Chapter 7 Kurajica Variation: 4.g6 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 [diagram] So, 4.g6 or 4.Nf6 first? Even assuming Black strongly desires to play a kingside fianchetto, the question is whether he should commit to it immediately, or develop his kingside knight first.

Now, is that choice between 4.g6 and 4.Nf6 5.Nf3 g6 such a big deal? Most of the time it is not, as they will merge. The black knight will go to f6 in almost all conceivable future circumstances and that is why the vast majority of players - including g6-ers - move the knight first, which also preserves their options. Why be a g6-er at all? One immediate reason is to delay a decision about the c8-bishop. Where should that go for the best? Perhaps (after suitable preparation) f5, g4 or even b7, not to mention other squares, but it really depends on events. Therefore, Black spends time on his other bishop first, where the verdict seems clearer.

Since the queen on d6 is already blocking the f8-a3 diagonal, there is a reasonable case for the f8-bishop to relocate to the longest dark diagonal, h8-a1. What is achieved with the fianchetto when it does come has been called a Scandinavian-Pirc hybrid. The standard start to the Pirc Defense is 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6. [diagram] So, frankly, that is a slightly unhelpful characterization, positionally speaking. If anything, the main line in this part of the book should be considered a Scandinavian-Grünfeld hybrid.

The standard start to the Grünfeld Defense is 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5; from there the usual continuation is 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7. [diagram] Next comes 7.

c5. Black is applying pressure to the white d-pawn using a g7-bishop, a c5-pawn, and his queen (later a rook) on the half-open d-file. That is much more like what we hope to do as Black against 1.e4. [diagram] 4.g6 This variation is named for Bojan Kurajica (b. 1947), a Croatian grandmaster who has played and written about different varieties of the Qxd5 Scandinavian Defense, and who appears to be the strongest, most frequent player of the variation that bears his name. The name of "Kurajica Variation" (pronounced something like Coo-Rye-Czar) was cemented into place by Gary Lane who devoted a chapter to it, using that heading, in his 2005 book.

It is that chapter of his that must have been most players' introduction to Qd6 + g6.