Sidelines after 1.d4 Nf6 - Top-Level Repertoire for Black
We are excited to introduce another outstanding course by GM Michael Roiz – Sidelines after 1.d4 Nf6: Top-Level Repertoire for Black. Following the success of Fighting the London System, GM Roiz now completes his comprehensive repertoire against White's alternatives to 2.c4.
This course equips Black with practical and ambitious solutions against key systems, including:
✅ Trompowsky Attack
✅ Colle System
✅ 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3
✅ Veresov Attack – 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3
True to his methodical and innovative style, GM Roiz selects the most principled and ambitious lines. In familiar positions, he uncovers critical novelties and introduces fresh concepts, making this repertoire suitable for competitive play at any level.
Course Features
- 15 Theoretical Chapters: Covering every critical variation.
- 15 Interactive Test Positions: To sharpen your practical understanding.
- Memory Booster: Helping you retain key ideas effortlessly.
- Video Version (2h 22min): Detailed explanations from GM Roiz.
With this course, you’ll have a powerful and reliable weapon against White's most common sidelines, allowing you to approach your games with confidence and precision.
The course starts with Trompowsky Attack. Our repertoire against this tricky system is based on 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 e6
One of the most flexible choices against the Trompowsky Attack. Depending on White's reaction, Black is ready to either chase the bishop away with ...h7-h6 or attack the center with ...c7-c5.
Chapters 1-5 deal with the position arising after 3.e4 h6 4.Bxf6 Qxf6
We’ve reached a critical theoretical tabiya, and GM Roiz offers clear and well-structured solutions against all of White’s setups. His recommendations can be summarized as follows:
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5.Nc3: The principled response is 5...Bb4, challenging White's development and creating immediate counterplay.
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5.c3: Black effectively counters with 5...d5, transitioning into French-style pawn structures that are highly favorable and provide excellent long-term prospects.
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5.Nf3: Roiz suggests the flexible 5...d6, opting for a dynamic pawn structure. While the dark-squared bishop is temporarily constrained, this setup neutralizes White's potential e4-e5 push and maintains strategic flexibility.
Chapter 6 is dedicated to White's rare options after 3.e4 h6 4.Bxf6 Qxf6. The most challenging among them seems to be 5.e5.
A speciality of GM Dardha. White grabs space in centre at once, without taking care of development. At this point, Roiz suggests going for 5...Qe7 6.Nc3 d5 - As it often happens in this line, Black benefits from the comfortable version of French due to the strong dark-squared bishop who has no opponent.
All White's rare options after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 e6 are covered in Chapter 7. Even though these continuations are playable, they are not challenging from a theoretical point of view.
Chapter 8 examines a position from a Torre Attack that arises via Trompowsky move order - 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 e6 3.Nf3
The suggestion of Roiz is based on 3...h6 4.Bh4 c5. This is one of the most principled reactions against the Torre Attack. In the arising complex positions, all the three results are possible.
Chapters 9-10 cover the so-called Colle System arising after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3. Our repertoire is based on 3...d5 4.Bd3 c5.
In this position, White has a choice. He can either play 5.c3, entering a Meran with an extra tempo, or opt for 5.b3, which is the most popular move. In both cases, Black has more than comfortable play.
Chapters 11-14 are dedicated to the position arising after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 b5
This is the most precise reaction to White's setup. Besides preparing the bishop's fianchetto, Black is also grabbing space on the queenside. In order to fight for something, White should try to prove that Black's position is overextended due to the b5-pawn. Nevertheless, practice, as well as strong computers, prove that Black is doing very well in this line.
The last chapter features the so-called Veresov Attack arising after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3
This move can be an invitation to Jobava London, but there are some independent cases. The main line of the Veresov Attack goes 2...d5 3.Bg5. At this point, Roiz demonstrates why 3...h6! is Black's most precise continuation.