English Rat Defense
English Rat Defense
Looking for a response to c4 and d4? One response for black that might be able to catch your opponent off guard is the English Rat Defense. At first glance, it might not seem like a solid or advantageous opening, but it can lead to imbalances and sharp play that your opponent may not be prepped for. The English rat defense is d6 and e5. From this, there are a few different lines of theory.
First Line: Nf3
The most common response for white is to develop the knight to f6. This is a common move combined with the queen's gambit for development and central control. By far, the best move for black is to push e4 and kick the knight out to an awkward square.
White will have to move their knight, and the three squares all have their disadvantages. You don't want to move your knight back to its original square because it leads to redevelopment and wastes time. Nd2 seems alright on surface, but it prevents a lot of development and your knight doesn't have easy mobility after f5. Thus, the most common move is pushing forward toward g5.
Black continues by locking the e pawn with f5. From here, white can either play Nc3 or g3 to fianchetto the bishop. g3 is a little slow, especially with e4 blocking most of the bishop's line of sight. So I would recommend Nc3, getting more development. But black should continue their development and displacement of white's awkward knight with Be7.
White is forced to play Nh3, putting it on the edge of the board. From there, black gets a lead in development with Nf6, preparing for short castle. Here, white will often fianchetto their bishop with g3 and black plays c6 to counter this action.
Now both sides will castle short and the game will continue in a variety of ways. Black will use their development advantage and momentum to develop on the queenside, while white has to begin a pawn break on e4 to gain control of the long diagonal.
Coming out of the opening, it is white with a bit of an awkward position with the king slightly exposed and the knight on the side of the board. However, white does have more ideas and potential to spring development if black doesn't continue their pressure. Black also will have difficulty in developing their white bishop, similar to the French bishop.
Other Lines
Playing Nc3 is another line against the rat defense that will often lead to different lines.
The most common development for black is Nf6, which transforms the position into an old indian defense.
From here, both sides will commonly develop their knights and engage in a battle for the center of the board. White will usually play e4 to prevent black from advancing forward, while black plays c6 to halt d5 and look for an opportunity for d5.
Both sides will then develop their bishop and prepare to castle short. From here there are multiple ways that the game can continue, which I would encourage you to look through the various ways on your free time. Black will often begin pushing pawns on the queenside, while white engages in sharp play to gain the best positional advantage possible.
Another possibility that could take place during the English rat trap is that white could take immediately and lead to a queen trade early on in the game. This may seem disadvantageous for black as they lose the ability to castle. However, the position is still completely equal, as black can manually bring his king to safety on the queenside and be completely fine. This is a game that involves this line and leads to black winning.
The English Rat Defense is an offsetting and sharp opening for black that can unexpectedly lead to interesting positions. Usually, it leads to white having to make awkward moves and allowing black to get a lead in position and development. But what are your thoughts on this obscure but fascinating opening? Let me know!
Unfortunately, there won't be a blog next week, as I will be on a plane and settling in a new home.
