It is interesting to compare this variation with the 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 c6 variation which is considered OK for Black after 3.d4 exd4 4.Qxd4.  With ...f5 Black doesn't keep his King bishop from going to a more active post than e7, but he hasn't yet given an opening for his Queen bishop.  A better way to say all that is with ...d6 Black is a little more developed.  More importantly, perhaps, Black hasn't weakened his kingside with ...f5.  These factors appear to give White an advantage.  After, 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 f5 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 (4...Nc6 5.Qe3+ should also give White at least a slight advantage), Bagirov gives 5.Nd5 and 5.g3 as both leading to White's advantage.  He also says, "winning a pawn by 5.Qe5+? Kf7 (no mention of ...Be7, but the principle is the same) 6.Qxf5 is not good on account of 6...d5!".

Okay...

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 f5 3.d4 exd4 4.Qxd4 (Is this right?) Nc6 5.Qe3+ came up in quite a few games in a couple of databases...

Is white really better here?  Maybe I just have an aversion to such Queen moves...It just seems to me that white is hurting his development (especially that of the bishops).

NeX iRae

I think the immediate ...f5 on move two is probably premature.  How should Black play if White plays 3.d4!, neither 3...e4 (which White can challenge by an early f3) or 3...exd4 look good to me.

1.c4 e5 Nc3 f5!?

What are the general prospects following this move?  What should white aim for?  When I encountered this move I just tried 3.g3 followed by attempting a Dragon formation...perhaps this was wrong though...

Anyone familiar with the white side of this variation?  Any ideas for an effective attempt to play against this?

Always confused,   
NeX iRae