The Inverted Hungarian Opening, also known as the Tayler Opening, is a unique and rare chess opening that has been used sparingly throughout the history of chess.
Nonetheless, given the Inverted Hungarian Opening is borne out of the King’s Pawn Game (Open Game), it has received some play.
Originating from the pattern of the Hungarian Defense, this opening’s approach is distinctly characteristic of its defensive positional maneuvering, providing a pathway for white players who seek an alternative to the more heavily explored double king pawn openings such as the Ruy Lopez.
Below we look at the Inverted Hungarian Opening in depth, touching upon its move order, theoretical aspects, variations, history, suitability for beginners or intermediates, and prevalence at the grandmaster level.
Move Order of the Inverted Hungarian Opening
The Inverted Hungarian Opening’s initial moves are structured as follows:
- e4 e5
- Nf3 Nc6
- Be2
The positioning of White’s bishop on e2 is what gives this opening its name.
The bishop mirrors the position of Black’s bishop on e7 in the Hungarian Defense.
While White’s third move Be2 may not appear to pose immediate threats, it opens up a variety of satisfactory responses for Black.
Theory, Strategy, and Purpose of the Inverted Hungarian Opening
The Inverted Hungarian Opening is known for its appeal to players interested in defensive positional maneuvering.
The theory behind this opening is based on maintaining a solid defensive structure, while giving White the flexibility to play moves that might not be the most aggressive or dominant, without falling behind.
The third move, Be2, allows for potential pawn advances, offers the possibility of castling, and supports potential defensive or offensive maneuvers.
Variations of the Inverted Hungarian Opening
The Inverted Hungarian Opening is versatile and can transform into the Inverted Hanham Opening given a specific move order.
If White executes a setup resembling the Black side of the Hanham Variation of the Philidor Defense (3…Nf6 4.d3 d5 5.Nbd2), the opening is sometimes recognized as the Inverted Hanham Opening.
A more complex variant, introduced by John Tayler and further developed by Michael Basman, starts with 3…Nf6, followed by the gambit 4.d4!?.
This variation features a dynamic and tactical middle game.
Evaluation of the Inverted Hungarian Opening
The Inverted Hungarian Opening is generally evaluated at around -0.05 to -0.35 for white.
Theory & Continuation Lines of the Inverted Hungarian Opening
Below we have some common theory and continuation lines from the Inverted Hungarian Opening starting move order 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Be2 that you would see at the highest level of play.
3… Nf6 is considered the best reply to the Inverted Hungarian Opening.
3… Nf6 4. Nc3 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Bb5 Nxc3 7. bxc3 Bd6 8. O-O O-O 9. d4 exd4 10. cxd4 h6 11. c3 Qf6 12. Re1 Bg4 13. h3 Bh5 14. a4 Rae8 15. Be3 a6 16. Bd3 Ne7 17. Be4 Nf5 18. Qd3 Bxf3 19. Bxf3
3… Nf6 4. Nc3 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Bb5 Nxc3 7. bxc3 Bd6 8. O-O O-O 9. d4 exd4 10. cxd4 h6 11. c3 Qf6 12. Re1 Bf5 13. Bd3 Rfe8 14. Be3 Ne7 15. Bxf5 Qxf5 16. c4 c6 17. Qb3 b5 18. a4 bxc4 19. Qxc4 Qd5 20. Rac1 Qxc4 21. Rxc4
3… Nf6 4. Nc3 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Bb5 Nxc3 7. bxc3 Bd6 8. d4 exd4 9. O-O O-O 10. cxd4 h6 11. c3 Bf5 12. Re1 Qf6 13. Bd3 Rfe8 14. Be3 Ne7 15. Bxf5 Nxf5 16. Qd3 Re7 17. Bd2 Rae8 18. Rxe7 Rxe7 19. Re1 Nh4 20. Nxh4 Rxe1+ 21. Bxe1 Qxh4
3… Nf6 4. Nc3 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Bb5 Nxc3 7. bxc3 Bd6 8. d4 exd4 9. O-O O-O 10. cxd4 Qf6 11. c3 h6 12. Re1 Bf5 13. Bd3 Rfe8 14. Be3 b6 15. Bb5 Bd7 16. h3 a6 17. Bf1 Ne7 18. Bd2 Nf5 19. Rxe8+ Bxe8 20. a4 c5 21. Bd3 cxd4
3… Nf6 4. Nc3 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Bb5 Nxc3 7. bxc3 Bd6 8. d4 exd4 9. O-O O-O 10. cxd4 h6 11. c3 Qf6 12. Re1 Bg4 13. h3 Bh5 14. a4 a6 15. Bd3 Rae8 16. Be3 Na5 17. Rb1 Re7 18. c4 Rfe8 19. g4 Bg6 20. Bxg6 fxg6 21. c5 Bf4 22. Bxf4 Rxe1+ 23. Nxe1 Qxf4
3… Nf6 4. Nc3 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Bb5 Nxc3 7. bxc3 Bd6 8. d4 exd4 9. O-O O-O 10. cxd4 h6 11. c3 Bf5 12. Re1 Qf6 13. Bd3 Rfe8 14. Be3 Ne7 15. Bxf5 Qxf5 16. c4 c6 17. Qb3 b5 18. a4 bxc4 19. Qxc4 Rab8 20. Bd2 Red8
INVERTED HUNGARIAN OPENING Trap – Full of sacrifice
History of the Inverted Hungarian Opening
The history of the Inverted Hungarian Opening is intertwined with the names of renowned chess players Tartakower and Bogoljubow.
The opening gained visibility during their encounter at the London 1922 championship.
However, it wasn’t until the 1980s that the Inverted Hungarian got a more structured shape when John Tayler proposed the 4.d4!? line in his published analysis in Chess, February–March 1981.
The gambit was later picked up and further developed by Michael Basman.
Is the Inverted Hungarian Opening Good for Beginners or Intermediates?
While the Inverted Hungarian Opening might not be a common recommendation for beginners due to its unorthodox nature, it can still be an interesting choice for those looking to learn more about positional play and maneuvering.
This opening encourages a strong grasp of defensive and positional strategy, providing valuable lessons for growing players.
For intermediate players, it can add a refreshing element to their repertoire, allowing them to surprise opponents and explore a less treaded path in opening theory.
How Often the Inverted Hungarian Opening Played at the Grandmaster Level
The Inverted Hungarian Opening is a relatively rare sight at the grandmaster level, owing to its unorthodox character and the fact that many grandmasters tend to stick to more mainstream openings with greater body of theory.
That being said, it has been employed by some grandmasters seeking to catch their opponents off guard or who prefer to venture outside the conventional paths of opening theory.
FAQs – Inverted Hungarian Opening
1. What is the Inverted Hungarian Opening in chess?
The Inverted Hungarian Opening, also known as the Tayler Opening, is a relatively uncommon chess opening that begins with the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Be2.
The name comes from the position of White’s bishop on e2, which mirrors the position of Black’s bishop on e7 in the Hungarian Defense.
This opening was notably used by Tartakower against Bogoljubow at London in 1922.
2. Why is the Inverted Hungarian Opening considered rare?
The Inverted Hungarian Opening is considered rare because it is not as commonly used as other openings, such as the Ruy Lopez.
It is even less common than the already rare Hungarian Defense.
However, it is a perfectly playable opening for White, and it may appeal to players who wish to avoid extensively analyzed double king pawn openings or those who prefer defensive positional maneuvering battles.
3. What is the strategy behind the Inverted Hungarian Opening?
The strategy behind the Inverted Hungarian Opening is to allow White to play moves that may not be objectively the strongest without incurring a disadvantage, thanks to the advantage of the first move.
White’s third move, 3.Be2, makes no threats, which means there are many satisfactory replies for Black.
If White plays a setup resembling the Black side of the Hanham Variation of the Philidor Defense (3…Nf6 4.d3 d5 5.Nbd2), the opening is sometimes referred to as the Inverted Hanham Opening.
4. Who is John Tayler and what is his contribution to the Inverted Hungarian Opening?
John Tayler is a chess player who introduced the line 4.d4!? after 3…Nf6 in the Inverted Hungarian Opening.
He published his analysis in Chess, February–March 1981.
This gambit was later picked up and further developed by Michael Basman.
5. What is the critical line in the Inverted Hungarian Opening as developed by Michael Basman?
Michael Basman developed a critical line in the Inverted Hungarian Opening that runs as follows:
4…exd4 5.e5 Ng4! 6.0-0 (6.Bf4 d6) 6…Be7 (6…Ngxe5 7.Nxe5 Nxe5 8.Qxd4 Nc6 9.Qc3 and Black has problems with kingside development; Basman) 7.Nxd4 Ngxe5 8.f4 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Ng6! 10.f5 (10.Qxg7 Bf6 11.Qh6!?) 10…Bf6 11.Qf2 Ne7.
This line is considered critical because it presents a series of tactical and strategic challenges for both players.
6. How does the Inverted Hungarian Opening transition into the Inverted Hanham Opening?
The Inverted Hungarian Opening can transition into the Inverted Hanham Opening if White plays a setup resembling the Black side of the Hanham Variation of the Philidor Defense.
This typically involves the moves 3…Nf6 4.d3 d5 5.Nbd2.
7. How should Black respond to the Inverted Hungarian Opening?
Since White’s third move 3.Be2 makes no threats, there are many satisfactory replies for Black.
However, one common response is 3…Nf6, which can lead to a variety of different game states depending on White’s subsequent moves.
The critical line developed by Michael Basman provides one possible set of responses for Black.
8. What are the potential advantages and disadvantages of the Inverted Hungarian Opening?
The main advantage of the Inverted Hungarian Opening is that it allows White to play moves that may not be objectively the strongest without incurring a disadvantage, thanks to the advantage of the first move.
This can lead to less common game states and potentially catch the opponent off guard.
However, the main disadvantage is that White’s third move, 3.Be2, makes no threats, which gives Black a wide range of satisfactory replies.
This can make it more difficult for White to control the game and dictate the pace of play.
Conclusion
The Inverted Hungarian Opening, with its unique blend of defensive strategy and unusual pawn structure, offers an intriguing divergence from more popular and traditional openings.
While it may not be as widely employed as other openings, it holds its own unique place in chess theory, contributing an element of surprise and innovative tactical play.
Whether you are a beginner seeking to expand your understanding of defensive strategy, an intermediate player looking to diversify your repertoire, or a grandmaster aiming to catch your opponents off guard, the Inverted Hungarian Opening could be a worthwhile exploration in your chess journey.
