This opening is defined by the position shown on the board below. The moves displayed are a typical sequence that leads to it, but different sequences can reach the same position and still carry the same opening name.
Opening Name: Gruenfeld Defense, 5.Bg5 Ne4
Moves: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bg5 Ne4
Description: This variation of the Gruenfeld Defense features an early bishop development by White to g5, aiming to pin Black’s knight on f6. Black responds actively with 5...Ne4, challenging White’s bishop and striking directly at the center. The move Ne4 is characteristic for its aggressive central counterplay, putting immediate pressure on White’s setup and forcing White to decide how to maintain control of the center and piece activity.
Characteristic of 5...Ne4: This knight move is a thematic counterattack in the Gruenfeld, leveraging Black’s typical strategy of contesting the center with pieces rather than pawns. It challenges White’s bishop and aims to disrupt White’s coordination.
Attacking or Defensive: For Black, 5...Ne4 is an attacking move, actively putting pressure on White’s position and fighting for the initiative. For White, the setup with Bg5 is somewhat attacking as well, aiming to pin and weaken Black’s kingside knight, but Black’s Ne4 counters strongly, making the position dynamically balanced overall.
Center Control: This opening line is very much about contesting the center. Black’s Ne4 directly challenges White’s central presence, and the overall Gruenfeld strategy revolves around counterattacking White’s pawn center rather than building a solid pawn center of Black’s own.
Practice puzzles and train your tactics with real positions from games that used the Gruenfeld: 5.Bg5 Ne4, and sharpen your opening mastery.
Puzzle 1 of 5 - Move #9 black
You can also discover how top players used Gruenfeld: 5.Bg5 Ne4 to leverage key strategies to secure victories in these classic matchups.