Chessy
How to Play Against the Trompowsky Attack
After 1.d4 Nf6, the Trompowsky bishop lunge 2.Bg5 pins your knight immediately and threatens to double your pawns. It sidesteps mainstream d4 theory and tries to unsettle Black early. But across 3.7 million Lichess games the position is nearly dead equal — White scores 48.2% to Black's 47.8%, and Stockfish rates it just +0.09. Try it against the engine below.
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Create a free account →What the Trompowsky is trying to do
2.Bg5 creates immediate tension: it pins the f6-knight against the queen, threatens 3.Bxf6 to double Black's pawns, and steers the game away from any standard Queen's Gambit or King's Indian theory. White's hope is that Black reacts badly — either allowing the pawn structure to be damaged or trying to refute the bishop and overcommitting. The data says both sides fail about equally often.
Your main options as Black
- 2...g6 — simply ignore the pin and fianchetto; White scores 47.1% (621K games) — Black's best practical result.
- 2...Ne4 — attack the bishop immediately; White scores 47.2% (479K games) — nearly as good, more confrontational.
- 2...e6 — solid, most popular (1.13M games); White scores 47.9%.
- 2...d5 — Stockfish's recommendation (pv: d5, e3, c5, Bxf6); White scores 48.3% (653K games).
- 2...d6 — flexible; White scores 49.1% (187K games).
- 2...h6 — the bishop-chase; looks active but scores 50.9% — the worst result and the only line where White edges above 50%.
A simple, solid recommended setup
Play 2...g6. It ignores the pin entirely, scores best for Black (White only 47.1%), and leads to solid King's Indian-type positions after 3...Bg7, 4...d6, 5...0-0. The alternative 2...Ne4 is equally sound if you prefer active piece play and don't mind a direct fight for the bishop. Either way, the position is near-equal — the Trompowsky creates the illusion of danger, not real danger.
What 3.7 million games say
This is the most balanced opening in this set — White scores 48.2% and Black 47.8%, essentially a coin flip. The lesson is that the Trompowsky is harmless if Black stays calm. The one move to avoid is 2...h6 (White 50.9%) — chasing the bishop gives White a free tempo and is the only reply where Black falls below parity. Every other common reply keeps the game level.
Results across 3,716,726 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| e6 | 1,127,046 | 47.9% |
| d5 | 652,590 | 48.3% |
| g6 | 621,638 | 47.1% |
| Ne4 | 478,868 | 47.2% |
| h6 | 364,805 | 50.9% |
| d6 | 187,178 | 49.1% |
Frequently asked questions
What's the best response to the Trompowsky Attack?
2...g6 scores best for Black — White wins only 47.1% across 621K games. It avoids the pin entirely and leads to familiar King's Indian-type positions.
Should Black take on g5 or chase the bishop with h6?
No — 2...h6 is the worst common reply: White scores 50.9%, the only line where Black falls below parity. Chasing the bishop wastes tempo. Ignore it with g6 or attack it with Ne4 instead.
Is the Trompowsky dangerous?
Practically speaking, no — White scores only 48.2% overall (slightly below average for White), and Stockfish rates it +0.09. It creates confusion but not a real structural or tactical advantage.
What's the difference between 2...g6 and 2...Ne4?
Both score similarly (White 47.1% vs 47.2%). 2...g6 is the quieter setup leading to fianchetto positions; 2...Ne4 is more confrontational, attacking the bishop directly and often leading to pawn structure changes quickly.
How many games feature the Trompowsky Attack?
Over 4 million Lichess games have reached the Trompowsky Attack position. White wins 48.2%, Black wins 47.8%, with 4.0% draws — based on real rated games.
What is Stockfish's evaluation of the Trompowsky Attack?
At depth 16, Stockfish rates the Trompowsky Attack as a balanced position (+0.09) from White's perspective. This is the computer's assessment of the position after the main opening moves.