will find safety on the kingside eventually, and your bishop on c8 or d6 has a future. On the other hand, gxf6 doubles your f-pawns, weakens your kingside pawn shield, and gives White a convenient target. The g7-pawn is gone, your king's shelter is compromised, and White can often play for an attack on the h-file. It's just not worth it.
The Engine's Recommended Line
The engine at depth 16 rates the position after exf6 at +0.30, meaning a small edge for White — but nothing scary. The best continuation runs: exf6 c4 d5 Nc3. That's a normal, solid Queen's Pawn Game structure. Black plays ...d5, fights for the centre, and has no serious weaknesses. White's extra space comes with no obvious plan to break through. This is exactly the kind of position where a club player can outplay their opponent over the next twenty moves. You are slightly worse here, but the margin is tiny — about one-third of a pawn.
Three Moves to Never Play
The statistics flag three moves that are outright blunders. Let's name them so you never waste time on them: - e6 (240 games, 84.6% White score — loses roughly 6.8 pawns). - g6 (114 games, 78.1% White score — loses roughly 6.6 pawns). - g5 (97 games, 85.6% White score — loses roughly 6.9 pawns). Each of these is catastrophically bad. The engine says all three should have been exf6 instead. In the case of ...g5, you're just giving White Bh4 or Bxg5 followed by a quick Qh5+. Don't experiment here — just play exf6 and enjoy a fighting game.
Results across 230,162 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| exf6 | 162,926 | 49.2% |
| gxf6 | 66,726 | 53.2% |
| e6 | 240 | 84.6% |
| g6 | 114 | 78.1% |
| g5 | 97 | 85.6% |
| d5 | 23 | 78.3% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Trompowsky Attack sharp or positional against h6?
The Trompowsky with 2.Bg5 h6 3.Bxf6 leads to a quiet, positional game compared to other lines where White keeps the bishop. After exf6, you get a solid pawn structure and no immediate tactics. The danger is more about long-term pressure than a quick knockout.
Why is gxf6 so much worse than exf6 for Black?
Recapturing with gxf6 doubles your f-pawns, weakens your kingside, and removes the g7-pawn that usually helps protect your king. White scores 53.2% after gxf6 compared to 49.2% after exf6. The doubled pawns also make it harder to create counterplay later.
What should Black do after exf6 c4 d5 Nc3?
The engine's top line after that is ...Nc6 or ...e6, developing naturally and challenging White's centre. The position is a normal Queen's Pawn structure. Black can aim to complete development, castle kingside, and look for a break with ...c5 or ...e5 at the right moment.
Is e6 a playable response to 3.Bxf6?
No — e6 is a blunder that loses around 6.8 pawns of advantage. White scores 84.6% from it. The move tries to preserve your pawn structure but leaves a black piece hanging on f6 and gives up the centre. Always recapture with exf6 instead.
How many games feature the Trompowsky Attack: h6?
Over 230K Lichess games have reached the Trompowsky Attack: h6 position. White wins 50.5%, Black wins 45.3%, with 4.3% draws — based on real rated games.