The Grünfeld: hand over the centre and shoot at it

The key idea

Black cedes the centre on purpose so as to attack it with ...c5 and with the g7 bishop. Against a big centre you don't play by occupying it: you play by hitting it, because every pawn that forms it is one more piece that has to be spent defending it.

Example 1 · The centre goes up… and gets hit straight away

After the trade on c3 White has three central pawns. Watch how little time Black takes to get at them.

1. Bc4 I have the centre everybody wants: pawns on c3, d4 and e4. The bishop comes out to the diagonal aiming at f7 and for now it looks like I'm doing well. Notice what Black has paid for this — he traded off his good knight and let me build the whole house.
2. c5 And here comes the bill, on the first free move he has. The c5 pawn doesn't attack my centre through the middle: it attacks d4, which is the base of everything. If d4 falls or gets traded, my c3 and e4 pawns are left loose with nothing holding them together.
3. Ne2 The knight via e2 rather than f3, so as not to block my own f-pawn and to be able to defend d4 without getting in the way. In positions with a big centre, every piece has to be placed with holding it up in mind.
4. O-O Black tucks the king away before carrying on with the blows.
5. O-O So do I. With a centre to defend, a king left in the open is a luxury I can't afford.
6. Nc6 A second attacker on d4. The whole Grünfeld is this count: how many black pieces are looking at my base and how many I have defending it.
7. Be3 I defend d4 with another piece. And here's the real cost of having a big centre: my pieces don't choose where to go — they go where the centre needs them.
8. b6 Black prepares ...Bb7 to add the other bishop to the long diagonal. The honest valuation: the position is level. My centre is imposing and he has a clear plan against each of its pawns — that's exactly what the Grünfeld buys, and it's why it's still played at the very top.

Example 2 · From the other side: Black, with his plan

The same structure with White playing Rb1. Now Black is to move, and you see the defence's full plan.

1. Bg7 The bishop to its diagonal, the piece this opening exists for. From g7 it looks at d4, at c3 and at everything behind them: it attacks nothing today and points at everything tomorrow.
2. Nf3 White develops, defending his base.
3. O-O King safe. And note the order I'm using: strike with ...c5 first, castle after. In the Grünfeld the counterplay doesn't wait until you're comfortable.
4. Be2 White finishes placing his pieces for castling.
5. Nc6 A third attacker on d4, counting the bishop and the pawn. Here's the opening's moment of truth: if White does nothing, his base collapses.
6. d5 So White pushes and closes. It's the typical decision and it has a price: by going past, the pawn stops being attacked… and also stops being supported by c3, which is left hanging.
7. Ne5 My knight jumps into the centre through the square the advance has just left free. Every pawn the opponent pushes hands me a square — that's what it means for a big centre to also be a rigid one.
8. Nxe5 The knights come off and the position is level. Keep both halves of the idea, because one without the other doesn't work: you cede the centre so you can hit it, and you always hit it at the BASE — never head-on.

Practice

You've let him build the centre and you've already struck with ...c5. Now place your pieces: the long-diagonal bishop first, then the king to safety, and add attackers on d4.

1. The bishop to the diagonal this opening exists for. It attacks nothing today and points at everything tomorrow. Bring the bishop out to the long diagonal, looking at the centre and beyond.
2. King safe, and after striking with ...c5. In the Grünfeld the counterplay comes first. Tuck the king away before going on.
3. A third attacker on d4, counting the bishop and the pawn. If he doesn't react, his base falls. Add another piece to the attack on d4, the base of his centre.
4. And the knight comes in through the square his own advance has left free. Every pawn he pushes hands you a square. His pawn has gone past. Occupy the square it has vacated with your knight.

The Grünfeld in four moves: bishop to the long diagonal, king safe and every piece looking at the base of his centre. Keep the principle, which is worth far more than this opening — a big pawn centre is strong while nobody touches it and rigid the moment you do, because every pawn that forms it needs a piece to hold it up and every advance gives away a square. Ceding the centre is only bad if you don't attack it afterwards.