TL Chess Match 4 - Page 22

I don't believe that 4. exd5 is the standard response to 3... d5. For instance, if we instead play 4. Bb5, we might be met with 4... dxe4, and I think we end up in better condition than your proposed line with 5. Nxe5 Qd5. There seem to be a few directions to go from there, but it looks to me like white still comes out of that in decent shape.

I disagree with your analysis of why c3 is bad, rather I feel you could of simply stopped short at the fact it doesn't develop, prevents the queens side knight from developing, and it doesn't actively attack. So, I'm simply going to address the problem with 3 ... d5. The position you've given isn't "terrible" by any stretch of the imagination, in fact to some queen's pawn players you've actually given a position that's quite nice as there is a very good chance at have an IQP which is quite powerful.

IF the move orders were to in fact go 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 then 5. d4 sounds like a solid response. It presents a lot of potential issues and it doesn't develop actively, but it presents a situation that enables us to alleviate the Queen's Knight without having a terrible position. In closed positions, a loss of tempo doesn't mean as much as it does in an open position, in fact from experience playing many advanced caro-kann games, a loss in tempo doesn't mean much at all (I play 3. ... c5). If he captures with the e-pawn we are able to capture with the pawn on c3 which gives us the only central pawn, it frees up c3 for our knight, and gives us the very misunderstood and feared IQP.

I doubt Ng5 would simply take it as there isn't any reason for him to take it we have no incentive to capture e5 immediately and would lose our ability to castle due to the exchange of queens that would result if we did take. This means he will either push e4 or he will play Nf6 to protect the coming e4 push. Regardless of him playing either of these moves, our Queen's Knight now can develop to d2 where it can then find a home on e4 or c4 or protect a Bc4 push to scare out the queen and attack f7.

To 3 ... d5 I agree that taking would be quite a poor choice, but it wouldn't put us out of our misery we'd simply just be playing a style more suited for a c3 mind-set. If this was presented we could simply play 4. Bb5 to pin the Knight and threaten doubled up isolated C-Pawns should he play dxe4 at any point or we could play 4. Qa4 to protect the e4 pawn and pin the knight.

So we play 5. d4. I agree that Black probably wouldn't take the pawn: why should he solve our problems for us? Right now he has a pawn in the center, and our c3 pawn is doing nothing but getting in our way; why wouldn't he keep it that way? So he pushes e4, gaining him more space at no loss of tempo, because our Knight has to move. True, advanced pawns are sometimes hard to defend, but 5. d4, when we had no pawn blocking the e-file, has let him pass our d-pawn without a fight, so he can happily sit on e4 cramping our position indefinitely. Meanwhile, our Knight still has to move; so it goes to 6. Nd2, where it blocks most of our remaining pieces. Yes, we can move it again, but that Knight is the only piece we've moved all game, and we're still not done moving it. Yes, tempo may not matter as much in a closed position, but a) the position is not fully closed, and b) we're White!--do we want to settle for a position where Black's tempo advantage is only minor? We should be the ones trying to press our edge.

Here is the position your line leads to, five and a half moves into the game.

Black's Queen's Knight is developed to its best square. Black's Queen is developed. Lines are open for both of Black's Bishops, and his remaining Knight can develop to its best square in a move. He has a pawn in our territory that we cannot easily dislodge. We have no pieces developed. The only pieces of ours that can even go anywhere useful next move are our light-squared Bishop and the Knight we've been moving all game long. Maybe the Queen as well, if you like the look of her on c2. The best squares of both our Knights are gone. The awkward c3 pawn can't even move, because it's pinned to defending our d-pawn now. 6 moves into the game!!!

And you're telling me that to some players this would be "quite a nice position"? I'm sorry, I have a hard time buying it.

I believe 3.bb5 is probably the strongest move but I hope to avoid it. qrs pointed out that we should play it because we are garunteed a small advantage in most circumstances (doubled black pawns at the worst) and we can carry this into the endgame. Truth is though, I don't think playing with a small edge late in the game is necessarily to our advantage. At least I wouldn't want it. Rather we should seek to break the position open and go all out at first opportunity. Recklessness maybe but I certainly don't want to try to shuffle around for a draw at the end....

d4 (scotch game) has a number of desirable characteristics. We are immediately seeking to establish control of the center and make it clear that we are willing to fight from the beginning. The most likely response is exd4 where we are left with a situation that, in my mind, is a happy white variant of the sicilian where the d pawn is surrendered for the valuable e pawn. After 3...exd4 we still certainly have the option of bc4 which seems popular right now. This gives us, as previously mentioned, possibilities of f7 pressure which I am fond of. As well, I don't necessarily see the immediacy of recovering the pawn right away with 4.nxe.

Lastly I think ng5 is most willing to give an exciting game, maybe evidenced by 1...e5 so lets embrace that.

it seemed like just old 3. Bb5, with one free move of development for Black, but it turns out that that free move cost more than I realized. Black has too many things to defend and not enough time to defend them: I spent a long time looking for a way out, but in the end I could find nothing better than your 4...PxP, which is interesting, but definitely doesn't leave Black with the strong central dominance that I had thought d5 gave him.

...because I like slow games ._. ... still slightly annoyed that 1. d4 didn't go through, and although I wouldn't mind the Ruy Lopez either, I'd just prefer to sit back for a bit and not do much. <_<

Because I think it would be good ok!?!?

I am in favor of the pin on the knight. I am not in favor of the trade variation following should Black respond with a6. I like that we would develop our ability to king side castle before we move c3.

Let's start the pressure early. I'm pretty interested to see how black will respond if this move gets played. I like the Ruy Lopez because there are so many variations that it will take forever for me alone to analyze. With everyone giving their two cents this will be a good learning experience for my own game as well.

If anyone cares to explain to me, why is Bb5 a great move? I'm aware that a6 doesn't completely ruin it but it seems to be such a common answer that forces you to either trade or waste? a turn dropping Ba4? I like qrs's post on the subject but it feels like I'm missing why it's such a strong move, thanks in advance if anyone cares to answer.

You don't actually waste a turn with Ba4, because Black's wasted it first, with h6. OK, arguably h6 does a little more for Black than Ba4 does for White, because it gives him a little bit more control over the board, but it doesn't develop any pieces.