A Repertoire for Black
Most 1.d4 systems that avoid the main lines depend on one piece: the dark-squared bishop. The London parks it on f4, the Torre pins with it on g5 and later anchors it on e5, the Trompowsky brings it out on move two.
White plays these setups almost on autopilot, trusting that piece to keep the position safe. In Beat the London, Trompowsky and 1.d4 Nf6 Sidelines: A Repertoire for Black, IM Deboushnik De and GM Pier Luigi Basso build a complete answer around one question: what happens when Black goes after that bishop from the start?
One Idea, Many Systems
Against the London, the course avoids the familiar symmetrical structures. After 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bf4 b6! 4.e3 Bb7 5.Bd3 c5 6.Nbd2 Nh5!, the fianchetto makes White commit first, and ...Nh5 challenges the bishop before h3 can give it a retreat square.
The play continues with ...cxd4!, ...Nb4! and ...f5. Black ends up with the better structure and the initiative.
Against the Torre, the key move is 7...a6!. It does more than stop Bb5. Without it, the natural ...g5 and ...Nh5 runs into Bb5!, when White keeps his bishop alive on e5. With the pawn on a6, that resource disappears and the dark squares belong to Black.
Against the Trompowsky, the authors chose 2...c5 3.d5 Ne4 4.Bf4 e6!? 5.f3 Bd6!. This is a rare approach with only around 280 games. Black trades the strong dark-squared bishop and gets a real fight instead of the passive positions the Trompowsky often produces.
The Authors’ Reasoning
IM Deboushnik De recently released The Queen’s Indian Defense - A Complete Repertoire for Black. This course, written with GM Pier Luigi Basso, covers the sidelines that repertoire leaves open: White’s systems without an early c4.
Everything runs through 1...Nf6 and ...e6, so the two courses work as one system. A Nimzo-Indian or Queen’s Gambit Declined player can add this repertoire just as easily, without changing their first moves.
The selection is practical throughout. Against the Colle-Zukertort, the symmetrical structure looks equal but dull at first sight. Yet against each of White’s tries, Black has an active plan, usually built around ...Ne4 and ...f5 or queenside expansion with ...a5-a4.
The theory also reflects current top-level practice. The Colle chapter explains why 10...a5 is preferred to 10...Qe7 after Praggnanandhaa’s 10.Rc1!? and 11.b4! against Bluebaum at Tata Steel 2026.
Variation Map
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6
- 3.Bg5 h6 4.Bh4 c5 5.e3 Nc6 6.Nbd2 d5 7.c3 a6! → Chapter 1
- 3.e3 b6 4.Bd3 Bb7 5.O-O d5 6.b3 Bd6 7.Bb2 O-O 8.Nbd2 Ne4 → Chapter 2
- 3.Bf4 b6
- Early deviations and 6.c3, 6.O-O, 6.h3, 6.h4 → Chapter 3
- 4.e3 Bb7 5.Bd3 c5 6.Nbd2 Nh5! → Chapter 4
- 3.Nc3 d5 → Chapter 7
- 3.g3 c5 4.Bg2 Qa5+ → Chapter 8
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 b6 → Chapter 5
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5
- 3.Bf4 e6 (Jobava London) → Chapter 6
- 3.Bg5 Qd6!? (Veresov Attack) → Chapter 10
1.d4 Nf6 2.f3 d5 3.e4 dxe4 4.Nc3 exf3 (Blackmar-Diemer Gambit) → Chapter 9
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 c5
- 3.d5 Ne4
- 4.Bf4 e6!? 5.f3 Bd6! → Chapter 11
- 4.h4!? → Chapter 12
- 4.Bc1!? → Chapter 13
- 3.Bxf6 gxf6 4.d5 Qb6 → Chapter 14
- 3.Nc3 and sidelines → Chapter 15
Premium Course Features
- 15 theory chapters
- Video instruction
- 5 model games, including Timman–Karpov and Praggnanandhaa–Bluebaum
- 5 Things to Know
- 5 training positions to practice against the engine
- 30 test positions
- Memory Booster
- To-Go Version of every chapter
- Multilingual PGN (English, German, French, Spanish)
Completing the 1.d4 Picture
This course handles White’s systems without c4. After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6, the Queen’s Indian answers 3.Nf3. If you also want a repertoire against 3.Nc3, The Complete Nimzo-Indian Repertoire covers that variation.
Together, the three courses give Black one consistent setup against 1.d4, from the main lines to the quieter systems.
Stop giving away points to openings White plays on autopilot. Fifteen chapters, one coherent approach, and it fits into the repertoire you already have. Add Beat the London, Trompowsky and 1.d4 Nf6 Sidelines to your library and take the initiative from the first moves.
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