How To Master The Richter-Veresov Attack

Yo yo yo, this week I wanted to take a deeper look at the Richter-Veresov Attack and its lines to help you destroy your opponent in the opening.

This so-called Mirrored Ruy Lopez is an aggressive d4 opening best suited for intermediate players. It's a rare occurrence on the ladder, meaning it can catch your opponents off guard.

But how do you play it, what are the common lines, and is it suited for you? Time to find out.

Some quick updates

I've been working on something new that I think you'll love. And I've got a free sample almost ready for you to try. So, keep an eye on your inbox later this week - you won't want to miss it.

Also, to everyone who's got the Ultimate Bundle, I'll soon be adding the PGNs of each variation found in the cheat sheets to the Drive files, so you'll be able to go away and study the variations and games with more detail (thanks, Jeff!). No extra cost, of course.

Hopefully it'll be later this week. I'll send an email with more information once ready. Thanks for the idea, Jeff!

And if you haven't picked up the Ultimate Bundle yourself... well, what are you waiting for? It's the best way to master every opening and take your chess to a whole new level.

Right. Let's get into it.

Richter-Veresov Attack
​1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5

The second most common move after 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5, the Richter-Veresov Attack is statistically less likely to win than the more popular Rapport-Jobava System, but still gives White a solid 49% chance of winning.

Named after Kurt Richter and Gavriil Veresov, this opening puts immediate pressure on Black's Kingside, pinning the Knight and preparing for a potential e2-e4 breakthrough.

The idea combines elements of the London System and Queen's Gambit while focusing on early piece development rather than pawn structure. Moving the Bishop to g5 is a little harder to ignore than f4 due to the pressure, causing your opponents to usually react in a predictable and/or familiar way.

♟️ Creates immediate piece activity
♟️ Puts immediate pressure on Black's Knight
♟️ Prepares to break into the center with e4

Let's take a look at some primary variations.

Main Line
​3...e6

Most often, Black ends up leaning somewhat into the attack and supporting the Knight with the Queen, rather than risking a damaged pawn structure.

Secondarily, this move also supports the pawn on d5, which would potentially be vulnerable to an attack from White's Knight after White initiates the Bishop/Knight trade.

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Studying can be tiring, eh?

Here's a quick rest stop to refresh your brain. It's not brain rot if it helps with learning, right?

And now, back to your regular scheduled programming...

Official Line
​3...Bf5

The 'official' line continues with Bf5, with Black temporarily foregoing support for the Knight or d5 pawn to develop a piece of their own.

While initiating the Bishop/Knight trade is the most popular next move, it's only present in a third of games.

Here, Black is theoretically comfortable recapturing with a pawn in order to have a developed Bishop, which is important to balance White's single active piece. It's a bit more active and aggressive, which I personally prefer to the simple e6.

This variation can lead to a split in preferences from the opening's namesakes, continuing into either the Veresov Variation or the Richter Variation, which are the two next most popular moves.

Why play this opening?

As an uncommon but solid opening, the Richter-Veresov Attack is worth trying out. It's aggressive but doesn't feel as fast or forced as some gambits, so it could be a nice fit for your specific playstyle.

For those players who like to open with d4, this opening has been explored in detail (millions of games played) while also being fairly uncommon, which can give you an edge over other players on the ladder. It might be just what you need.

So, if your opponent responds with 1...d5, it could be a sign to give this opening a try!

Want help mastering it?

Are you team Richter, or team Veresov? Only one way to find out - by trying the opening! This 20-page guide contains everything you need to master it once and for all. Take your opening to the next level by clicking the button below. Get Your Copy

Or if you want even more value, this opening can also be found in our Aggressive Openings Bundle, along with 11 other openings just like it. It's not quite the value of the Ultimate Bundle, but it is a high-value, low-cost way to master these openings. Learn More

What are your thoughts?

Again there were a few changes this week - I feel like we're getting close to what I want this email to be. But what did you think? Let me know by hitting reply!

I'll be back next Tuesday with another chess opening...
Until then, keep climbing!

James
Chess Cheat Sheets
​info@chesscheatsheets.com​
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