Marshall Defense Guide

The Marshall Defense is a chess opening for black that arises after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6. A lot has been said about the Marshall Defense not being good enough for elite play, although it has been used by Grandmasters like Ivanchuk, Bareev, Van Wely, and more. Currently, it is mostly used at club level.

Main Ideas in the Marshall Defense

Probably the main idea of the Marshall Defense is to offer white extra space in the center to force them to overextend and inadvertently create weaknesses.

In a great number of games in which the Marshall Defense is involved, play usually transposes to other openings such as the Grunfeld, Slav, or Orthodox.

Most Played Moves in the Marshall Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6

After 2…Nf6, we are in the Marshall Defense.

3.Nc3 g6

After 3…g6, the opening has already transposed into the Grunfeld Defense.

4.cxd5 Nxd5

White exchanges pawn in the center.

5.e4 Nxc3

White decides to consolidate in the center, while black exchanges knights.

6.bxc3 Bg7

Black’s bishop on g7 will be key to exert pressure on the d4 pawn and the whole a1-h8 diagonal.

7.Bc4 c5

Typical Grunfeld play, in which white develops their light-squared bishop to c4 and black strikes in the center with c5.

8.Ne2 Nc6

Black keeps targeting the d4 pawn.

9.Be3 O-O

Black completes their development.

3.Nc3 Variation

As we just saw, the 3.Nc3 variation is the most played third move by white.

An alternative to the line reviewed in the previous section would be 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 0-0, which is the Russian Variation of the Grunfeld Defense.

3.cxd5 Variation

This is the exchange variation of the Marshall Defense.

3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.e4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6

3.Nf3 Variation

The 3.Nf3 variation usually leads to some form of Queen’s Gambit Declined.

Play usually continues with 3.Nf3 e6 4.Nc3 Be7.

Model Games

More Chess Articles

Chigorin Defense Guide Colle System Guide

Queen's Indian Defense Guide

D06 Sub-variants:

• Queen's Gambit
  1. d4 d5 2. c4
• Queen's Gambit Declined, Grau (Sahovic) defence
  1. d4 d5 2. c4 Bf5
• Queen's Gambit Declined, Marshall defence
  1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6
• Queen's Gambit Declined, symmetrical (Austrian) defence
  1. d4 d5 2. c4 c5