MacLeod's Defence
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- This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.
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MacLeod's Defence is a chess opening for Black characterised by the moves b6/d6/e6/g6/Bb7/Nd7/Ne7/Bg7 giving rise to the structure shown in the diagram. Often a6 and/or h6 are inserted. These 8-10 moves can be played in almost any order against almost any White moves, therefore MacLeod's Defence is technically an opening system.
MacLeod's Defence foregoes any attempt at activity in exchange for a solid position that can absorb anything White throws at it. The philosophy behind this, which is slowly gaining currency among a handful of elite players, is that it is a disadvantage to have the initiative - the obligation to 'do something' - when faced with such a solid formation. Black will attempt to react to an attack by keeping lines closed and driving back the attacking pieces with pawns, after which he will be well placed to go on the attack himself. In practical terms this means that Black will meet the move e5 with d5 followed by a French-style pawn break with c5, or alternatively if White plays d5 Black will answer e5 followed by a King's Indian-esque f5.
MacLeod's has long been a favourite of amateur, blitz and Internet players, partly because of its simplicity, partly because it rarely suffers an embarrassing wipeout even against much stronger players. Vlastimil Hort, Igor Glek and Mihai Suba are among the grandmasters who have employed it. Kiril Georgiev has used MacLeod's as an anti-computer line.
MacLeod's Defence is often called the Hippopotamus Defence. There is another opening known as the Hippopotamus Defence, and sources may use the name to mean either opening. While the two openings share the theme of moving pawns to the third rank and positioning pieces behind them, they are structurally rather different and one cannot develop into the other. MacLeod's occurs most frequently with a Modern Defence move order, therefore games in it have the ECO code B06.
