Richter-Veresov Attack (2… d5 3. Bg5)
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5
The Richter-Veresov Attack is a chess opening classified as ECO D01, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5. Black is to move. 4 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 3,159 times by this move order. White won 48%, 6% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 3… e6 (31% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.19 (Stockfish, depth 56; best line 3… h6 4. Bxf6 exf6 5. Nf3 Bb4 6. e3)
- ECO
- D01
- Moves
- 5 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/ppp1pppp/5n2/3p2B1/3P4/2N5/PPP1PPPP/R2QKBNR b KQkq - 1 3- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 698 | |
| 1500-1999 | 1,361 | |
| 2000+ | 1,100 | |
| All | 3,159 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3… e6 | 993 (31%) | |
| 3… Bf5 Richter-Veresov Attack (3. Bg5 Bf5) | 414 (13%) | |
| 3… Nbd7 | 369 (12%) | |
| 3… c6 | 331 (10%) | |
| 3… Ne4 Boyce Defense | 272 (9%) | |
| 3… h6 | 247 (8%) | |
| 3… c5 | 205 (6%) | |
| 3… g6 | 144 (5%) |
Master games
2,052 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 36%, draw 19%, Black 45%). The strongest:
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2784) – GM Vladimir Kramnik (2803) 1/2-1/2 · Geneva Masters KO 2013 · 2013-06-29
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2801) – GM Anish Giri (2782) 1-0 · chess.com Speed 1m+1spm 2018 · 2018-09-07
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2767) – GM So, W. (2767) 1-0 · chess.com Speed 2019 · 2019-10-02
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2764) – GM Sergey Karjakin (2767) 0-1 · Baku FIDE Grand Prix 2014 · 2014-10-09
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2775) – GM Ruslan Ponomariov (2742) 1/2-1/2 · Makedonia Palace GP · 2013-06-01
Search all games of the Richter-Veresov Attack and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- MrHani (2598) – evg85 (2804) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- July16Q (2648) – JeromePanoSoler (2740) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- GM Vagizovich (2594) – F1nal_Masquerade (2786) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation (2. Nc3 d5) 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5
Continuations
- Richter-Veresov Attack (3. Bg5 Bf5) D01 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5 Bf5
- Richter-Veresov Attack: Boyce Defense D01 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5 Ne4
- Richter-Veresov Attack: Two Knights System D01 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5 Nbd7 4. Nf3
- Richter-Veresov Attack: Malich Gambit D01 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5 c5 4. Bxf6 gxf6 5. e4 dxe4 6. d5
More Richter-Veresov Attack lines (all)
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.