The Austrian Defence: Black’s Ultimate Surprise Weapon

Looking for a surprise weapon against 1.d4 that will take your opponents out of their comfort zone? Meet the Austrian Defence: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c5!? A dynamic weapon that you’re highly likely to get on the board. In this 60-minute video course you’ll learn how to use the Austrian Defence as a practical weapon for Black: creating immediate tension in the center, posing practical problems, and steering the game into positions where your opponent has to find the right moves over the board, while you will be still in book! Its unconventional nature is one of its greatest strengths: instead of following well-known theoretical paths, Black immediately creates tension and forces White to solve difficult problems over the board. Strong players including Hikaru Nakamura and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave have turned to this provocative setup in crucial games, with excellent results. In just one hour, you’ll learn all the key tricks and variations and be ready to play the Austrian Defence in your own games!

Sample video: Introduction