Kingston Defence
Encyclopedia
The Kingston Defence or Franco-Dutch Defence is an uncommon chess
opening
. It is characterised by the opening moves:
giving the position at right. (It can also be reached after the transposition
of moves 1.d4 f5 2.e4 e6 — a form of Staunton Gambit Declined). Its ECO
classification is C01.
The first record of the defence being played is Schiffers
-Chigorin
, 1880. The first record of a win by Black is the 1892 victory of Elson over Emanuel Lasker
. The line fell into disuse until 1989, when the publication of a monograph by Gavin Wilson suggested a repertoire of responses for Black to the principal third moves available to White, namely 3.exf5, 3.e5, 3.Nc3, 3.Nd2 and 3.Bd3.
In 1998, Clyde Nakamura (no relation to grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura
), working independently, devised the Franco-Hiva Gambit variation of the Kingston Defence—1.e4 e6 2.d4 f5 3.exf5 Nf6?! 4.fxe6 Bd6?! — in which Black sacrifices two pawns in exchange for a lead in development. This is an intriguing bypass to the problem set by the Exchange Variation of the Kingston Defence — 1.e4 e6 2.d4 f5 3.exf5 exf5 — which undoubtedly poses the most serious threat to the viability of Black's defence.
One alternative being tried at the time by English players such as Mike Basman
was another form of general-purpose fianchetto defence based on ...a6 and ...b5, or ...h6 and ...g5, or both. Another line of reasoning proposed that Black was committing his queenside bishop too early to b7 in Owen's Defence. The idea behind 2...f5?! in the Kingston Defence, besides the immediate challenge to the White centre, is that it avoids committing the queenside bishop to a square where it might get blocked.
— in the form of the constrained queen's bishop -- and a strength with the Dutch Defence
— namely the early thrust of the f-pawn, which often supports a knight on e4. (These French and Dutch similarities led to the first, uncomfortable name for the defence: Frutch; later, Franco-Dutch.) White's decision at move three tends to define the nature of the game that follows. If White pushes the e-pawn to e5, the following pawn formation often results:
A typical sequence in the Advance Variation would be: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 f5 3.e5 Ne7 4.Nf3 c5 5.c3 (if 5.dxc5 Ng6) Nbc6.
Black has more space on the queenside and will fianchetto
his queen bishop to bear down on White's kingside and deter a pawn thrust to d5. Black's rook will contest the c-file. With the centre almost blocked, Black may decide to put his King on e7 or f7, creating the opportunity for a kingside pawn storm which might catch out a White who is unfamiliar with the defence.
If, on the other hand, White decides to exchange on f5, the game frequently arrives at this pawn formation:
A critical line in the Exchange Variation is 1.e4 e6 2.d4 f5 3.exf5 exf5 4.Bd3 Nc6?!, after which 5. Nf3 preserves some positional advantage, whereas 5. Bxf5 leads to the very sharp 5... Qf6, causing a rapid clearance of central pawns.
Black has played his pawn to d5 in order to prevent White from placing his king bishop on c4, which would make Black's kingside castling
either impossible or unwise. So White has created holes on e5 and e6, which a knight on g5 can exploit to dangerous effect. Black's principal counterplay exists in moving his king knight to e4, which can be supported by manoeuvring the queen knight to f6 and, if permitted, launching a pawn storm with ...g5. If ever White nudges the knight on e4 away by playing f3, it is usually best to retreat the knight to d6.
Black can quickly castle kingside, but White has a simple plan in playing c4 and Qb3 to put pressure on the a2-g8 diagonal and exploit Black's slow development on the queenside.
In summary, the selection of the Kingston Defence today can still cause White a surprise at both top and less exalted levels. Rather than seek an immediate, perhaps sacrificial refutation, White's best general strategy is to accumulate small advantages (such as trying to exploit the holes on e5 and e6 with White's knights), while watching out for potential Black pawn rollers on either wing.
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...
opening
Chess opening
A chess opening is the group of initial moves of a chess game. Recognized sequences of opening moves are referred to as openings as initiated by White or defenses, as created in reply by Black. There are many dozens of different openings, and hundreds of named variants. The Oxford Companion to...
. It is characterised by the opening moves:
- 1.e4 e6 (the French DefenceFrench DefenceThe 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...
) - 2.d4 f5
giving the position at right. (It can also be reached after the transposition
Transposition (chess)
A transposition in chess is a sequence of moves that results in a position which may also be reached by another, more common sequence of moves. Transpositions are particularly common in opening, where a given position may be reached by different sequences of moves...
of moves 1.d4 f5 2.e4 e6 — a form of Staunton Gambit Declined). Its ECO
Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings
The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings is a classification system for the opening moves in a game of chess. It is presented as a five volume book collection describing chess openings...
classification is C01.
The first record of the defence being played is Schiffers
Emanuel Schiffers
Emanuel Stepanovich Schiffers was a Russian chess player and chess writer. For many years he was the second leading Russian player after Mikhail Chigorin.Schiffers parents emigrated from Germany...
-Chigorin
Mikhail Chigorin
Mikhail Ivanovich Chigorin also was a leading Russian chess player...
, 1880. The first record of a win by Black is the 1892 victory of Elson over Emanuel Lasker
Emanuel Lasker
Emanuel Lasker was a German chess player, mathematician, and philosopher who was World Chess Champion for 27 years...
. The line fell into disuse until 1989, when the publication of a monograph by Gavin Wilson suggested a repertoire of responses for Black to the principal third moves available to White, namely 3.exf5, 3.e5, 3.Nc3, 3.Nd2 and 3.Bd3.
In 1998, Clyde Nakamura (no relation to grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura
Hikaru Nakamura
Hikaru Nakamura is an American chess Grandmaster . He has been ranked among the top six players in the world by FIDE....
), working independently, devised the Franco-Hiva Gambit variation of the Kingston Defence—1.e4 e6 2.d4 f5 3.exf5 Nf6?! 4.fxe6 Bd6?! — in which Black sacrifices two pawns in exchange for a lead in development. This is an intriguing bypass to the problem set by the Exchange Variation of the Kingston Defence — 1.e4 e6 2.d4 f5 3.exf5 exf5 — which undoubtedly poses the most serious threat to the viability of Black's defence.
Modern origins
The Kingston Defence emerged out of dissatisfaction with many of Black's positions that resulted from Owen's Defence, as played in the 1970s. For example, after 1.e4 b6 2.d4 e6 3.c4 Bb7 4.Bd3, Black would often try 4..f5?! to tempt White into an all-out kingside assault with 5.exf5 and 6.Qh5+, while Black tried to mop up material starting with 5..Bxg2.One alternative being tried at the time by English players such as Mike 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...
was another form of general-purpose fianchetto defence based on ...a6 and ...b5, or ...h6 and ...g5, or both. Another line of reasoning proposed that Black was committing his queenside bishop too early to b7 in Owen's Defence. The idea behind 2...f5?! in the Kingston Defence, besides the immediate challenge to the White centre, is that it avoids committing the queenside bishop to a square where it might get blocked.
General considerations
The Kingston Defence shares a weakness with the French DefenceFrench 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...
— in the form of the constrained queen's bishop -- and a strength with the Dutch Defence
Dutch Defence
The Dutch Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:-History:Elias Stein , an Alsatian who settled in The Hague, recommended the defence as the best reply to 1.d4 in his 1789 book Nouvel essai sur le jeu des échecs, avec des réflexions militaires relatives à ce jeu.-Theory:Black's 1.....
— namely the early thrust of the f-pawn, which often supports a knight on e4. (These French and Dutch similarities led to the first, uncomfortable name for the defence: Frutch; later, Franco-Dutch.) White's decision at move three tends to define the nature of the game that follows. If White pushes the e-pawn to e5, the following pawn formation often results:
A typical sequence in the Advance Variation would be: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 f5 3.e5 Ne7 4.Nf3 c5 5.c3 (if 5.dxc5 Ng6) Nbc6.
Black has more space on the queenside and will fianchetto
Fianchetto
In chess the fianchetto 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....
his queen bishop to bear down on White's kingside and deter a pawn thrust to d5. Black's rook will contest the c-file. With the centre almost blocked, Black may decide to put his King on e7 or f7, creating the opportunity for a kingside pawn storm which might catch out a White who is unfamiliar with the defence.
If, on the other hand, White decides to exchange on f5, the game frequently arrives at this pawn formation:
A critical line in the Exchange Variation is 1.e4 e6 2.d4 f5 3.exf5 exf5 4.Bd3 Nc6?!, after which 5. Nf3 preserves some positional advantage, whereas 5. Bxf5 leads to the very sharp 5... Qf6, causing a rapid clearance of central pawns.
Black has played his pawn to d5 in order to prevent White from placing his king bishop on c4, which would make Black's kingside castling
Castling
Castling is a special move in the game of chess involving the king and either of the original rooks of the same color. It is the only move in chess in which a player moves two pieces at the same time. Castling consists of moving the king two squares towards a rook on the player's first rank, then...
either impossible or unwise. So White has created holes on e5 and e6, which a knight on g5 can exploit to dangerous effect. Black's principal counterplay exists in moving his king knight to e4, which can be supported by manoeuvring the queen knight to f6 and, if permitted, launching a pawn storm with ...g5. If ever White nudges the knight on e4 away by playing f3, it is usually best to retreat the knight to d6.
Black can quickly castle kingside, but White has a simple plan in playing c4 and Qb3 to put pressure on the a2-g8 diagonal and exploit Black's slow development on the queenside.
In summary, the selection of the Kingston Defence today can still cause White a surprise at both top and less exalted levels. Rather than seek an immediate, perhaps sacrificial refutation, White's best general strategy is to accumulate small advantages (such as trying to exploit the holes on e5 and e6 with White's knights), while watching out for potential Black pawn rollers on either wing.