There is this tricky-move order by Black, to avoid certain d-pawn openings.
[Here the probability of getting the French Defence is relatively low, while a regular open Sicilian is even lower (why only 2.Nf3 c5 3.e4, which can be obstructed? why not an immediate 2.e4, then?), but one has to be prepared, just in case. 4.e4 d5 5.exd5 is an Alapin Sicilian. It's extremely useful to have at least the French main lines (normally after 2.d4) in your repertoire. 3.c4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 is, of course, the Symmetrical English, which is a very likely continuation.]

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

In the diagram, as we can conclude, White is trying to play the London System...

I have seen quite a few games from the diagram position, and I liked most of them.
And here comes the question.
How good is this anti-London with the Black pieces, actually?
Is there any Chesspublishing work covering the variation?

Remarkable.  White cannot force a main-line 1.d4 opening of any kind after 1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 c5, not even a Benoni. 

This move-order is highly germane to the thread on 1.d4 2.Nf3 3.c4 vs. 1.d4 2.c4 3.Nf3, found under Daring Defenses.  I posted a bit more about it there, emphasizing its general anti-d4 use.

Thank you for bringing it to our attention.

Ametanoitos wrote on 06/09/10 at 12:03:19:


You are right too.
But I, personally, don't fear 2.e4 or 3.c4. (I am studying the Black side of the French and Symmetrical English, independently of anything else. I like those positions and find them interesting.)

In addition, I can play 1.d4 _Nf6_ occasionally, so that nobody will feel really prepared. I can check out the opponent's chess-past before the game, and decide on the move-order... (1..e6 or 1..Nf6 can both lead to my favorite 1.d4-defences.)
Plus, the Symmetrical English (3.c4) is an opening that needs to be in the repertoire of every Modern Benoni/Blumenfeld Gambit player. (That is, they are not so far away from a regular 1..Nf6-player.)

In the OP, I just hoped to read a little bit about critical positions after these particular 4 pairs of moves.

@AlanG:
Thanks.