Owen's Defence: Difference between revisions

Owen's Defence
7	7
6	6
5	5
4	4
3	3
2	2
1	1
Moves	1.e4 b6
ECO	B00
Origin	1619
Named after	Rev. John Owen
Parent	King's Pawn Opening
Synonym(s)	Queen's Fianchetto Defence

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Owen's Defence (also known as the Queen's Fianchetto Defence^[1]) is an uncommon chess opening defined by the moves:

1. e4 b6

By playing 1...b6, Black prepares to fianchetto the queen's bishop where it will participate in the battle for the centre. The downside of this plan is that White can occupy the centre with pawns and gain a spatial advantage. Moreover, 1...b6 does not prepare kingside castling as 1...g6 does, and it is harder for Black to augment their pressure against the centre with ...f5, which weakens the kingside, than it is to play the corresponding move ...c5 after 1...g6.^[2] Owen's Defence accordingly has a dubious reputation.^[3]^[4]^[5]

Owen's Defence is classified as code B00 by the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings.

This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

History

The 17th-century writings of Gioachino Greco contain three games featuring 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7.^[6]

The first master strength player to employ 1.e4 b6 on a regular basis was the 19th-century vicar and strong amateur chess player John Owen,^[1] after whom the opening is named. Owen seems to have used 1.e4 b6 as his main defence for the majority of his career, including in two games against Paul Morphy in 1858 (scoring one win^[7] and one loss.^[8])

In 1889, Owen's Defence was played seven times by Isidor Gunsberg at the US Chess Congress (scoring +4,=2,-1), but the opening was otherwise a very rare visitor in master level chess until the 1970s when it was adopted by freethinkers such as Bent Larsen and Michael Basman. In more recent times Owen's Defence has been played with some regularity by grandmasters Pavel Blatny, Artashes Minasian, Nona Gaprindashvili, Tony Miles, Edvīns Ķeņģis, and Normunds Miezis, and by International Masters Bauer, Bricard and Filipovic.^[9] The opening remains rare but has enjoyed a certain amount of popularity in top-level online blitz tournaments, including in games by Alireza Firouzja, Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Teimour Radjabov.

Theory

The theory of Owen's Defence is less developed than that of other openings. This makes it attractive to some players, since their opponents will often be ill-prepared for it and hence forced to think for themselves.^[2] GM Christian Bauer observes:^[10]

To be honest, I don't think Black can equalise as quickly with 1...b6 as he sometimes does in standard openings, and he may suffer against a well-prepared opponent. Then again, the well-prepared opponent is rare for such marginal variations as 1...b6, and in any case, with reasonable play I'm sure White can't get more than a slight advantage from the opening – a risk everyone is running as Black, aren't they?

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Position after 5.c3

After 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 the mainline has historically been 3.Bd3 e6 4.Nf3 (4.c4 would transpose to the English Defence) c5 5.c3 (see diagram), after which MCO-15^[11] gives clear advantage to White after either:

5…Nf6 6.Nbd2 Nc6 7.a3! d5 8.e5 Nfd7 9.b4 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Re1

or 5...cxd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Qe2 d5 9.e5 Ne4 10.0-0!? Bxc3 11.bxc3 Nxc3 12.Qe3 Nc6 13.Bb2 Ne4 14.Ba3 Adams–Vanderwaeren, Moscow Olympiad 1994).

GM John Shaw has suggested that White may fare even better by opting for 5.Nc3^[12] after which Black has little option but to play ...cxd4 (either immediately or in the next few moves) transposing into an unorthodox type of Open Sicilian where Black has played an early ...b6/...Bb7.

According to IM Lawrence Trent, 4…c5 has ‘generally been almost refuted by cloud engines’.^[13] He therefore suggests that Black may be better off exploring the sideline 4…d5. Possibilities offered by Trent include 5.e5 Ba6, which gives an Advance French type structure where Black can swiftly exchange off his bad bishop, and 5.exd Qxd 6.Nc3 Qd8 where the structure might be taken to resemble either an unusual form of Qd8 Scandinavian or a rare type of Exchange French where Black had re-captured with the Queen to keep the pawn structure asymmetrical (i.e. 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e4xd5 Qxd5!?).

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

French-type handling of the opening, position after 7...c5

German opening theoretician FM Klaus Gewehns^[14] considered much of the complex after 3.Bd3 e6 to be dangerous for Black and instead concentrated on 3...Nf6 (as often played by Owen's Defence specialist Pavel Blatny), the most frequently played continuation here is 4.Qe2 e6 5.Nf3 d5 6.e5 Nfd7 7.0-0 c5 (see diagram), another French-type handling of the opening.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Position after 8...Qxf6

The main 3rd move alternative for White has been to defend the e4 pawn with 3.Nc3, after which a typical continuation would be 3...e6 4.Nf3 Bb4 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bxf6 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Qxf6 (see diagram), MCO-15 now gives advantage to White following 9.0-0 d6 10.Nd2 e5 11.f4 Qe7 12.Qg4, as in David–Bauer, France 2005.

Instead of playing 3...e6, Black may also transpose into the Hippopotamus Defence by playing 3...g6 and 4...Bg7, attaining a double fianchetto formation. This approach was used by GM Boris Spassky in games 12 and 16 of his 1966 World Championship match against the then World Champion Tigran Petrosian; Spassky drew both games. It had been developed and played by the Slovakian International Master Maximilian Ujtelky a few years before this. If White plays 3.Bd3 g6 4.f4 Andrew Martin considers 4...f5! to be strong,^[15] citing the game Serpik–Blatny, U.S. Open 2003.^[16]

Greco vs. NN, 1619

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Position after 6.fxg6

After 1. e4 b6 2. d4 Bb7 3. Bd3, the direct 3...f5? is "simply suicidal" according to Bauer.^[17] In the 17th century Greco had already given the line 4. exf5! Bxg2 5. Qh5+ g6 6. fxg6 (see diagram) Nf6?? 7. gxh7+ Nxh5 8. Bg6#.^[18] A better move for Black is 6...Bg7, but White is winning after 7.Qf5! Nf6 8.Bh6!!,^[19]^[20] or the "clearer"^[21] 7.gxh7+ Kf8 8.Nf3! Nf6 (8...Bxf3? 9.Qxf3+ Nf6 10.Qxa8; 8...Bxh1 9.Ne5 Bxe5 10.dxe5 Bd5 11.hxg8=Q+ Kxg8 12.Qg6+ Kf8 13.Bh6+) 9.Qg6 Bxf3 (9...Bxh1 10.Bh6 Rxh7 11.Ng5 Bxh6 12.Nxh7+ Nxh7 13.Qxh6+) 10.Rg1 Rxh7 11.Qg3! Be4 12.Bxe4 Nxe4 13.Qf3+ Kg8 14.Qxe4 with an extra pawn and safer king for White.^[22]^[23]^[24]

Guatemala Defence

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Guatemala Defence: 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Ba6. Black offers a trade of light-squared bishops.

After 1.e4 b6 2.d4, instead of 2...Bb7, the move 2...Ba6 is known as the Guatemala Defence.^[25] This opening was invented by a Guatemalan named Roberto Asturias, and further investigated by his compatriots including David Vela [es] and Hans Cohn [de].^[26] Joel Benjamin and Eric Schiller see some logic in Black's concept to exchange White's light-squared bishop as soon as possible, as it often proves troublesome for Black in many openings.^[27] Andrew Soltis writes that it has "no other discernible benefit than to get out of 'book' as quickly as possible".^[28]

Illustrative game

Speelman vs. Basman, 1984

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Final position after 20.Rge3

Speelman vs. Basman, British Championship 1984:
1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 b6 3. d4 Bb7 transposing to a position more commonly reached by 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Nc3 e6. 4. Bd3 Nf6 5. Nge2 c5 6. d5! a6 6...exd5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.Nxd5 Bxd5 9.Nf4 Bc6 (9...Be6? 10.Be4 wins; 9...Qe7+!?)^[29] 10.Bc4! "gives White strong pressure".^[30] 7. a4 exd5 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. Nxd5 Bxd5 10. Nf4 Be6 11. Be4 Ra7 12. 0-0 Be7 Watson and Schiller also give 12...g6 13.a5! as favoring White after 13...bxa5 14.Bd2 or 13...b5 14.Be3 d6 15.b4 Be7 16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.Qg4 Qc8 18.bxc5 dxc5 19.Bh6, intending Rad1, Rfe1, and h4–h5 "with great pressure for just a pawn".^[31] 13. Ra3 0-0 14. Rg3 f5 15. Bd5 Rf6? Better is 15...Bxd5!? 16.Qxd5+ Rf7 17.Nh5 with a strong attack.^[29] 16. Re1 Bxd5 17. Qxd5+ Rf7 18. Nh5 g6 19. Bh6 Nc6 20. Rge3 (see diagram) 1–0^[32] White threatens both 21.Rxe7! Nxe7 22.Nf6+ Kh8 23.Qxf7 and 21.Nf6+! Bxf6 (21...Kh8 22.Qxf7) 22.Re8+. On 20...gxh5, 21.Rg3+ wins; 20...Bf8 21.Re8 gxh5 23.Bxf8!; 20...Ra8 21.Rxe7! Nxe7 and now either 22.Rxe7 Qxe7 23.Qxa8+ or 22.Nf6+ Kh8 23.Qxf7 wins.^[29]

Bibliography

Bauer, Christian. Play 1...b6 (Everyman Chess, 2005).
Coles, Nevil. Owen's Defence, chapter 19 (pp112-120) in the 1977 & 1978 impressions of Nimzowitsch/Larsen Attack by Keene, R. (Batsford, 1977). Absent from subsequent reprints.
Gawehns, Klaus. Theorie und Praxis: Owen-Verteidigung (Part I in Kaissiber 30, pp20-42, Part II in Kaissiber 32, pp45-61, both 2008, ISBNs 4194305406103/80030 & 4194305406103/80032).
Lakdawala, Cyrus. 1...b6: Move by Move (Everyman Chess, 2014).
Odessky, Ilya. 'Winning quickly with 1.b3 and 1...b6 (New In Chess, 2020).
Trent, Lawrence. 1...b6 Against Everything (Chessable.com, 2021).

References

^ ^a ^b David Hooper and Kenneth Whyld, The Oxford Companion to Chess (2nd ed. 1992), p. 286. ISBN 0-19-866164-9.
^ ^a ^b Christian Bauer, Play 1...b6, Everyman Chess, 2005, p. 5. ISBN 1-85744-410-8.
^ Owen's Defence "enjoyed a brief revival at the hands of American IM Regan and Yugoslav GM Sahović. Unfortunately, the attention it received unearthed more accurate lines for White and it is currently considered insufficient." Garry Kasparov and Raymond Keene, Batsford Chess Openings 2, Collier Books, 1989, p. 228. ISBN 0-02-033991-7.
^ Owen's Defence is "viewed by theory as unreliable". Nick de Firmian, Modern Chess Openings, 15th edition, Random House Puzzles & Games, 2008, p. 385. ISBN 978-0-8129-3682-7.
^ "Owen's Defence ... is regarded by current theory as suspicious". Bauer 2005, p. 7.
^ Louis Hoffmann, The Chess Games of Greco, George Routledge & Sons, Ltd., 1900, pp. 82–86.
^ Paul Morphy vs John Owen, London m2 1858 ChessGames.com. Retrieved on 2011-08-29.
^ Paul Morphy vs John Owen, London m2 1858 ChessGames.com. Retrieved on 2013-12-12.
^ Bauer 2005, p. 6.
^ Bauer 2005, p. 7.
^ de Firmian 2008, p. 385.
^ John Shaw, Playing 1.e4: Caro-Kann, 1...e5 & Minor Lines, Quality Chess, 2020, chapter 20
^ Trent, Lawrence. 1...b6 Against Everything (Chessable.com, 2021)
^ Gawehns, Klaus. Theorie und Praxis: Owen-Verteidigung, Kaissiber 30 & 32, 2008
^ Andrew Martin, The Hippopotamus Rises: The Re-Emergence of a Chess Opening, Batsford, 2005, p. 112. ISBN 978-0-7134-8989-7.
^ Serpik–Blatny, U.S. Open 2003. ChessGames.com. Retrieved on 2009-07-08.
^ Christian Bauer, Play 1...b6, Everyman Chess 2005, p.25
^ Professor Hoffmann, The Chess Games of Greco, George Routledge & Sons, Ltd., 1900, p. 84.
^ Christian Bauer, Play 1...b6, Everyman Chess 2005, p.25
^ John Nunn, Graham Burgess, John Emms, and Joe Gallagher, Nunn's Chess Openings, Everyman Chess, 1999, p. 123. ISBN 1-85744-221-0.
^ John Watson, Mastering the Chess Openings, Volume 4, Gambit Publications, 2010, p. 96. ISBN 978-1-906454-19-7.
^ Soltis 1977, p. 22.
^ Kapitaniak 1982, p. 45.
^ Boris Avrukh, 1.d4 Volume Two, Quality Chess, 2010, p. 551. ISBN 978-1-906552-33-6.
^ John Watson and Eric Schiller, The Big Book of Busts, Hypermodern Press, 1995, p. 111. ISBN 1-886040-13-3.
^ Cohn, Hans (1947). Ajedrez en Guatemala (in Spanish). pp. 8, 137–145. ISBN 0-02-016590-0.
^ Benjamin, Joel; Schiller, Eric (1987). "Guatemala Defence". Unorthodox Openings. Macmillan Publishing Company. pp. 117–18. ISBN 0-02-016590-0.
^ Andrew Soltis, "GM Follies", Chess Life, August 1997, p. 12.
^ ^a ^b ^c Speelman's annotations in Chess Informant, Volume 38, Šahovski Informator, 1985, p. 74.
^ Watson & Schiller 1995, p. 111.
^ Watson & Schiller 1995, p. 114.
^ Speelman–Basman, British Championship 1984. ChessGames.com. Retrieved on 2009-07-15.

External links

Marcin Maciaga, Flexible System of Defensive Play for Black – 1...b6

[OxfordCompanion2ndp.286-1] David Hooper and Kenneth Whyld, The Oxford Companion to Chess (2nd ed. 1992), p. 286. ISBN 0-19-866164-9.

[Bauer2005p.5-2] Christian Bauer, Play 1...b6, Everyman Chess, 2005, p. 5. ISBN 1-85744-410-8.

[3] Owen's Defence "enjoyed a brief revival at the hands of American IM Regan and Yugoslav GM Sahović. Unfortunately, the attention it received unearthed more accurate lines for White and it is currently considered insufficient." Garry Kasparov and Raymond Keene, Batsford Chess Openings 2, Collier Books, 1989, p. 228. ISBN 0-02-033991-7.

[4] Owen's Defence is "viewed by theory as unreliable". Nick de Firmian, Modern Chess Openings, 15th edition, Random House Puzzles & Games, 2008, p. 385. ISBN 978-0-8129-3682-7.

[5] "Owen's Defence ... is regarded by current theory as suspicious". Bauer 2005, p. 7.

[Hoffmann-6] Louis Hoffmann, The Chess Games of Greco, George Routledge & Sons, Ltd., 1900, pp. 82–86.

[7] Paul Morphy vs John Owen, London m2 1858 ChessGames.com. Retrieved on 2011-08-29.

[8] Paul Morphy vs John Owen, London m2 1858 ChessGames.com. Retrieved on 2013-12-12.

[9] Bauer 2005, p. 6.

[10] Bauer 2005, p. 7.

[MCO-15p.385-11] Firmian 2008, p. 385.

[12] John Shaw, Playing 1.e4: Caro-Kann, 1...e5 & Minor Lines, Quality Chess, 2020, chapter 20

[13] Trent, Lawrence. 1...b6 Against Everything (Chessable.com, 2021)

[14] Gawehns, Klaus. Theorie und Praxis: Owen-Verteidigung, Kaissiber 30 & 32, 2008

[15] Andrew Martin, The Hippopotamus Rises: The Re-Emergence of a Chess Opening, Batsford, 2005, p. 112. ISBN 978-0-7134-8989-7.

[16] Serpik–Blatny, U.S. Open 2003. ChessGames.com. Retrieved on 2009-07-08.

[17] Christian Bauer, Play 1...b6, Everyman Chess 2005, p.25

[18] Professor Hoffmann, The Chess Games of Greco, George Routledge & Sons, Ltd., 1900, p. 84.

[19] Christian Bauer, Play 1...b6, Everyman Chess 2005, p.25

[NCOp.123-20] John Nunn, Graham Burgess, John Emms, and Joe Gallagher, Nunn's Chess Openings, Everyman Chess, 1999, p. 123. ISBN 1-85744-221-0.

[21] John Watson, Mastering the Chess Openings, Volume 4, Gambit Publications, 2010, p. 96. ISBN 978-1-906454-19-7.

[22] Soltis 1977, p. 22.

[23] Kapitaniak 1982, p. 45.

[24] Boris Avrukh, 1.d4 Volume Two, Quality Chess, 2010, p. 551. ISBN 978-1-906552-33-6.

[25] John Watson and Eric Schiller, The Big Book of Busts, Hypermodern Press, 1995, p. 111. ISBN 1-886040-13-3.

[26] Cohn, Hans (1947). Ajedrez en Guatemala (in Spanish). pp. 8, 137–145. ISBN 0-02-016590-0.

[27] Benjamin, Joel; Schiller, Eric (1987). "Guatemala Defence". Unorthodox Openings. Macmillan Publishing Company. pp. 117–18. ISBN 0-02-016590-0.

[SoltisChessLifep.12-28] Andrew Soltis, "GM Follies", Chess Life, August 1997, p. 12.

[Inf38p.74-29] Speelman's annotations in Chess Informant, Volume 38, Šahovski Informator, 1985, p. 74.

[30] Watson & Schiller 1995, p. 111.

[31] Watson & Schiller 1995, p. 114.

[32] Speelman–Basman, British Championship 1984. ChessGames.com. Retrieved on 2009-07-15.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Chess opening}}
-{{Unreferenced|date=April 2007}}
-{{chess notation}}
+{{Infobox chess opening
+|openingname = Owen's Defence
-{{Chess diagram|=
+|image = {{Chess diagram
+|
+|
+|rd|nd|bd|qd|kd|bd|nd|rd
+|pd|  |pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd
+|  |pd|  |  |  |  |  |
+|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
+|  |  |  |  |pl|  |  |
+|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
+|pl|pl|pl|pl|  |pl|pl|pl
+|rl|nl|bl|ql|kl|bl|nl|rl
+|
+}}
+|moves=1.e4 b6
+|ECO=B00
+|birth=1619
+|nameorigin = [[John Owen (chess player)|Rev. John Owen]]
+|parentopening = [[King's Pawn Opening]]
+|AKA= Queen's Fianchetto Defence
+|chessgid=1395783&move=2&moves=e4.b6
+}}
+'''Owen's Defence''' (also known as the '''Queen's Fianchetto Defence'''<ref name="OxfordCompanion2ndp.286"/>) is an uncommon [[chess opening]] defined by the moves:
+:1. [[b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4|e4]] [[b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...b6|b6]]
+By playing 1...b6, Black prepares to [[fianchetto]] the {{chessgloss|queen's bishop}} where it will participate in the battle for the {{chessgloss|centre}}. The downside of this plan is that White can occupy the centre with [[pawn (chess)|pawns]] and gain a {{chessgloss|space|spatial advantage}}. Moreover, 1...b6 does not prepare {{chessgloss|kingside}} [[castling]] as 1...g6 does, and it is harder for Black to augment their pressure against the centre with ...f5, which weakens the kingside, than it is to play the corresponding move ...c5 after 1...g6.<ref name="Bauer2005p.5">[[Christian Bauer]], ''Play 1...b6'', Everyman Chess, 2005, p. 5. {{ISBN|1-85744-410-8}}.</ref> Owen's Defence accordingly has a dubious reputation.<ref>Owen's Defence "enjoyed a brief revival at the hands of American [[International Master|IM]] Regan and Yugoslav [[Grandmaster (chess)|GM]] [[Dragutin Sahović|Sahović]]. Unfortunately, the attention it received unearthed more accurate lines for White and it is currently considered insufficient." [[Garry Kasparov]] and [[Raymond Keene]], ''Batsford Chess Openings 2'', Collier Books, 1989, p. 228. {{ISBN|0-02-033991-7}}.</ref><ref>Owen's Defence is "viewed by theory as unreliable". [[Nick de Firmian]], ''[[Modern Chess Openings]]'', 15th edition, Random House Puzzles & Games, 2008, p. 385. {{ISBN|978-0-8129-3682-7}}.</ref><ref>"Owen's Defence ... is regarded by current theory as suspicious". Bauer 2005, p. 7.</ref>
+Owen's Defence is classified as code B00 by the ''[[Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings]]''.
+{{algebraic notation|pos=tocleft}}
+==History==
+The 17th-century writings of [[Gioachino Greco]] contain three games featuring 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7.<ref name=Hoffmann>Louis Hoffmann, ''The Chess Games of Greco'', George Routledge & Sons, Ltd., 1900, pp. 82–86.</ref>
+The first master strength player to employ 1.e4 b6 on a regular basis was the 19th-century vicar and strong amateur chess player [[John Owen (chess player)|John Owen]],<ref name="OxfordCompanion2ndp.286">[[David Hooper (chess player)|David Hooper]] and [[Kenneth Whyld]], ''[[The Oxford Companion to Chess]]'' (2nd ed. 1992), p. 286. {{ISBN|0-19-866164-9}}.</ref> after whom the opening is named.  Owen seems to have used 1.e4 b6 as his main defence for the majority of his career, including in two games against [[Paul Morphy]] in 1858 (scoring one win<ref>[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1266597 Paul Morphy vs John Owen, London m2 1858] ChessGames.com. Retrieved on 2011-08-29.</ref> and one loss.<ref>[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1266598 Paul Morphy vs John Owen, London m2 1858] ChessGames.com. Retrieved on 2013-12-12.</ref>)
+In 1889, Owen's Defence was played seven times by [[Isidor Gunsberg]] at the US Chess Congress (scoring +4,=2,-1), but the opening was otherwise a very rare visitor in master level chess until the 1970s when it was adopted by freethinkers such as [[Bent Larsen]] and [[Michael Basman]]. In more recent times Owen's Defence has been played with some regularity by [[Grandmaster (chess)|grandmasters]] [[Pavel Blatny]], [[Artashes Minasian]], [[Nona Gaprindashvili]], [[Tony Miles]], [[Edvīns Ķeņģis]], and [[Normunds Miezis]], and by [[International Master]]s [[Christian Bauer|Bauer]], Bricard and Filipovic.<ref>Bauer 2005, p. 6.</ref> The opening remains rare but has enjoyed a certain amount of popularity in top-level online blitz tournaments, including in games by [[Alireza Firouzja]], [[Magnus Carlsen]], [[Hikaru Nakamura]], [[Ian Nepomniachtchi]] and [[Teimour Radjabov]].
+==Theory==
+The [[Chess theory#Opening theory|theory]] of Owen's Defence is less developed than that of other openings. This makes it attractive to some players, since their opponents will often be ill-prepared for it and hence forced to think for themselves.<ref name="Bauer2005p.5"/> [[Grandmaster (chess)|GM]] [[Christian Bauer]] observes:<ref>Bauer 2005, p. 7.</ref> <blockquote>To be honest, I don't think Black can equalise as quickly with 1...b6 as he sometimes does in standard openings, and he may suffer against a well-prepared opponent. Then again, the well-prepared opponent is rare for such marginal variations as 1...b6, and in any case, with reasonable play I'm sure White can't get more than a slight advantage from the opening – a risk [[First-move advantage in chess|everyone is running as Black]], aren't they?</blockquote>
+{{Chess diagram small
 | tright
 |
+|rd|nd|  |qd|kd|bd|nd|rd
-|=
- |rd|nd|bd|qd|kd|bd|nd|rd|=
+|pd|bd|  |pd|  |pd|pd|pd
- |pd|  |pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|=
+|  |pd|  |  |pd|  |  |
- |  |pd|  |  |  |  |  |  |=
+|  |  |pd|  |  |  |  |
- |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |=
+|  |  |  |pl|pl|  |  |
- |  |  |  |  |pl|  |  |  |=
+|  |  |pl|bl|  |nl|  |
- |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |=
+|pl|pl|  |  |  |pl|pl|pl
- |pl|pl|pl|pl|  |pl|pl|pl|=
+|rl|nl|bl|ql|kl|  |  |rl
+|Position after 5.c3
- |rl|nl|bl|ql|kl|bl|nl|rl|=
-|}}
+}}
+After '''1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7''' the mainline has historically been '''3.Bd3 e6 4.Nf3''' (4.c4 would transpose to the [[English Defence]]) '''c5 5.c3''' (see diagram), after which ''[[Modern Chess Openings|MCO-15]]''<ref name="MCO-15p.385">de Firmian 2008, p. 385.</ref> gives clear advantage to White after either:
-'''Owen's Defense''' or the '''Queen's Fianchetto Defense''' is a [[chess opening]] defined by the moves 1.e4 b6. It is named after the [[England|English]] vicar and strong [[19th century|19th-century]] amateur chess player [[John Owen (chess player)|John Owen]], one of its early exponents.
+'''5…Nf6 6.Nbd2 Nc6 7.a3! d5 8.e5 Nfd7 9.b4 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Re1'''
-By playing 1...b6, Black prepares to [[fianchetto]] the queen's [[bishop (chess)|bishop]] where it will participate in the battle over the center. The downside of this plan is that White will be able to occupy the center with [[pawn (chess)|pawn]]s and gain an advantage in space. Since development of the queen's bishop by 1...b6 does not prepare kingside [[castling (chess)|castling]] as 1...g6 does, and since Black starts the game with a slightly inferior position and must be careful about falling behind in development and the fight over the center, Owen's Defense has a somewhat dubious reputation, even though it has been played occasionally by masters. The fact that 1...b6 is rarely played is attractive to some players of the black pieces, because they can often enter a prepared variation which White knows little about.
+or '''5...cxd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Qe2 d5 9.e5 Ne4 10.0-0!? Bxc3 11.bxc3 Nxc3 12.Qe3 Nc6 13.Bb2 Ne4 14.Ba3''' [[Michael Adams (chess player)|Adams]]–Vanderwaeren, Moscow Olympiad 1994).
-White usually responds to 1...b6 by making a full center by 2.d4. If White is worried about entering a prepared main line, alternatives include 2.c4 and 2.Nf3.
+GM [[John K. Shaw|John Shaw]] has suggested that White may fare even better by opting for 5.Nc3<ref>John Shaw, ''Playing 1.e4: Caro-Kann, 1...e5 & Minor Lines'', Quality Chess, 2020, chapter 20</ref> after which Black has little option but to play ...cxd4 (either immediately or in the next few moves) transposing into an unorthodox type of Open [[Sicilian Defence|Sicilian]] where Black has played an early ...b6/...Bb7.
-Owen's Defense, together with other uncommon replies to 1.e4, is classified as B00 by the [[Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings]].
-[[Category:Chess openings]]
+According to IM [[Lawrence Trent]], 4…c5 has ‘generally been almost refuted by cloud engines’.<ref>Trent, Lawrence. ''1...b6 Against Everything'' (Chessable.com, 2021)</ref> He therefore suggests that Black may be better off exploring the sideline '''4…d5'''. Possibilities offered by Trent include '''5.e5 Ba6''', which gives an Advance [[French Defence|French]] type structure where Black can swiftly exchange off his bad bishop, and '''5.exd Qxd 6.Nc3 Qd8''' where the structure might be taken to resemble either an unusual form of Qd8 [[Scandinavian Defence|Scandinavian]] or a rare type of Exchange [[French Defence|French]] where Black had re-captured with the Queen to keep the pawn structure asymmetrical (i.e. 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e4xd5 Qxd5!?).
-[[de:Owen-Verteidigung]]
+{{Chess diagram small
-[[it:Difesa Owen]]
+| tright
+|
+|rd|nd|  |qd|kd|bd|  |rd
+|pd|bd|  |nd|  |pd|pd|pd
+|  |pd|  |  |pd|  |  |
+|  |  |pd|pd|pl|  |  |
+|  |  |  |pl|  |  |  |
+|  |  |  |bl|  |nl|  |
+|pl|pl|pl|  |ql|pl|pl|pl
+|rl|nl|bl|  |  |rl|kl|
+|French-type handling of the opening, position after 7...c5
+}}
+German opening theoretician FM Klaus Gewehns<ref> Gawehns, Klaus. Theorie und Praxis: Owen-Verteidigung, ''Kaissiber'' 30 & 32, 2008</ref> considered much of the complex after 3.Bd3 e6 to be dangerous for Black and instead concentrated on '''3...Nf6''' (as often played by Owen's Defence specialist [[Pavel Blatny]]), the most frequently played continuation here is '''4.Qe2 e6 5.Nf3 d5 6.e5 Nfd7 7.0-0 c5''' (see diagram), another French-type handling of the opening.
+{{Chess diagram small
+| tright
+|
+|rd|nd|  |  |kd|  |  |rd
+|pd|bd|pd|pd|  |pd|pd|
+|  |pd|  |  |pd|qd|  |pd
+|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
+|  |  |  |pl|pl|  |  |
+|  |  |pl|bl|  |nl|  |
+|pl|  |pl|  |  |pl|pl|pl
+|rl|  |  |ql|kl|  |  |rl
+|Position after 8...Qxf6
+}}
+The main 3rd move alternative for White has been to defend the e4 pawn with '''3.Nc3''', after which a typical continuation would be '''3...e6 4.Nf3 Bb4 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bxf6 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Qxf6''' (see diagram), ''MCO-15'' now gives advantage to White following '''9.0-0 d6 10.Nd2 e5 11.f4 Qe7 12.Qg4''', as in David–[[Christian Bauer|Bauer]], France 2005.
+Instead of playing 3...e6, Black may also transpose into the [[Hippopotamus Defence]] by playing 3...g6 and 4...Bg7, attaining a double fianchetto formation. This approach was used by GM [[Boris Spassky]] in games 12 and 16 of his 1966 World Championship match against the then World Champion [[Tigran Petrosian]]; Spassky drew both games. It had been developed and played by the Slovakian [[International Master]] [[Maximilian Ujtelky]] a few years before this. If White plays 3.Bd3 g6 4.f4 Andrew Martin considers 4...f5! to be strong,<ref>Andrew Martin, ''The Hippopotamus Rises: The Re-Emergence of a Chess Opening'', Batsford, 2005, p. 112. {{ISBN|978-0-7134-8989-7}}.</ref> citing the game Serpik–Blatny, U.S. Open 2003.<ref>[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1462497 Serpik–Blatny, U.S. Open 2003]. ChessGames.com. Retrieved on 2009-07-08.</ref>
+{{Chess diagram small
+| tright
+| Greco vs. NN, 1619
+|rd|nd|  |qd|kd|bd|nd|rd
+|pd|  |pd|pd|pd|  |  |pd
+|  |pd|  |  |  |  |pl|
+|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |ql
+|  |  |  |pl|  |  |  |
+|  |  |  |bl|  |  |  |
+|pl|pl|pl|  |  |pl|bd|pl
+|rl|nl|bl|  |kl|  |nl|rl
+| Position after 6.fxg6
+}}
+After '''1. e4 b6 2. d4 Bb7 3. Bd3''', the direct '''3...f5?''' is "simply suicidal" according to Bauer.<ref>[[Christian Bauer]], ''Play 1...b6'', Everyman Chess 2005, p.25</ref> In the 17th century Greco had already given the line '''4. exf5! Bxg2 5. Qh5+ g6 6. fxg6''' (see diagram) Nf6{{chesspunc|??}} 7. gxh7+ Nxh5 8. Bg6#.<ref>Professor Hoffmann, ''The Chess Games of Greco'', George Routledge & Sons, Ltd., 1900, p. 84.</ref> A better move for Black is '''6...Bg7''', but White is winning after 7.Qf5! Nf6 8.Bh6{{chesspunc|!!}},<ref>[[Christian Bauer]], ''Play 1...b6'', Everyman Chess 2005, p.25</ref><ref name="NCOp.123">[[John Nunn]], [[Graham Burgess]], [[John Emms (chess player)|John Emms]], and [[Joseph Gallagher|Joe Gallagher]], ''Nunn's Chess Openings'', Everyman Chess, 1999, p. 123. {{ISBN|1-85744-221-0}}.</ref> or the "clearer"<ref>[[John L. Watson|John Watson]], ''Mastering the Chess Openings, Volume 4'', Gambit Publications, 2010, p. 96. {{ISBN|978-1-906454-19-7}}.</ref> '''7.gxh7+ Kf8 8.Nf3! Nf6''' (8...Bxf3? 9.Qxf3+ Nf6 10.Qxa8; 8...Bxh1 9.Ne5 Bxe5 10.dxe5 Bd5 11.hxg8=Q+ Kxg8 12.Qg6+ Kf8 13.Bh6+) '''9.Qg6 Bxf3''' (9...Bxh1 10.Bh6 Rxh7 11.Ng5 Bxh6 12.Nxh7+ Nxh7 13.Qxh6+) '''10.Rg1 Rxh7 11.Qg3! Be4 12.Bxe4 Nxe4 13.Qf3+ Kg8 14.Qxe4''' with an extra pawn and safer king for White.<ref>Soltis 1977, p. 22.</ref><ref>Kapitaniak 1982, p. 45.</ref><ref>Boris Avrukh, ''1.d4 Volume Two'', Quality Chess, 2010, p. 551. {{ISBN|978-1-906552-33-6}}.</ref>
+{{clear}}
+==Guatemala Defence==
+{{Chess diagram small
+ |tright
+ |
+ |rd|nd|  |qd|kd|bd|nd|rd
+ |pd|  |pd|pd|pd|pd|pd|pd
+ |bd|pd|  |  |  |  |  |
+ |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
+ |  |  |  |pl|pl|  |  |
+ |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
+ |pl|pl|pl|  |  |pl|pl|pl
+ |rl|nl|bl|ql|kl|bl|nl|rl
+ |Guatemala Defence: 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Ba6. Black offers a trade of light-squared bishops.
+}}
+After 1.e4 b6 2.d4, instead of 2...Bb7, the move 2...Ba6 is known as the '''Guatemala Defence'''.<ref>[[John L. Watson|John Watson]] and [[Eric Schiller]], ''The Big Book of Busts'', Hypermodern Press, 1995, p. 111. {{ISBN|1-886040-13-3}}.</ref> This opening was invented by a Guatemalan named Roberto Asturias, and further investigated by his compatriots including {{ill|David Vela (writer)|lt=David  Vela|es|David Vela}} and {{ill|Hans Cohn|de|Hans Cohn (Schachspieler)}}.<ref>{{cite book |last=Cohn |first=Hans |title=Ajedrez en Guatemala |language=es |year=1947 |pages=8, 137–145 |isbn=0-02-016590-0}}</ref> [[Joel Benjamin]] and [[Eric Schiller]] see some logic in Black's concept to exchange White's light-squared bishop as soon as possible, as it often proves troublesome for Black in many openings.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Benjamin |first1=Joel |author-link1=Joel Benjamin |last2=Schiller |first2=Eric |author-link2=Eric Schiller |title=Unorthodox Openings |publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers (United States)|Macmillan Publishing Company]] |year=1987 |contribution=Guatemala Defence |pages=117–18 |isbn=0-02-016590-0}}</ref> [[Andrew Soltis]] writes that it has "no other discernible benefit than to get out of '[[Chess theory#Opening theory|book]]' as quickly as possible".<ref name="SoltisChessLifep.12">[[Andrew Soltis]], "GM Follies", ''[[Chess Life]]'', August 1997, p. 12.</ref>
+==Illustrative game==
+{{Chess diagram small
+| tright
+| Speelman vs. Basman, 1984
+|  |  |  |qd|  |  |kd|
+|rd|  |pd|pd|bd|rd|  |pd
+|pd|pd|nd|  |  |  |pd|bl
+|  |  |  |ql|  |pd|  |nl
+|pl|  |  |  |  |  |  |
+|  |  |  |  |rl|  |  |
+|  |pl|pl|  |  |pl|pl|pl
+|  |  |  |  |rl|  |kl|
+| Final position after 20.Rge3
+}}
+[[Jonathan Speelman|Speelman]] vs. [[Michael Basman|Basman]], [[British Chess Championship|British Championship]] 1984:<br />
+'''1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 b6 3. d4 Bb7''' [[Transposition (chess)|transposing]] to a position more commonly reached by 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Nc3 e6. '''4. Bd3 Nf6 5. Nge2 c5 6. d5! a6''' 6...exd5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.Nxd5 Bxd5 9.Nf4 Bc6 (9...Be6{{chesspunc|?}} 10.Be4 wins; 9...Qe7+!?)<ref name="Inf38p.74"/> 10.Bc4! "gives White strong pressure".<ref>Watson & Schiller 1995, p. 111.</ref> '''7. a4 exd5 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. Nxd5 Bxd5 10. Nf4 Be6 11. Be4 Ra7 12. 0-0 Be7''' [[John L. Watson|Watson]] and [[Eric Schiller|Schiller]] also give 12...g6 13.a5! as favoring White after 13...bxa5 14.Bd2 or 13...b5 14.Be3 d6 15.b4 Be7 16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.Qg4 Qc8 18.bxc5 dxc5 19.Bh6, intending Rad1, Rfe1, and h4–h5 "with great pressure for just a pawn".<ref>Watson & Schiller 1995, p. 114.</ref> '''13. Ra3 0-0 14. Rg3 f5 15. Bd5 Rf6?''' Better is 15...Bxd5!? 16.Qxd5+ Rf7 17.Nh5 with a strong attack.<ref name="Inf38p.74">Speelman's annotations in ''Chess Informant'', Volume 38, Šahovski Informator, 1985, p. 74.</ref> '''16. Re1 Bxd5 17. Qxd5+ Rf7 18. Nh5 g6 19. Bh6 Nc6 20. Rge3''' (see diagram) '''{{chessAN|1–0}}'''<ref>[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1130051 Speelman–Basman, British Championship 1984]. ChessGames.com. Retrieved on 2009-07-15.</ref> White threatens both 21.Rxe7! Nxe7 22.Nf6+ Kh8 23.Qxf7 and 21.Nf6+! Bxf6 (21...Kh8 22.Qxf7) 22.Re8+. On 20...gxh5, 21.Rg3+ wins; 20...Bf8 21.Re8 gxh5 23.Bxf8!; 20...Ra8 21.Rxe7! Nxe7 and now either 22.Rxe7 Qxe7 23.Qxa8+ or 22.Nf6+ Kh8 23.Qxf7 wins.<ref name="Inf38p.74"/>
+==Bibliography==
+* Bauer, Christian. ''Play 1...b6'' (Everyman Chess, 2005).
+* Coles, Nevil. ''Owen's Defence'', chapter 19 (pp112-120) in the 1977 & 1978 impressions of ''Nimzowitsch/Larsen Attack'' by Keene, R. (Batsford, 1977). Absent from subsequent reprints.
+* Gawehns, Klaus. ''Theorie und Praxis: Owen-Verteidigung'' (Part I in ''Kaissiber'' 30, pp20-42, Part II in ''Kaissiber'' 32, pp45-61, both 2008, ISBNs 4194305406103/80030 & 4194305406103/80032).
+* Lakdawala, Cyrus. ''1...b6: Move by Move'' (Everyman Chess, 2014).
+* Odessky, Ilya. '''Winning quickly with 1.b3 and 1...b6'' (New In Chess, 2020).
+* Trent, Lawrence. ''1...b6 Against Everything'' (Chessable.com, 2021).
+==See also==
+* [[List of chess openings]]
+* [[List of chess openings named after people]]
+{{clear}}
+==References==
+{{reflist|30em}}
+==External links==
+{{wikibooks|Chess Opening Theory|1. e4/1...b6|Owen's Defence}}
+* Marcin Maciaga, [https://web.archive.org/web/20150402193901/http://d-artagnan.x10.mx/szachy/c4b6eng.pdf Flexible System of Defensive Play for Black – 1...b6]
+{{Chess|state=collapsed}}
+[[Category:Chess openings]]