Barry Attack


The Barry Attack is a chess opening for White that usually arises via the move-order 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4. Black usually plays 4...Bg7 after which the most popular continuation is 5.e3 0-0 6.Be2 but 5.Qd2, the "Tarzan Attack", is also playable. It is a Queen's Pawn Opening and is normally used against Black defenses such as the King's Indian Defense, the East Indian Defense and the Pirc Defense. Noted regular practitioners of this opening include Grandmasters Niaz Murshed and Mark Hebden, and also GM Aaron Summerscale, who wrote the book A Killer Chess Opening Repertoire, surveying both the Barry Attack and the related 150 Attack.

Characteristics

The effectiveness of the Barry Attack has been analyzed and debated extensively by both proponents and detractors. The opening normally involves an aggressive kingside attack by White, often including the sacrifice of one or more of White's pieces to set up a checkmate. An instructive game is GM Pavel Blatny v. Martin Fette, in which Blatny forced his opponent's King into the middle of the board, at which point Blatny had mate in 1 after 23. e4:
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 Bg4 6. Be2 c6 7. Ne5 Be2 8. Qe2 Nbd7 9. O-O-O O-O 10. h4 Qa5 11. h5 Ne5 12. de5 Ne4 13. hg6 Nc3 14. Qh5 Na2 15. Kb1 fg6 16. Qh7 Kf7 17. Bh6 Rg8 18. Rh4 g5 19. Bg7 gh4 20. Bf6 Ke6 21. Qe7 Kf5 22. Qh7 Ke6 23. e4 1-0.

Books