2...Bf5 Defence
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The 2...Bf5 defence is a chess opening beginning with the moves
- 1.d4 d5
- 2.c4 Bf5.
The surprising Bishop move seems to be played first by Paul Keres in 1953. It gained a modest popularity since then but, despite some efforts by Alexander Morozevich, vanished from modern tournament praxis. The move scores 38% for Black (compared to 40% for the Slav Defense or 42% for the King's Indian Defence) according to chessgames.com. However, only 183 games are on record.
If White tries a direct refutation of Blacks daring concept by 3.cxd5 Black answers 3...Bxb1 4.Rxb1 Qxd5 5. a3 Nc6 6. Nf3 0-0-0 7. e3 e5! and Black is satisfied. Better is 4. Qa4+ c6 5. Rxb1 Qxd5 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Bd2 Ngf6 8. e3 e6 9. Qc2 and White has a slight advantage due to his pair of Bishops.
White may also try to exploit Blacks second move by an early attack on b7 with Qb3. For example: 3. Nc3 e6 4. Qb3 Nc6 (an awkward looking move but tactically justified). Now 5. Qxb7 losses to Nxd4 and therefore white has to reduce his tempo of attack: 5. cxd exd 6. Nf3 (6. Qxb7 Nxd4, 6. Qxd4 Nxd4 or 6. Nxd5 Be4 is all better for Black) Nf6 (Now Nb4 is answered by e4) 7. Bg5 Na5 8. Qa4+ c6 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. e3 and the resulting position is not picture perfect for Black but offers various active opportunities.
References
- Polugajewski, Lev, "Damengambit, Tschigorin System bis Tarrasch-Verteidigung", Sportverlag Berlin 1984