Grand Prix Attack tactics

An attacking system built on the f-pawn, designed for a weekend tournament, and dangerous for exactly as long as Black is a move behind.

120 positions in the course
Difficulty 601–2783
Section: Sicilian Systems
5 levels

What the Grand Prix produces tactically

The system is simple and aggressive: a pawn to f4, a knight to f3, a bishop pointed at the black king, and then the f5 push to prise the position open. It was popularised on the English weekend circuit for a practical reason -- it produces a familiar attacking position against any Sicilian setup, without theory.

The tactics follow the pawn. Once f5 lands, the f-file opens toward f7, the light-squared bishop has a diagonal into the black king, and the queen has routes to h5 and h4. When the attack does not arrive, White is simply worse, with a weakened kingside and a hole on e5. Almost every position in this skill is the moment one side turned out to be one move too slow, and it goes in both directions.

How to spot it

Count attackers on f7 and on h7 before committing to the f5 push. Two is not enough against a defended king.
The e5 square is the cost of playing f4. Check whether a black knight or bishop can settle there permanently.
The a2-g8 and b1-h7 diagonals are where the second attacker usually comes from. Look at both before deciding the attack has stalled.
As Black, every tempo you spend not developing is a tempo the attack is getting for free. Count them honestly.

Three Grand Prix positions

Three positions from the 120 in this skill, easiest first. The highlighted squares are the move your opponent has just played. Work it out before you open the answer.

Position 1

White to move. Find the best move.

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18...Kd8 19.Bb6#

The line ends in checkmate. The Grand Prix is a race that one side wins by a single move, and these are the middlegames that race produces.

The position comes from the middlegame of a real game, rated 1309 for difficulty. The answer reaches checkmate.

Position 2

White to move. Find the best move.

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16...Qxg5 17.Qf8#

The line ends in checkmate. The Grand Prix is a race that one side wins by a single move, and these are the middlegames that race produces.

The position comes from the middlegame of a real game, rated 1721 for difficulty. The answer reaches checkmate.

Position 3

White to move. Find the best move.

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13...a6 14.Qh5 Qxf2+ 15.Kxf2

The line wins a piece. The Grand Prix is a race that one side wins by a single move, and these are the middlegames that race produces.

The position comes from the opening of a real game, rated 2158 for difficulty. The answer reaches a clear advantage.

Drill this pattern until it is automatic 120 more positions on grand prix attack, in five graded levels, in the free Reflex Chess trainer. No account needed to start. Practise grand prix attack

Facing the Grand Prix

The reliable defensive method is to fianchetto and get castled, because a bishop on g7 defends the exact squares the attack aims at and the king behind it is much harder to reach. Meeting an attacking system by developing quickly is unglamorous and it works.

The other half is counterplay. Defending passively against this opening loses even when the attack is not objectively sound, because White gets to keep throwing pawns forward for free. Black's play on the c-file has to start, not wait.

Questions people ask

Is the Grand Prix Attack still good?

It is a decent club weapon and considered harmless at the top, because the main defensive setups are well established. What has not changed is that it is unpleasant to face without preparation.

What is the difference between the Grand Prix Attack and the Closed Sicilian?

Both start with Nc3 and avoid an early d4, but the Grand Prix commits to f4 and a direct attack, usually with the bishop on b5 or c4. The Closed Sicilian develops the bishop to g2 and plays a slower manoeuvring game before attacking.

Nearby patterns

Grand Prix Attack sits in Sicilian Systems. The rest of that section: