Fianchetto
Encyclopedia
In chess
the fianchetto (fiaŋˈkɛtto "little flank") is a pattern of development wherein a bishop
is developed to the second rank of the adjacent knight
file, the knight pawn
having been moved one or two squares forward.
The fianchetto is a staple of many "hypermodern
" openings, whose philosophy is to delay direct occupation of the center with the plan of undermining and destroying the opponent's central outpost
. It also regularly occurs in Indian defences. The fianchetto is less common in open games (1.e4 e5) but the king's bishop is sometimes fianchettoed by Black in the Spanish Game or by White in an uncommon variation of the Vienna Game
.
One of the major benefits of the fianchetto is that it often allows the fianchettoed bishop to become more active. Because the bishop is placed on a long diagonal (either h1-a8 or a1-h8), it controls a lot of squares and can become a powerful offensive weapon. However, a fianchettoed position also presents some opportunities for the opposing player: if the fianchettoed bishop can be exchanged, the squares the bishop was formerly protecting will become weak (see glossary of chess#Hole) and can form the basis of an attack (particularly if the fianchetto was performed on the kingside). Therefore, exchanging the fianchettoed bishop should not be done lightly, especially if the enemy bishop of the same colour is still on the board.
, Benoni Defence, and Benko Opening among many others.
Black's queen's bishop is also fianchettoed, but the knight pawn has moved forward two squares, making this a long fianchetto. The b-pawn also controls the c4 square, which is often advantageous. If White plays the King's Indian Attack
1. Nf3 2. g3, Black may play a long queen's fianchetto to oppose White's bishop and make it more difficult for White to play a c4 pawn break. The long fianchetto on the kingside is more rarely played, because it weakens the pawn shield in front of the castled position, and controls a less important square. Nevertheless, Grob's attack
1.g4?! and the Borg Defense 1. e4 g5?! — as in "reversed Grob" — are sometimes played by players like International Master Michael Basman
.
White's queen's bishop has moved out to a3 in what is sometimes called an extended fianchetto. Rather than control the long diagonal, it takes aim at Black's f8 square. If Black moves his e-pawn, White can play Bxf8, after which Black will have to waste time on artificial castling
after recapturing with his king. This tactic is often seen in the Evans Gambit
, and gives the Benko Gambit
much of its bite. Black often plays Ba6 in the French Defence
, and the Queen's Indian Defence if White plays g3 in order to fianchetto his own bishop (Aron Nimzowitsch
's move against the Classical variation).
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
the fianchetto (fiaŋˈkɛtto "little flank") is a pattern of development wherein a bishop
Bishop (chess)
A bishop is a piece in the board game of chess. Each player begins the game with two bishops. One starts between the king's knight and the king, the other between the queen's knight and the queen...
is developed to the second rank of the adjacent knight
Knight (chess)
The knight is a piece in the game of chess, representing a knight . It is normally represented by a horse's head and neck. Each player starts with two knights, which begin on the row closest to the player, one square from the corner...
file, the knight pawn
Pawn (chess)
The pawn is the most numerous and weakest piece in the game of chess, historically representing infantry, or more particularly armed peasants or pikemen. Each player begins the game with eight pawns, one on each square of the rank immediately in front of the other pieces...
having been moved one or two squares forward.
The fianchetto is a staple of many "hypermodern
Hypermodernism (chess)
Hypermodernism is a school of chess that emerged after World War I. It featured challenges on the chess ideologies presented by central European masters, such as on Wilhelm Steinitz’ approach to the centre. It also challenged in particular the dogmatic rules set down by Siegbert Tarrasch...
" openings, whose philosophy is to delay direct occupation of the center with the plan of undermining and destroying the opponent's central outpost
Outpost (chess)
An outpost is a square which is protected by a pawn and which cannot be attacked by an opponent's pawn. In the figure to the right, c4 is an outpost, occupied by White's knight...
. It also regularly occurs in Indian defences. The fianchetto is less common in open games (1.e4 e5) but the king's bishop is sometimes fianchettoed by Black in the Spanish Game or by White in an uncommon variation of the Vienna Game
Vienna Game
The Vienna Game is a chess opening that begins with the moves:White's second move is less common than 2.Nf3, and is also of more recent vintage; a book reviewer wrote in the New York Times in 1888 that "since Morphy only one new opening has been introduced, the 'Vienna.The original idea behind...
.
One of the major benefits of the fianchetto is that it often allows the fianchettoed bishop to become more active. Because the bishop is placed on a long diagonal (either h1-a8 or a1-h8), it controls a lot of squares and can become a powerful offensive weapon. However, a fianchettoed position also presents some opportunities for the opposing player: if the fianchettoed bishop can be exchanged, the squares the bishop was formerly protecting will become weak (see glossary of chess#Hole) and can form the basis of an attack (particularly if the fianchetto was performed on the kingside). Therefore, exchanging the fianchettoed bishop should not be done lightly, especially if the enemy bishop of the same colour is still on the board.
Concept
The diagram to the right shows three different sorts of fianchetto (not as part of an actual game, but as separate examples that have been collapsed into a single chessboard). White's king's bishop is in a regular fianchetto, with the knight-pawn advanced one square and the bishop occupying the long diagonal. This is by far the most common type of fianchetto, seen in the Sicilian Dragon, Pirc DefencePirc Defence
The Pirc Defence |grandmasters]]), sometimes known as the Ufimtsev Defence or Yugoslav Defence, is a chess opening characterised by Black responding to 1.e4 with 1...d6 and 2...Nf6, followed by ...g6 and ...Bg7, while allowing White to establish an impressive-looking centre with pawns on d4 and e4...
, Benoni Defence, and Benko Opening among many others.
Black's queen's bishop is also fianchettoed, but the knight pawn has moved forward two squares, making this a long fianchetto. The b-pawn also controls the c4 square, which is often advantageous. If White plays the King's Indian Attack
King's Indian Attack
The King's Indian Attack , also known as the Barcza System , is a chess opening system for White, most notably used by Bobby Fischer. Its typical formation is shown in the diagram to the right....
1. Nf3 2. g3, Black may play a long queen's fianchetto to oppose White's bishop and make it more difficult for White to play a c4 pawn break. The long fianchetto on the kingside is more rarely played, because it weakens the pawn shield in front of the castled position, and controls a less important square. Nevertheless, Grob's attack
Grob's Attack
Grob's Attack is an unconventional chess opening where White immediately moves the king knight's pawn two squares ahead:-Discussion:The opening takes its name from Swiss International Master Henri Grob who analyzed it extensively and played hundreds of correspondence games with it...
1.g4?! and the Borg Defense 1. e4 g5?! — as in "reversed Grob" — are sometimes played by players like International Master Michael Basman
Michael Basman
Michael John Basman is an English chess player, chess author and International Master. He was awarded the International Master title in 1980...
.
White's queen's bishop has moved out to a3 in what is sometimes called an extended fianchetto. Rather than control the long diagonal, it takes aim at Black's f8 square. If Black moves his e-pawn, White can play Bxf8, after which Black will have to waste time on artificial castling
Artificial castling
In chess, artificial castling refers to a maneuver in which a king which has lost the right to castle, achieves a castled position in several normal moves, instead of the one special move.-Examples:...
after recapturing with his king. This tactic is often seen in the Evans Gambit
Evans Gambit
The Evans Gambit is a chess opening characterised by the moves:The gambit is named after the Welsh sea Captain William Davies Evans, the first player known to have employed it. The first game with the opening is considered to be Evans - McDonnell, London 1827, although in that game a slightly...
, and gives the Benko Gambit
Benko Gambit
The Benko Gambit is a chess opening characterised by the move 3...b5 in the Benoni Defense arising after:- Origin and predecessors :The idea of sacrificing a pawn with ...b5 and ...a6 is quite old. Karel Opočenský applied the idea against, among others, Gideon Ståhlberg at Poděbrady 1936, Paul...
much of its bite. Black often plays Ba6 in the French Defence
French Defence
The French Defence is a chess opening. It is characterised by the moves:The French has a reputation for solidity and resilience, though it can result in a somewhat cramped game for Black in the early stages...
, and the Queen's Indian Defence if White plays g3 in order to fianchetto his own bishop (Aron Nimzowitsch
Aron Nimzowitsch
Aron Nimzowitsch was a Russian-born Danish unofficial chess grandmaster and a very influential chess writer...
's move against the Classical variation).