Chess openings play a significant role in the results of the chess game. It is very much important to understand and play the opening correctly. For aggressive players, here are some openings for black pieces.
The most aggressive chess openings for black are:
- Blumenfeld Gambit
- King’s Indian Defence
- Leningrad Dutch
- Scandinavian
- Budapest Gambit
The more you are aggressive in a chess game, the better you can make your opponent to defensive play. Usually, chess players prepare for aggressive chess opening for white, but preparing to play much attractive opening against white is also important.
Blumenfeld Gambit
Blumenfeld Gambit is one of the top countergambits for black. The openings start with the moves 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 b5 and there are 30 different move orders that can reach the same position. characterised by the moves 2…e6 3.Nf3 c5 in the Benoni Defense
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In Blumenfeld Gambit, Black sacrifices a pawn to establish an imposing center with pawns on c5, d5 and e6. This will be a surprising opening to most of the white players. The game below shows how aggressive the black opening is.
Check out the video showing Blumenfeld Gambit
King’s Indian Defence
King’s Indian Defence is one of the most popular chess openings for black. King’s Indian Defense is a hypermodern aggressive opening for Black as a response for d4. The Kings Indian defence moves are 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7
Super-GMs like Hikaru Nakamura, Teimour Radjabov or Garry Kasparov, regularly play this opening in their chess games. King’s Indian Defense promise Black more active play than in most other openings. In this opening black will be able to provide more pressure and attack towards white’s kingside.
Kings Indian Defence is ideal for players who like counter-attacking games. The opening promises a wide variety of aggressive moves.
See the game below played between Kramnik and Kasparov.
Leningrad Dutch
Leningrad is a variation of Dutch defence, where black fianchettos the dark-squared bishop to g7. The moves are 1 d4 f5 2 c4 Nf6 3 Nf3 g6 4 g3 Bg7
This may seem similar to King’s Indian defence except for the f5 pawn. The fianchettoed bishop helps in controlling the center squares and further in the game it offers e5 move for black, also acts as a good defender and active piece for black
Check the sample game below played by GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
Scandinavian (Nf6 variation)
In Scandinavian, the black gives the d5 pawn in beginning to activate the pieces fast. Scandinavian is the oldest opening by black recorded in modern chess. The moves are 1. e4 d5 2 exd5 Nf6
The Scandinavian has got three major variations:
- The Modern Variation
- The Gubinsky-Melts Defense
- Main line: Mieses-Kotrč Variation
The modern Scandinavian Nf6 variation is played by more and more people after understanding the aggressive development of pieces for the compensation of the d pawn. See the sample Scandinavian game with Nf6 variation
The video explains the Scandinavian with Nf6 variation in detail.
Budapest Gambit
Budapest Gambit is one of the least played, unusual Queen’s Pawn Opening. Here in the opening black gives its e pawn at the center. If white tries to protect the pawn, black can eventually develop the pieces much faster and easier. The moves are 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5
The opening is very tricky so if white is not prepared well with this opening, black can easily gain the advantage from the beginning stage onwards. This opening is very less played, hence most of the players won’t invest their time in preparing this opening.
The opening will be very much effective for beginner players who are not much experienced with this variation. Most beginner players play with the opening principles in chess and Budapest Gambit may confuse them with the sudden e pawn sacrifice.
Check the Budapest Gambit played by the top GrandMasters Vladimir Kramnik vs Shakhriyar Mamedyarov.
How to play aggressive in chess?
Chess players can become aggressive in the opening by playing gambits, good preparations of different variations and proper positional understanding. Aggressive doesn’t mean sacrificing or pushing the pieces forward, it requires good calculation and planning.
Most beginner and amateur players tend to be aggressive without proper calculation. This may result in a huge blunder and game loss. Each player has got his own playing style. It is very much important to understand the playing style of each player. A position player may end up in a worse position if he always goes for an aggressive style.
Which is the best aggressive opening for black?
The best aggressive opening for black is King’s Indian Defence. It can vary from player to player. Kings Indian Defence is played by lots of top players. Hikaru Nakamura is the top active Grandmaster who plays Kings Indian Defence the most. Hikaru won the U.S. Championship five times.
It’s always good to start with one single opening and expertise in it. The common mistake made by most beginner players are, they tend to switch chess openings frequently. This can lead to a lack of expertise in any particular opening. Even most of the IM’s and GM’s usually plays one single opening which they are experienced in.