Horwitz Defense
The Horwitz Defense (ECO code A40) is a chess opening defined by the moves:
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moves | 1.d4 e6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECO | A40 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Origin | 19th century | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Named after | Bernhard Horwitz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This response to White's Queen's Pawn Game, is named for the German chess master and writer Bernhard Horwitz (1807-85), who is known to have played it four times against fellow German master Daniel Harrwitz between 1849 and 1852.[1] Players such as the English grandmaster Simon Williams often use 1.d4 e6 as a way of playing for the Dutch Defense while avoiding the Staunton Gambit (1.d4 f5 2.e4!?).[2][3]
As such the opening has little independent significance. It is likely to transpose to another opening, such as the Dutch Defense (after 2.c4 f5 or 2.Nf3 f5), Keres Defense (after 2.c4 Bb4+), French Defense (after 2.e4 d5), Queen's Gambit Declined (after 2.c4 d5), Sicilian Defense (after 2.e4 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4), or Benoni Defense (after 2.e4 c5 3.d5).
References
- "CHESSGAMES.COM * Chess game search engine". www.chessgames.com. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- "Review: The Aggressive Classical Dutch". Chess News. 2019-01-22. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
- Williams, Simon (2003). Play the Classical Dutch. London, England: Gambit Publications. ISBN 978-1901983883.