How to beat the Torre Attack
Answer Bg5 with ...c5 and a quick ...b6 and ...Bb7, or ask the bishop with ...h6 and take the bishop pair. White’s pin then has no real follow up.
What they are after
White pins your knight with Bg5, plays e3, c3 and Nbd2, and hopes to break with e4 while your pieces are stuck.
The answers
Queenside fianchetto with ...c5
The plan
Play ...c5, ...Be7 and ...b6, then put the bishop on b7 where it watches e4. That square is White’s main break, so your bishop takes it away. After ...cxd4 exd4, White’s centre is fixed and you have easy play on the c file.
Your chance
If White pushes e4 anyway, the pin on the long diagonal often costs White the e pawn.
Watch out
Do not take on b2 with your queen unless you have checked White’s Rb1 and Nc4 ideas; the queen can get trapped.
Ask the bishop with ...h6
The plan
With ...h6 you force a choice. If the bishop takes on f6, you have the bishop pair and the queen is active on f6. Then ...c5 and ...Bb4+ develop with tempo and you castle quickly.
Your chance
With two bishops and an open centre, the long term trumps are all yours.
Watch out
Keep an eye on e5 ideas against your queen on f6; give it a safe square before White gains time on it.
King’s Indian setup
The plan
Against the Torre you can also fianchetto. The bishop on g5 then hits nothing important, and after ...d6 and ...c5 you get a Benoni or King’s Indian type of game where White’s bishop looks misplaced.
Your chance
The pin on f6 is easy to break with ...h6 at the right moment, and the g5 bishop has few good retreats.
Watch out
If White plays e5 early, make sure your knight has d5 or h5 to go to.