Bozo-Indian (!?, ?! or just ?)

After a 15 year layoff I'm playing a little postal chess again and in response to 1. d4 I've encountered 1. ... Nc6, which after the natural 2. d5 usually turns into what Sid Pickard calls the "Bozo-Indian" defense in his Chessbase mongraph.

This is basically a queenside version of Alekhine's defense and it can lead to the same types of positions where White has an extended center and Black can chip away at it.

On the other hand, since the d4 pawn is protected, the Bozo-Indian is not as forcing as Alekhine's defence.  So in my own recent game I just played 2 e4 which eventually transposed, first into a Scotch game, and ultimately into a Four Knights, open variation.

Back in my day I think this was played a bit by British GM Tony Miles (who, of course, was famous for this sort of offbeat opening play).  Most of the games in Sid's monograph are rapid transit games, games vs computers, or other offbeat games, so I don't know if there is any real 'book' on this opening.

Anyone out there like to play the Bozo-Indian?  How is it working for you?

 

 

Well, 1d4 Nc6 ain't too bad for Black (ie it's not a losing move). White can easily establish a good pawn centre (center, I'm a Brit) and to attack this centre, Black usually needs to shove in c6 or c5 at some appropriate stage. The N at c6 therefore must waste some time to move to achieve the c pawn push. In general, White will have a space advantage, the initiative and more possibilities to dictate matters.  To beginners, club players etc this may not mean  too much. However, experts, masters and GMs wouldn't like to cede such an advantage to the opponent. Hence 1...Nc6, in response to 1d4, rarely appears in top-flight encounters. I hope this helps. Ciao.

Thanks so much, Pterodactyl, for taking the time to post those observations.  Much appreciated.

It's interesting that as of today 123 people have seen the post and nobody has confessed to actually playing  the Bozo-Indian.  I was kind of hoping a few players might come out of the closet and post some of their more interesting Bozo games, but looks like that just isn't going to happen. 

 

I wouldn't go as far as giving it a "?". 2. c4 or 2.Nf3 can transpose to a Chigorin defense (1.d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6) while with 2. e4 it can become a Nimzowitsch defense (1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5); I've played both openings and both are very much playable. I haven't played lines involving 2. d5 (mostly because I enter the the before-mentioned opening without transposition) but it does not appear to lead to anything more than an ordinary opening advantage for white.

 On pterodactyl's post... "White can easily establish a good pawn centre (center, I'm a Brit) and to attack this centre, Black usually needs to shove in c6 or c5 at some appropriate stage." This is not -exactly- true; c5 or c6 can be omitted if healthy pressure can be obtained through other means. Piece pressure, or a e5/d5 break can often bring an effect just as good. The Chigorin and Nimzowitsch defense are still very much alive and most lines do not include moving the c pawn.

and... "To beginners, club players etc this may not mean too much. However, experts, masters and GMs wouldn't like to cede such an advantage to the opponent. Hence 1...Nc6, in response to 1d4, rarely appears in top-flight encounters. I hope this helps. Ciao." Now, while I completely agree with this, it should be noted that titled play and club play are different animals and what really matters is how you prefer the positions resulting from 1. d4 Nc6 2. d5 and not whether players much higher rated are playing it.

<Pterodactyl> Sorry, I mean no ill will if it happens to seem that way. 

 

Here is British GM Tony Miles playing the Bozo in a serious game.

Any thoughts?

I love the tactics here.  That is what made Tony good - offbeat openings.  This reminds me of the play of an Englund Gambit, except that he assaults the d-pawn with e6!  This game is definetely inspirational to a player like me.

I would be more impressed if GM Miles played it against one of his peers.  I admit that Herr Gerusel, at 2380, would demolish me with little effort but look at the ratings.  200 points is 200 points and GM Miles rating was often lower than his strength due to health (and opening) issues. 

Maybe so, but in my opinion, GREAT value for your entertainment dollar!

1.d4 Nc6 = ECO[2]: A40.27 = NIC[1]: QO.17.2 = Bogoljubow-Miles Defence

they have a name for 'most everything;) 

Yes, and somebody's already complaining about it  ;>)

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Talk:Opening_theory_in_chess/1._d4

Those Wikipedia pedants...what do they know?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen's_Knight_Defense

 

Here is Tony again, winning this time with White against the Bozo.  (Yes, once again the opponant is lower-rated, although this time not quite as badly).

I love this guy's games!  I wish I had 10% of his sheer creative imagination. 

Nimzo33 wrote:

I wouldn't go as far as giving it a "?". 2. c4 or 2.Nf3 can transpose to a Chigorin defense (1.d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6) while with 2. e4 it can become a Nimzowitsch defense (1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5); I've played both openings and both are very much playable. I haven't played lines involving 2. d5 (mostly because I enter the the before-mentioned opening without transposition) but it does not appear to lead to anything more than an ordinary opening advantage for white.

 On pterodactyl's post... "White can easily establish a good pawn centre (center, I'm a Brit) and to attack this centre, Black usually needs to shove in c6 or c5 at some appropriate stage." This is not -exactly- true; c5 or c6 can be omitted if healthy pressure can be obtained through other means. Piece pressure, or a e5/d5 break can often bring an effect just as good. The Chigorin and Nimzowitsch defense are still very much alive and most lines do not include moving the c pawn.

and... "To beginners, club players etc this may not mean too much. However, experts, masters and GMs wouldn't like to cede such an advantage to the opponent. Hence 1...Nc6, in response to 1d4, rarely appears in top-flight encounters. I hope this helps. Ciao." Now, while I completely agree with this, it should be noted that titled play and club play are different animals and what really matters is how you prefer the positions resulting from 1. d4 Nc6 2. d5 and not whether players much higher rated are playing it.

<Pterodactyl> Sorry, I mean no ill will if it happens to seem that way. 

 

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No offence taken at all!, Mr Zug, . I was just making a general comment. I have played the Chigorin a few times over the years and it does sometimes disconcert some players. I like it when frowns appear on my opponents' faces  early on in a game hehe!! Ciao.

It isn't until 8 and 9 that the strength of this defensive opening begins to emerge. Prior to Black's 0-0, the wandering knight 'appears' to be lost. Black's Rook suddenly becomes a dominant force in 11 that is later buttressed by Black's Queen. An impressive game.

It's instructive to see how Tony handles the White pieces against this opening.   He delays f4 until move 6, by which time the Queens have already been exchanged!  I don't know if White is really that much better after 6 f4, or if Tony was just that much better. 

I have begun exploring this opening in my games and finding it a good fit. I've been playing for years but only recently decided to ramp up my skill. Its a good alternative to KID / KID and a defensive English opening. Where can I find more information on this opening or on Miles?

On Tony Miles:

Tony Miles: 'It's Only Me': England's First Chess Grandmaster (Batsford Chess Books) by Geoff Lawton, Mike Fox, and Malcolm Hunt

Tony Miles - England's Chess Gladiator by Raymond Keene 

Plus many databases will have his games, just do a search for his name.

Thanks! Will do.

On the opening in general, here is an excellent survey of the current literature:

http://www.kenilworthchessclub.org/kenilworthian/2005/08/1nc6-or-kevitz-system-bibliography.html

Here is a link to Sid Pickard's Chessbase monograph, which I alluded to earlier:

http://www.chesscentral.com/pickard/Bozo-Indian_Defense.htm

If you have some interesting games with the opening, I'd love to hear about it! 

 

 

Good discussion and I'm learning alot from it. Thanks

Mr.Z. - I'm afraid I don't have any 'good openings.' I've never played competetively, although got my clock cleaned regularly years ago by two Chicago friends who were rated. I've tended to play thoughtfully, winning some and losing some, primarily relying on either the English Opening or King's Indian Defense. I decided to get active with on-line chess as a way of increasing my skill. As you can readily see from my current rating, I need it!