The Konstantinopolsky Opening is a seldom seen and understudied opening out of 1. e4, Open Game, with a character as unique as the grandmaster it was named after.
While not as commonly used as other openings, the Konstantinopolsky Opening offers a world of strategic depth and intrigue, providing an interesting departure from conventional opening tactics.
Move Order of the Konstantinopolsky Opening
The Konstantinopolsky Opening follows a specific sequence of moves as outlined below:
- e4 e5
- Nf3 Nc6
- g3
The opening begins with the King’s Pawn Opening, followed by Knight to f3 and Knight to c6, which are common opening moves in many different openings.
What distinguishes the Konstantinopolsky Opening, however, is the third move, g3, signaling a commitment to fianchetto the bishop to g2.
Theory, Strategy, and Purpose of the Konstantinopolsky Opening
The underlying purpose of the Konstantinopolsky Opening is to adopt a hypermodern approach, control the center indirectly, and exploit any weaknesses in the opponent’s position.
The g3 move allows the bishop to be fianchettoed on g2, offering a strong diagonal perspective, potentially putting pressure on the opponent’s center.
While the purpose of this opening might be clear, the specific strategy can be quite flexible, allowing for different styles of play.
The general theory, however, revolves around controlling the center, developing the knight, and then offering the bishop a long diagonal via a fianchetto on the kingside.
Variations of the Konstantinopolsky Opening
While the standard opening is rather specific, the subsequent play can result in several variations.
A common response from black is 3…Nf6 4.d3 d5, which offers an easy game with natural and strong moves.
This allows Black to challenge White’s control of the center early in the game and can potentially disrupt White’s intended fianchetto formation.
Evaluation of the Konstantinopolsky Opening
The Konstantinopolsky Opening is generally evaluated at around -0.05 to -0.30 for white.
Theory & Continuation Lines of the Konstantinopolsky Opening
Below we have some common theory and continuation lines from the Konstantinopolsky Opening starting move order 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. g3 that you would see at the highest level of play.
The best replies to the Konstantinopolsky Opening for black are:
- 3… Nf6 (creates black’s advantage) and
- 3… d5 (roughly even)
3… Nf6
3… Nf6 4. d3 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Bg4 7. h3 Be6 8. Ng5 Bf5 9. Nc3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Qd7 11. Rb1 O-O-O 12. Qf3 f6 13. Ne4 Be6 14. Be3 Bxa2 15. Rb2
3… Nf6 4. d3 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Bg4 7. h3 Be6 8. Qe2 Qd7 9. Nxe5 Nxe5 10. Qxe5 O-O-O 11. Nc3 Bb4 12. Qxg7 Rdg8 13. Qe5 f6 14. Qe4 f5 15. Qc4
3… Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Bg2 d6 6. h3 a5 7. O-O h6 8. c3 O-O 9. a4 Re8 10. Re1 Bb6 11. Na3 Be6 12. Nc4 Bc5 13. Qe2 Bxc4
3… Nf6 4. d3 d5 5. exd5 Qxd5 6. Bg2 e4 7. Nc3 Bb4 8. Nd2 Bxc3 9. bxc3 Bg4 10. Nxe4 O-O-O 11. f3 Rhe8 12. Be3 Nxe4 13. fxe4 Qh5 14. Qd2 f5 15. h3 Bf3 16. g4 Qh4+ 17. Bf2 Qf6 18. g5 Rxe4+ 19. dxe4
3… Nf6 4. Nc3 Bc5 5. Bg2 d6 6. d3 a5 7. O-O O-O 8. h3 a4 9. Rb1 Re8 10. b3 axb3 11. axb3 h6 12. Kh2 Be6 13. Na4 Ba7 14. c4 Nd4 15. Nxd4 Bxd4 16. Bb2 c6 17. Bxd4 exd4 18. c5
3… Nf6 4. Nc3 Bc5 5. Bg2 d6 6. d3 a5 7. O-O O-O 8. h3 h6 9. Na4 Ba7 10. c4 Nd7 11. Be3 Nc5 12. Nc3 Ne6 13. Bxa7 Rxa7 14. Nb5 Ra6
3… d5
4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Nc3 Qd6 6. Bg2 Bg4 7. h3 Bh5 8. g4 Bg6 9. d3 O-O-O 10. Nh4 Nd4 11. a4 Qe6 12. Nb5 Bb4+ 13. Bd2 Bxd2+ 14. Qxd2 Ne7 15. O-O Nec6 16. f4 Qe7 17. Nxd4 Nxd4 18. Nf3 Nxf3+ 19. Rxf3 exf4 20. Qxf4
4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Nc3 Qd6 6. Bg2 Bg4 7. h3 Bh5 8. g4 Bg6 9. d3 O-O-O 10. Nh4 h5 11. Bd2 Kb8 12. Nxg6 Qxg6 13. Qf3 hxg4 14. Qxg4 Nge7 15. Qxg6 Nxg6 16. Bxc6 bxc6 17. O-O-O Nh4 18. Rdg1 Re8 19. Rg3 f5 20. f4 exf4 21. Bxf4
4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Nc3 Qd6 6. Bg2 Bg4 7. h3 Bh5 8. g4 Bg6 9. Nh4 O-O-O 10. d3 h5 11. Bd2 Kb8 12. Nxg6 Qxg6 13. Qf3 hxg4 14. Qxg4 Nge7 15. O-O-O Nd4 16. f4 f5 17. Qxg6 Nxg6 18. fxe5 Nxe5 19. Rhf1 Ng6 20. Nd5 Nh4 21. Bg5
4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Nc3 Qd6 6. Bg2 Bg4 7. h3 Bh5 8. g4 Bg6 9. d3 O-O-O 10. Nh4 Nd4 11. Nxg6 hxg6 12. Ne4 Qd7 13. c3 Ne6 14. Ng5 Nc5 15. d4 f6 16. Qc2 exd4 17. cxd4 Na6 18. Ne4 Nb4 19. Qb3 Qd5
ECO C44 Konstantinopolsky Opening (White perspective)
History of the Konstantinopolsky Opening
The Konstantinopolsky Opening was first played in the game between Alexander Konstantinopolsky and Viacheslav Ragozin in Moscow, 1956.
Despite being rarely seen at top-level chess, it has attracted the interest of a few grandmasters, such as Savielly Tartakower, known for his preference for unusual openings.
Is the Konstantinopolsky Opening Good for Beginners or Intermediates?
Given the less straightforward nature of the Konstantinopolsky Opening and its lack of popularity at the highest level, it might not be the most recommended choice for beginners.
However, for intermediate players looking to explore less common strategies and willing to delve deeper into the unique challenges and opportunities it presents, the Konstantinopolsky Opening can be an intriguing addition to their repertoire.
How Often the Konstantinopolsky Opening Is Played at the Grandmaster Level
The Konstantinopolsky Opening is seldom seen at the grandmaster level.
While it has been experimented with by grandmasters like Savielly Tartakower, its frequency of use at top-level chess is relatively low.
Many grandmasters opt for more conventional openings, perhaps due to the opening’s relative novelty and lack of extensive theory compared to other openings.
However, the Konstantinopolsky Opening could be a creative surprise to use in a top-level match (analogous to Ding Liren’s use of h4 early in the King’s Indian in the 2023 World Championship) in order to avoid well-trodden theory like the Ruy Lopez opening.
In short, it would be most valued for its creativity rather than its theoretical merit.
Konstantinopolsky Variation Too Much For Magnus Carlsen
FAQs – Konstantinopolsky Opening
1. What is the Konstantinopolsky Opening in chess?
The Konstantinopolsky Opening is a rarely played chess opening that begins with the moves:
- e4 e5
- Nf3 Nc6
- g3
This opening was first played in the game Alexander Konstantinopolsky versus Viacheslav Ragozin, Moscow 1956.
It’s not commonly seen at the top levels of chess, but some grandmasters have experimented with it.
2. Who first played the Konstantinopolsky Opening?
The Konstantinopolsky Opening was first played by Alexander Konstantinopolsky in a game against Viacheslav Ragozin in Moscow, 1956.
The opening is named after Konstantinopolsky due to his pioneering use of it in this game.
3. How often is the Konstantinopolsky Opening used in professional chess?
The Konstantinopolsky Opening is rarely seen at the top levels of professional chess.
It’s considered an unusual opening, and while some grandmasters have experimented with it, it’s not a common choice in high-level play.
4. Which grandmasters have used the Konstantinopolsky Opening?
While the Konstantinopolsky Opening is not commonly used, some grandmasters have experimented with it.
One notable example is Savielly Tartakower, who was known for playing many unusual openings.
5. What is considered a strong response to the Konstantinopolsky Opening?
A strong response to the Konstantinopolsky Opening for Black is considered to be 3…Nf6 4.d3 d5.
This sequence of moves allows Black to achieve an easy game, putting pressure on White’s position and challenging the center control.
6. Why is the Konstantinopolsky Opening considered unusual?
The Konstantinopolsky Opening is considered unusual because it deviates from the more common opening principles in chess, which typically involve controlling the center quickly with pawns and developing the knights and bishops before moving the king’s pawn to g3.
The move 3. g3 in the Konstantinopolsky Opening is a less common approach, focusing on fianchetto development of the bishop.
7. What are the potential advantages of using the Konstantinopolsky Opening?
While the Konstantinopolsky Opening is not commonly used, it can offer some potential advantages.
It can be a surprise weapon, as many players are not familiar with it.
Additionally, it leads to less explored game positions, which can be an advantage if the player using it is more comfortable in these types of positions or has prepared them in advance.
8. What are the potential disadvantages of using the Konstantinopolsky Opening?
The main disadvantage of the Konstantinopolsky Opening is that it allows Black to achieve an easy game with the natural and strong 3…Nf6 4.d3 d5.
This sequence of moves can put pressure on White’s position and challenge the center control.
Additionally, because it’s a less common opening, there may be fewer resources available for studying and preparing it.
Conclusion
The Konstantinopolsky Opening, named after the grandmaster who first used it in 1956, offers an unusual yet interesting divergence from standard chess opening theory.
While it might not be the most popular or heavily analyzed, its strategic richness and unique character have allowed it to carve a distinctive place in the complex world of chess openings.
It serves as a testament to the game’s depth and variety, reminding us that even in the realm of grandmasters, there are always new strategies and tactics waiting to be discovered.
