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| Moves | 1.d4 d5 2.Bg5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ECO | D00 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Named after | Julian Hodgson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Queen's Pawn Game | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Synonyms | Pseudo-Trompowsky Levitsky Attack Queen's Bishop Attack Bishop Attack | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TheHodgson Attack (also called thePseudo-Trompowsky,Levitsky Attack afterStepan Levitsky,Queen's Bishop Attack, andBishop Attack,) is achess opening that begins with the moves:
Strategically, the bishop on g5 exerts an annoying influence where it pins Black's e-pawn and is ready to meet 2...Nf6 with 3.Bxf6, giving up the bishop pair in exchange for saddling Black withdoubled pawns. White's aim is to provoke weaknesses in thekingside position while it engages the bishop.[1]
Modern Chess Openings considers the line a variation of theTrompowsky Attack, although that term is usually reserved for the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5. TheEncyclopedia of Chess Openings covers 2.Bg5 in chapter D00.[2]
Although the opening was tested byPreston Ware in the 1880s, the namesake of the opening is the English grandmasterJulian Hodgson who studied and played the opening extensively, finding several new ideas and gaining an understanding of the arising positions that yielded him successful results with the line. The Hodgson Attack was a very rare line until the 1980s, when several players includingMichael Adams andTony Miles tried the opening, but the opening remains a sideline compared to theQueen's Gambit (2.c4).[1]
Black has several options, for instance falling in with White's idea after 2...Nf6 3.Bxf6 transposes into a variation of the Trompowsky Attack that is playable. Moves like 2...c5, 2...g6, 2...c6 and even chasing the bishop with 2...f6 are also possible. An unusual response is 2...Bg4 (the Welling Variation). A solid line is to chase the bishop with 2...h6 3.Bh4 c6, where Black will play 4...Qb6 on the next move, attacking the b2-pawn and thus taking advantage of a drawback in White's system, namely the bishop's absence from defending thequeenside.[1]
