Bongcloud Attack

The Bongcloud Attack Tour

• Starting Position - Every game of chess begins here. White has 20 possible first moves, but the most popular and ambitious is 1. e4.
• 1. e4: King's Pawn Game - White stakes a claim in the center, opens lines for the queen and light-squared bishop, and prepares to control the d5 square.
• 1... e5: Symmetrical Response - Black fights back immediately, mirroring White's move to contest the central squares and establish their own foothold.
• 2. Ke2: The Bongcloud Attack - The infamous Bongcloud! White wanders the king to e2 on move two, blocking their own queen and bishop, forfeiting castling rights, and exposing the king to the open. This is widely considered the ultimate psychological weapon or a self-imposed handicap.
• 2... Nf6: Developing with Tempo - Black develops their king's knight naturally, targeting White's undefended e4-pawn. Since White's king is on e2, White cannot easily castle to safety.
• 3. d3: Defending the e4 Pawn - White plays a modest pawn move to protect the e4-pawn and open a diagonal for the dark-squared bishop, though it blocks the light-squared bishop.
• 3... d5: Striking the Center - Black strikes at the center immediately, taking advantage of White's slow play and exposed king. The threat of opening the d-file makes White's king very uncomfortable.
• 4. Nd2: Supporting the Center - White develops the queen's knight to d2, defending the e4 pawn. Because the king is on e2, Nc3 was not preferred as it blocks the c-pawn, and Nd2 supports the center while keeping the c-pawn free.
• 4... Nc6: Developing the Queen's Knight - Black develops their other knight to c6, eyeing key central squares like d4 and e5, and preparing for rapid queenside castling or kingside pressure.
• 5. Ngf3: Developing the King's Knight - White finally develops the king's knight, contesting the central dark squares and preparing to shield the king.
• 5... Bc5: Targeting the f2 Weakness - Black places their bishop on the active c5-square, aiming directly at White's vulnerable f2 pawn. With White's king on e2, any tactics on the f2-square are highly dangerous.
• 6. h3: Preventing Knight Jumps - White plays a precautionary pawn move to prevent Black from jumping their knight or bishop to g4, and to create a potential hiding square for the king on h2 or g1 later.
• 6... O-O: Castling to Safety - Black castles kingside, completing their development and placing their king in complete safety. In contrast, White's king remains stranded on e2, giving Black a clear developmental and positional advantage.
• 2... Ke7: The Double Bongcloud - The ultimate show of respect and humor! Black mirrors White's move, walking their own king forward to e7. This occurred in the famous online encounter between Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura in 2021.
• 3. Ke1: King Retreats - White retreats the king to its original square, e1, admitting that the joke has run its course.
• 3... Ke8: Black King Retreats - Black also retreats the king, returning to the symmetrical starting position.
• 4. Ke2: Repeating the Cycle - White steps forward again, initiating a repetition of the position.
• 4... Ke7: Threefold Repetition Draw - Black mirrors once again. The players agreed to a draw by threefold repetition, marking one of the most famous and lighthearted moments in online chess history.
• 2... d5: Immediate Central Strike - Black refuses to play along with the meme and immediately strikes at the center, punishing White's premature king move.
• 3. exd5: Capturing the Pawn - White has to capture on d5, opening up lines in the center which will inevitably expose White's misplaced king even further.
• 3... Qxd5: Recapturing with the Queen - Black recaptures with the queen, centralizing it. Normally, bringing the queen out early is risky, but here White's king placement makes it difficult to exploit.
• 4. Nc3: Challenging the Queen - White develops the knight to c3, attacking the centralized Black queen and gaining a tempo.
• 4... Qa5: Queen Retreats - Black's queen retreats to a5, transitioning to a highly favorable version of the Scandinavian Defense where White's king is awkwardly placed on e2.