Win White's central pawn as early as Move 5

Simplify your opening study process with a universal setup

A course for Black on the rare but effective e6-b6, suitable against any of White's possible first moves and openings.

Welcome to the first chapter! 

Let’s take a look at the setup, where we don’t commit to the center right out of the opening, but rather fianchetto our queenside bishop and aim at the center from a distance. I’m of course talking about putting your pawn on e6 and your other pawn on b6 and developing around those moves!

Video 1

Study 1: The 2 Knights Introduction

Drill 1: White Pushes e5 early! (5. e5)

Drill 2: White Pushes d5 early! (5. d5)

Drill 3: White Defends e4 with the queen early in the 2 knights (5. Qd3)

Quiz 1

Quiz 2

Quiz 3

Strategy Quiz 1

Strategy Quiz 2

Video 2

Study 2: White Plays 6. e5

Drill 4: 2 knights after 5. Bd3 and 7. Bd2

Drill 5: 2 Knights after 5. Bd3 and 7. Bxe4

Quiz 4

Quiz 5

Quiz 6

Strategy Quiz 3

Strategy Quiz 4

Video 3

Study 3: White Plays 6. Qe2

Drill 6: 2 Knights after 6. Qe2 and 7. exd5

Drill 7: 2 Knights after 6. Qe2 and 7. Bg5

Drill 8: 2 Knights after 6. Qe2, 7. e5 and 8. 0-0

Drill 9: 2 Knights after 6. Qe2, 7. e5 and 8. Bd2

Drill 10: 2 Knights after 6. Qe2, 7. e5 and 8. Bxe4

Quiz 7

Quiz 8

Quiz 9

Quiz 10

Quiz 11

Quiz 12

Quiz 13

Quiz 14

Quiz 15

Chapter 1: White's Main Setup

This chapter was an introduction to the …e6 …b6 setup as Black, where we control the center from a distance and patiently wait for any central strikes. 

We’ve covered White’s most popular setup, which is e4 d4 and knights to c3 and f3. 


This chapter covers White’s setup of pushing the pawns to d4 and e4, the knight to f3, and the bishop to d3 while going for an e5-push later. The second study covers a trade on d5, 
which is the second most popular move with 20% of games played.

Study 1: White Pushes 5. e5

Drill 1: e4/d4/Bd3/Nf3 (with 5. e5)

Drill 2: e4/d4/Bd3/Nf3 (with 5. e5 - 8. Re1 Line)

Drill 3: e4/d4/Bd3/Nf3 (with 5. e5 - 8. a3 Line)

Drill 4: e4/d4/Bd3/Nf3 (with 5. e5 and 8. Be3 Line)

Study 2: White Takes 5.exd5

Drill 5: e4/d4/Bd3/Nf3 (with 5. exd5)

Drill 6: e4/d4/Bd3/Nf3 (with 5. exd5 and 6. 0-0)

Drill 7: e4/d4/Bd3/Nf3 (with 5. exd5 and 6. c4)

Chapter 2: White's Nf3 Setups

We went over a slightly different setup that White could go for While playing e4 and d4. It depends on the reaction to our …d5-push. You’ll either get a game, where the center is closed and you put pressure on it, or more of an open game where a trade has occurred on d5.

The first study differs from the previous ones with White’s knights placement. They are either developed to d2 or e2. The second study covers move 3 sidelines, for example, 3.f4
expanding in the center

Study 1: White Setups with Bd3 and Nd2, Ne2

Drill 1: White Plays e4/d4 (with 3. Bd3, 4. Nc3)

Drill 2: White Plays e4/d4 (with 3. Bd3, 4. Nd2)

Drill 3: White Plays e4/d4 (with 3. Bd3, 4. Ne2)

Study 2: Move 3 Sidelines

Drill 4: White Plays e4/d4 (with 3. Nc3 4. a3)

Drill 5: White Plays e4/d4 (with 3. Nc3 4. f3)

Drill 6: White Plays e4/d4 (3. f4)

Drill 7: White Plays e4/d4 (with 3. Bd3, 4. Be3)

Drill 8: White Plays e4/d4 (with 3. Nf3, 4. Nc3, 5. Bd2)

Chapter 3: Other White Setups with 1. e4

In this chapter, we’ve looked at yet another setup by White: to place the knights either to e2 or d2. White’s next idea could be to go for something different on the third move, like 3. Bd3 or 3.f4 - less popular, but White tries to create a strong center.  


This chapter will teach you how to approach 1.d4 with the e6/b6 setup. The first study will cover White’s 5th moves which are played to support the massive center. 

Study 2 discusses White’s responses to our characteristic …f5 pawn-push and in study 3 White doesn’t develop the knights.

Study 1: Introduction To White's Options

Drill 1: White Plays d4/c4 (with 3. Nc3 4. e4)

Drill 2: White Plays d4/c4 (with 3. Nc3, 4. e4, 5. f3)

Drill 3: White Plays d4/c4 (with 3. Nc3, 4. e4, 5. Qc2)

Drill 4: White Plays d4/c4 (with 3. Nc3, 4. e4, 5. d5)

Study 2: Big Center Variation (Bd3, Nc3)

Drill 5: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3/e4/Bd3 (with 6. Qe2)

Drill 6: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3/e4/Bd3 (with 6. d5)

Drill 7: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3/e4/Bd3  (with 6. Qh5+)

Drill 8: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3/e4/Bd3  (with 6. f3)

Drill 9: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3/e4/Bd3 (with 6. exf5)

Drill 10: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3/e4/Bd3 (with 6. Qc2)

Quiz 16

Study 3: Big Center, Without Knights

Drill 11: White Plays d4/e4/Bd3/c4 (with 5. Bd2)

Drill 12: White Plays d4/e4/Bd3/c4 (with 5. Kf1)

Quiz 17

Quiz 18

Quiz 19

Chapter 4: White's 3 Pawn Center


This chapter went over a scenario, where White grabs the center with e4, d4, and c4, and the different ways that White can support the center.  

Now you know when to push …f5 and challenge White’s center! You should also be familiar with the different responses that White can go for.

Let’s take a look at the most popular approach after 1.d4 and that is 2.c4, played in 40% of the games. The next move is usually Nc3, so we’ll discuss both options of White allowing Bb4 or stopping it with a3.

Study 1: The d4 & c4 Main Setup

Drill 1: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3/Nf3 (with 5. Qb3)

Drill 2: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3/Nf3 (with 5. e3)

Drill 3: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3/Nf3 (with 5. g3)

Study 2: The d4 & c4 Sidelines

Drill 4: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3/a3 (with 5. d5)

Drill 5: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3/a3 (with 5. Nf3, 6. g3)

Drill 6: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3/a3 (with 5. Nf3, 6. Bf4)

Drill 7: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3/a3 (with 5. Nf3, 6. Bg5)

Drill 8: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3/a3 (with 5. Nf3, 6. d5)

Drill 9: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3/a3 (with 5. Bf4)

Chapter 5: White Plays d4 & c4

In this chapter, we’ve gone over White’s most popular move after 1.d4. The ideas are similar to previous chapters, but …Bb4 can be stopped, so now you know how to react to it!

For Chapter 6, we will explore White choosing a Catalan-like setup, with d4/c4/g3, which is after 3.Nf3 is the second most popular continuation. Yet again, there is also an idea of 3.a3, stopping our …Bb4 idea.

Study 1: Fighting The Catalan

Drill 1: White Plays d4/c3/Nf3/a3

Drill 2: White Plays d4/c4/Nf3/g3 - The Catalan Setup

Drill 3: White Plays d4/c4/Nf3/g3/Bg2/0-0 - The Catalan Setup (with 7. Nc3, 8. d5)

Drill 4: White Plays the Catalan Setup (with 7. d5)

Drill 5: White Plays the Catalan Setup (with 7. Nc3, 8. Bg5, 9. Qd2)

Drill 6: White Plays the Catalan Setup (with 7. Nc3, 8. Bg5, 9. d5)

Drill 7: White Plays the Catalan Setup (with 7. Nc3, 8. Bf4)

Chapter 6: White Plays The Catalan


This chapter went over the Catalan setup that White might choose when playing against …e6/…b6. Similarly to the previous chapter, we’ve used the idea of pushing …f5, but not to challenge a pawn on e4 but rather control that square.

Even against …b6, White can go for the London with 2.Bf4. The good news is that this isn’t a very popular approach, and White is often tempted to grab the central space instead. 

But London players stick to their plans! So let’s see how to play against it. The move …f5 is utilized yet again.

Study 1: A System Against the London

Drill 1: The London (with 7. Bg5 and 9. Bf4)

Drill 2: The London (with 7. Bg5 and 9. Bxe7)

Drill 3: The London (with 7. Ne5)

Drill 4: The London (with 7. Bxd6)

Drill 5: The London (with 7. Bg3)

Chapter 7: Anti-London

We’ve gone over the less popular London setup and the ideas that you can use to get a comfortable position with few plans. The good thing is that both of our bishops are alive thanks to the b6-e6 structure!

In this chapter, you’ll learn how to react to 1.c4, the English opening, with the e6/b6 setup. We’ll use a similar idea as in normal English with 1...e5, and that is to play …Bb4 and trade for the knight on c3.

Study 1: White's Kingside Fianchetto English

Drill 1: The English Opening (with 3. Nf3, 4. g3)

Study 2: The 2 Knights English

Drill 2: The English Opening (with 3. e4, 4. Nf3, 5. Bd3, 6. 0-0)

Drill 3: The English Opening (with 3. e4 4. Nf3 5. Bd3 6. a3)

Drill 4: The English Opening (with 3. e4 4. Nf3 5. Qc2)

Drill 5: The English Opening - Two Knights (with 5. d3)

Drill 6: The English Opening - Two Knights (with 5. e5)

Chapter 8: Beating The English

As you can see, even against the English, e6/b6 setup can be quite effective! The studies both showed a positional and tactical approach to this setup by both sides


In this chapter, White starts with the Réti opening — 1.Nf3. The universality of our e6/b6 setup still prevails, so the studies differentiate at White’s second moves which are 2.b3, and 2.g3 played in 50% of the games! 

Other pawn moves like e4, d4, or c4 are likely to transpose to positions you’ve seen before!

Study 1: The Reti with a Queenside Fianchetto

Drill 1: The Reti (with 2. b3 3. Bb2 4. e3)

Drill 2: The Reti (with 2. b3, 3. Bb2, 4. g3)

Drill 3: The Reti (with 2. b3, 3. Bb2, 4. c4)

Study 2: The Reti with a Kingside Fianchetto

Drill 4: The Reti (with 2. g3, 3. Bg2, 4. 0-0, 5. d3, 6. e4)

Drill 5: The Reti (with 2. g3, 3. Bg2, 4. 0-0, 5. d3, 6. Nc3)

Chapter 9: Beating The Reti

We’ve covered yet another setup by White, which is either a kingside fianchetto with 2.g3 or queenside with 2.b3. There are similar answers to both of these setups, especially the typical …f5-push used in many previous chapters.

Let’s also check out a few atypical first moves, which are either unambitious or very rare, like Nc3, b3, d3, e3. They usually transpose to already-known positions from previous chapters.

Study 1: White Plays g3/b3/Nc3/e3 on Move 1 - Preparing against the 400s

Drill 1: White Plays 1. g3 and 3. d3

Drill 2: White Plays 1. g3 and 3. c4

Drill 3: White Plays 1. b3

Drill 4: White Plays 1. Nc3

Drill 5: White Plays 1. e3

Chapter 10: White's Other 1st Moves

The tenth chapter discussed a few unpopular first moves like Nc3 and e3, but they’ve transposed into positions from previous chapters. Nonetheless, the good thing is that nothing surprises you now!

Let's check out some games I played using this setup!

Study: Model Game 1

Study: Model Game 2

Study: Model Game 3

Video 4

Study: Model Game 4

Video 5

Study: Model Game 5

Chapter 11: Model Games

These were games that were played using the e6/b6 setup. A nice demonstration of how you can put the principles of this opening into practice!

E6/B6 Defense

E6/B6 Defense

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USD 64

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Instructor

Levy Rozman