Chess opening · ECO A00
Grob Opening
1.g4, the Grob Opening, pushes the knight's pawn two squares on move one. It prepares Bg2 and an early bishop on the long diagonal, but the pawn on g4 is loose and the squares around White's king lose a defender. Black usually strikes in the center with ...d5 and asks White to prove the pawn was worth its time.
- Rank by weighted share
- #105 of 159
Key moves
1. g4
- 1. g4The pawn on g4 can be attacked by the c8 bishop as soon as Black's d-pawn moves, and it leaves f3 and h3 weaker. In return White's bishop reaches g2 at once, and the g-pawn can push on to g5 to chase a knight from f6.
The gambit after 2...Bxg4
After 1...d5 2.Bg2, the c8 bishop can take on g4. White often lets it go and plays 3.c4, striking at d5. If 3...c6 4.cxd5 cxd5, then 5.Qb3 hits both b7 and d5, with the g2 bishop adding a second attacker on d5.
White gives a pawn here for pressure on Black's queenside and center. Black has to hold d5 and b7 while finishing development, and White hopes the pressure lasts long enough to win one of them back.
The fastest mate on the board
The loosened e1-h4 diagonal is the danger in the Grob. After 1...e5, the careless 2.f3 allows 2...Qh4, which is checkmate: the f2 square is covered by the queen and no White piece can block on g3 or f2.
That is why White meets 1...e5 with 2.Bg2 or 2.h3, never with a move that takes the f2 pawn off its post.
Pressure on b7 and d5
1... d5 2. Bg2 Bxg4 3. c4 c6 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Qb3
White's queen on b3 attacks the b7 pawn along the b-file and joins the g2 bishop against d5. Black is a pawn up and must now cover both points.
Top replies by rating
e5 leads under 1400, but from 1400 up d5 takes the top spot. Its share climbs in every band after that, and at 2000 and up it is more than five times the share of e5.
| Rating | Top | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1200 | e5 50% | d5 22% | e6 9% |
| 1200–1399 | e5 45% | d5 31% | e6 8% |
| 1400–1599 | d5 35% | e5 33% | e6 7% |
| 1600–1799 | d5 45% | e5 27% | e6 7% |
| 1800–1999 | d5 52% | e5 20% | d6 8% |
| 2000 and up | d5 68% | e5 13% | d6 10% |
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