The Shark Attack is an aggressive d4 opening that can really devastate black’s position early on.

Why is this a good opening for White?

Often d4 players are more positional and defensive, whereas the Shark Attack is very aggressive and this can usually take your opponents by surprise.

 

How to play the Shark Attack?

The opening begins as follows d4, Nf6.

The white Knight goes to c3, ready to push the e4 pawn.

Black then moves to e6, opening the diagonal for his dark squared bishop.

We then move to e4 to control the centre.

Black then moves his bishop to b4. Now this is where the attack begins.

We push the pawn to e5 threatening the knight. Black usually moves to either e4 or d5.

With either move you continue with queen g4. Eyeing up the knight and the g7 pawn.

Black will usually take the knight on c3 hoping for you to take with your pawn so they can then take back with the bishop and threaten your rook as well.
However, we will take the g7 pawn.

Black needs to protect their rook so they move the rook to f8.
We then continue the attack with a3 to threaten the bishop.

The bishop retreats to a5 to keep the pressure on while guarding the knight.

We then push the pawn to threaten the bishop, there is only one space that they can go and that is b6.

We then continue with our attack with bishop to g5, threatening the queen.

Black will most likely protect with their pawn.

We then take back with the bishop and they only have one good move remaining and this is to take with the rook.

We then take the rook with our pawn.

Black usually tries a counter attack out of desperation but it fails due to…..

CHECKMATE!

 

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