1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5
Shown from White's side. ECO A45.
Opening guide · an opening for White
Trompowsky Attack
The Trompowsky Attack starts 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5. White's bishop comes out on move two and threatens to take the knight and double Black's pawns. It sidesteps the big theory of the Indian defences, and Black has to decide at once how to meet the bishop, usually with 2...Ne4, 2...e6 or 2...d5.
- Games in our sample
- 5,435
- White wins
- 49.2%
- Draws
- 4.9%
- Black wins
- 45.9%
How the Trompowsky Attack scores at each rating
Each row is one rating band. The share is how much of all the games in that band started with this opening.
| Rating | Games | Share | White wins | Draws | Black wins | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| under 1000 | 95 | 0.0% | 53.7% | 5.3% | 41.1% | |
| 1000 to 1199 | 243 | 0.1% | 49.0% | 2.9% | 48.1% | |
| 1200 to 1399 | 455 | 0.1% | 51.2% | 4.0% | 44.8% | |
| 1400 to 1599 | 730 | 0.1% | 48.6% | 4.0% | 47.4% | |
| 1600 to 1799 | 945 | 0.1% | 46.1% | 4.9% | 49.0% | |
| 1800 to 1999 | 1,110 | 0.2% | 49.0% | 4.7% | 46.3% | |
| 2000 to 2199 | 999 | 0.4% | 50.6% | 4.7% | 44.7% | |
| 2200 and over | 858 | 0.8% | 50.0% | 7.2% | 42.8% | |
| All ratings | 5,435 | 0.2% | 49.2% | 4.9% | 45.9% |
Counted from 3,156,949 rated blitz, rapid and classical games played on Lichess from 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-02 (the first 5,000,000 games of the month's public file; bullet and unrated games left out). The rating is the average of the two players' Lichess ratings. Source: the Lichess open database (public domain).
Main lines
The named lines of the Trompowsky Attack that were played most in our sample, each with the position it reaches.
Classical Defense
1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 e6
748 games · White 50.5% · draws 4.8% · Black 44.7%
Analyse this positionClassical Defense, Big Center Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 e6 3. e4
623 games · White 47.7% · draws 5.6% · Black 46.7%
Analyse this positionEdge Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. Bh4
306 games · White 46.1% · draws 4.2% · Black 49.7%
Analyse this positionRaptor Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. h4
227 games · White 47.6% · draws 4.4% · Black 48.0%
Analyse this position
Ideas for White
- After 2...Ne4 retreat to f4 or h4 and chase the knight with f3.
Ideas for Black
- 2...Ne4 hits the bishop at once; 2...e6 and 2...d5 are calmer.
Questions
- What are the moves of the Trompowsky Attack?
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5. In the ECO classification it is filed under A45.
- How does the Trompowsky Attack score?
- In 5,435 games with it in our sample, White won 49.2%, 4.9% were drawn and Black won 45.9%.
- At which ratings is the Trompowsky Attack played most?
- Among players rated 2200 and over it is 0.8% of all games in our sample, its highest share. Its lowest share, 0.0%, is among players rated under 1000.
- Which line of the Trompowsky Attack is played most?
- Trompowsky Attack: Classical Defense (1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 e6), with 748 games in our sample.