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Trompowsky Attack: Raptor Variation

ECO code
A45
Moves
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About this variation

After 2...Ne4, White plays 3. h4!?, defending the bishop with the h-pawn and inviting ...Nxg5 hxg5 with an open h-file.

The Raptor Variation is 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. h4. White defends the bishop with the h-pawn, so that after 3...Nxg5 4. hxg5 White gets an open h-file and a pawn on g5 that cramps Black's kingside. It is an aggressive, unusual line that can surprise unprepared opponents.

Black's main replies are 3...c5, striking at d4 and ignoring the bishop, 3...d5, building a solid center, and 3...h6, kicking the bishop. Taking with 3...Nxg5 4. hxg5 opens the h-file for White and is less common. After 3...Nxg5 4. hxg5, White often plays e4, Nc3 and Qd2, with ideas of Rh3 or Qd3 to attack along the h-file.

White's plans include using the open h-file for a kingside attack, building a big center with e4, and quick development. If Black castles short, the h-file can become very dangerous.

Black's ideas include ...d5 and ...e5 to build a strong center, ...c5 and ...Qb6 to pressure b2, and long castling in some lines to avoid White's attack. Black aims to show that White's pawn on g5 is weak.

A common mistake for Black is to castle short into the open h-file. A common mistake for White is to attack before completing development.

This line suits White players who like aggressive, unusual openings. Black players should know a solid reply, such as 3...d5 or 3...c5.

One concrete line is 3...c5 4. dxc5 Qa5+ 5. Nd2 Nxg5 6. hxg5 Qxc5, when Black regains the pawn and White has the half-open h-file and the g5 pawn. White usually continues with 7. g6 or 7. Ngf3.

After 3...d5, White often plays 4. Nd2, challenging the knight on e4 at once. If Black takes with 4...Nxg5 5. hxg5, White has the open h-file and plans e4 or c4 to open the center. Black usually aims for ...e5 or ...c5 to strike back before White's attack starts.

It is one of the main lines of the Trompowsky Attack.

Trompowsky Attack: Raptor Variation statistics

The Trompowsky Attack: Raptor Variation was reached in 13,079 master games (<0.1% of all master games), and White scored 54% from there. On Lichess it comes up in <0.1% of games, most often among players rated 2201–2400 (<0.1%).

Master games

13,079

<0.1% of games between players rated 2500+

Club games on Lichess

12,405

<0.1% of games between players rated up to 2400

White wins Draws Black wins

How often it comes up, by rating

  • 1201–1400 <0.1%
  • 1401–1600 <0.1%
  • 1601–1800 <0.1%
  • 1801–2000 <0.1%
  • 2001–2200 <0.1%
  • 2201–2400 <0.1%

Most common next moves in master games

MoveGamesPlayedResults
3... c55,61943%
3... d54,17832%
3... h61,57412%
3... Nxg51,1979.2%
3... c61861.4%

Famous players with the most games here

  • Levy Rozman (GothamChess) 400 games
  • Daniel Naroditsky 74 games
  • Eric Rosen 44 games
  • Ben Finegold 5 games

Master games from the Chessmont database (CC BY-SA 4.0). Club games from the Lichess open database.

Other Trompowsky Attack variations