Tackling the Trompowsky & Torre Attacks: Including a Complete Answer to the Barry-Tarzan Attack

by Vassilios Kotronias, Mikhail Ivanov

Overview

Black versus The Tromp and Torre Attacks

The Trompowsky and Torre Attacks, played regularly at club level, may be quite risky to face if you are not prepared. In this comprehensive treatment of both openings – highlighting play from Black’s perspective – popular authors Vassilios Kotronias and Mikhail Ivanov, present solid paths to dynamic equality for the second player.

The common thread in both these systems is Bc1-g5 by White. In the Trompowsky, White plays it on the second move, while it is on the third move in the Torre. In addition, there is a separate chapter on a dangerous cousin of the Tromp and Torre, the “Barry-Tarzan” Attack, which usually features pawn storms after castling on opposite wings.

All three have their own QuickStarter! section. This covers the major lines, allowing the reader to begin playing these systems sooner rather than later.

There is no longer any reason for Black to fear these potentially dangerous debuts. Let GMs Kotronias and Ivanov prepare you to face the Trompowsky and Torre Attacks with confidence.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781963885064
Publisher:	Russell Enterprises, Incorporated
Publication date:	06/25/2025
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.75(d)

About the Author

Greek Grandmaster Vassilios Kotronias, has won the championship of Greece ten times and has represented his country many times in team competitions. He is one of the most respected opening analysts in the world today.

Read an Excerpt

Part II
Trompowsky Theoretical Section

Chapter 1

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.h4
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5

The Trompowsky has always been considered an unorthodox opening. White does not follow the well-known advice “Knights before bishops!” but instead goes his own quirky way, seeking to unbalance the game from the second move. The sortie of the bishop to g5 threatens to inflict permanent damage to Black’s pawn structure. The seriousness of this damage is unclear, and opinions differ about avoiding or allowing it. Either way one thing is certain: it puts us on our toes from the get-go as decisions have to be made and decisions are never easy when development has barely started!

Faced with the task of building an anti-Trompowsky repertoire, we decided to offer you two systems. The first one,
examined here, starts with the counter-attacking move 2...Ne4, and seeks to fight unorthodoxy with unorthodoxy. To the bishop’s rather eccentric sortie, we react by moving our knight twice in the opening, hardly in accordance with classical rules. The more solid 2...e6 will be examined in the second section of the book.

The common point of our chosen systems is that Black wants to avoid a weakening of his pawn structure, something that 1...d5 allows. In all honesty, we do not believe that 1...d5 can be a bad move. However, we decided that having an intact pawn structure is closer to our philosophy as players and writers. In any case, we believe our choices lead to lively positions with good chances for Black and that objectively Black is not worse after choosing either system.

2...Ne4 3.h4!?

Speaking of unorthodoxy, here you have some more! We will start our journey in the realm of 2...Ne4 with this rather eccentric choice which does have some meaning, or as they say, “method in its madness.”

[Diagram]

Although it appears strange at first glance, 3.h4!? can be quite dangerous against the unprepared; White wishes to maintain his bishop on g5 in order to keep the e7-pawn pinned, or profit from an opening of the h-file after ...Ne4xg5 h4xg5. Black now has to decide how to proceed with his development, and there are various ideas.

3...c5

Black resorts to the good old recipe of central action in reply to wing activity.

There is of course nothing wrong with the solid reaction 3...d5, preparing to play ...c7-c5 next move and freeing the Bc8. It should lead to a good game for Black. After 4.Nd2 Black has a variety of interesting ways to proceed.

[Diagram]