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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Alekheine's Defense 2. Nc3!? (Read 27106 times)
John Cox
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Re: Alekheine's Defense 2. Nc3!?
Reply #16 - 05/26/04 at 19:01:56
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Sorry - joining in late here. In reply to Glenn Snow's post above, what does anyone else think of 1 e4 Nf6 2 Nc3 d5 3 e5 Ne4 4 Nce2 d4 5 c3 dxc3 6 bxc3 Nc5 7 d4 Nca6? Personally I think it looks disgusting, and that White's play in the quoted Bagirov game was absurd. I would have thought the last thing he should do is trade any pieces at all on d5, since this is the only square available to accommodate both Black's knights, his queen and his queen's bishop. Instead he should keep the pieces and bring a knight to e4 (or h5), perhaps even starting 8 Ng3 and not 8 Nf4. This line (not 8 Ng3)was tried in the recent Culverhouse-Regan 4NCL game. Some deeply random events occurred, but not before Black got decidedly the worse of the opening.
  
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feb
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Re: Alekheine's Defense 2. Nc3!?
Reply #15 - 03/28/04 at 13:01:43
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I think you should expect 2...e5 more frequently as your rating increases. During the last 5 years or so, according to my database, the strongest Alekhine specialists (Baburin, Z.Varga,...) almost always transposed to the Vienna or the French (or possibly the Pirc). I noticed that 2.Nc3 is not so frequent, probably due to 2...e5, when black should be OK at gm-level.
  
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AmateurDragoneer
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Re: Alekheine's Defense 2. Nc3!?
Reply #14 - 03/28/04 at 12:41:45
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Although White seems to have the upper hand after 2...d5, I have tried this out online and have had but a single Vienna game (which I won) and about 5-10 replies of 2...d5.
  
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notagmyet
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Re: Alekheine's Defense 2. Nc3!?
Reply #13 - 03/28/04 at 08:55:13
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If you are having any problems with the Alekhine, just play the Exchange Variation. Easy to play and White gets a comfortable game!
  
"When I am White, I am because I am White. When I am Black, I win because I am Bogolyubov" (?!) - Efim Bogolyubov, noted chess player and optimist.
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elspringer
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Re: Alekheine's Defense 2. Nc3!?
Reply #12 - 03/26/04 at 11:16:28
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Well, Nigel Davies advises in his book on the Alekhine to answer with 2. ... e5 and enter the Vienna...
  
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alumbrado
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Re: Alekheine's Defense 2. Nc3!?
Reply #11 - 03/22/04 at 03:28:55
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The 2.Bc4 line is really rather good for Black.  I know a lot of players worry about their king being displaced but it is much less important here than the two bishops and the pawn centre.

If Black is not keen on 2...Nxe4 3.Bxf7+ though, then he can either head for the Bishop's Opening with 2...e5, or keep an independent Alekhine feel with 2...e6.

Thinking about it, 2...d5 can't be bad, either.

All in all, I am not very keen on 2.Bc4?!   Undecided
  
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Re: Alekheine's Defense 2. Nc3!?
Reply #10 - 03/21/04 at 23:39:38
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By random chance I just came across a fun and uber-interesting gambit idea...

1 e4 Nf6 2 Bc4 Nxe4 3 Bxf7+ Kxf7 4 Qh5+

White regains the piece and has disoriented black's king.  Most games continue 4 ... Kg8 5 Qd5+ e6 6 Qxe4 d5.   

Even if you don't have the audacity to try it OTB, it is definitely worth some tries in blitz games.  Definitely has an element of surprise and would be very hard to refute in non-corry play.   

NeX iRae
  
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feb
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Re: Alekheine's Defense 2. Nc3!?
Reply #9 - 03/17/04 at 06:36:57
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If you wish to avoid the Vienna (see also Ben_Hague's message above) then, AmateurDragoneer, it seems to me that you should consider other systems for white. Both the modern variation (1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3) and the exchange variation (1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6) promise an edge, and these are also the two systems that Davies' book "Alekhine defence" (2001) recommends for white. The latter requires less theory tough, and therefore more practical. 
The only problem is that you may find them less exciting than the 4-pawns attack, which was your previous choice. 
What do yo think?
  
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Ben_Hague
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Re: Alekheine's Defense 2. Nc3!?
Reply #8 - 03/17/04 at 06:02:18
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Quote:
I agree that theoretically speaking 2...e5! is the strongest move but I really wonder how often you would see it.


About 22% of the time according to my database.
  
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Glenn Snow
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Re: Alekheine's Defense 2. Nc3!?
Reply #7 - 03/16/04 at 23:09:31
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I agree that theoretically speaking 2...e5! is the strongest move but I really wonder how often you would see it.  If I were to try this again I would probably go 1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.g3 which doesn't give White an advantage but is probably the most annoying continuation for someone wanting to play the Alekhine.
  
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AmateurDragoneer
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Re: Alekheine's Defense 2. Nc3!?
Reply #6 - 03/16/04 at 19:07:07
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My biggest problem is that 1...e5! is an improvement, and I personally don't care for the Vienna. Also, transpositions to the pirc and French are also possible.
  
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Re: Alekheine's Defense 2. Nc3!?
Reply #5 - 03/16/04 at 10:12:04
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After 1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e5 Ne4 4.Nce2 f6 5.d3 Ng5 6.Bxg5 fxg5 7.h4 g4, Chris Baker recommends 8.d4! c5 [he considers other moves from black too passive] 9.dxc5 Nc6 [9...e6?! 10.Nd4 Bxc5 11.Qxg4 Bxd4 12.Qxd4 Nc6 13.Qg4 0-0 14.Nf3 Qb6 15.0-0-0 Qxf2 16.Bd3 etc. Sorensen-Burgess (1-0) 1991] 10.Nf4. (Baker gives a more detailed analysis in his book "A startling chess opening repertoire".) I believe black needs an improvement somewhere, as white looks better.


  
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CraigEvans
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Re: Alekheine's Defense 2. Nc3!?
Reply #4 - 03/15/04 at 07:14:53
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I have dabbled in this move, but I find it hard to believe that white really has an advantage after 1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e5 Ne4 4.Nce2 f6 5.d3 Ng5 6. Bxg5 fxg5 7.h4 g4 8.Nf4 and now not 8...d4, but the move that an opponent played against me in a West Wales Chess League game a few years back, 8...c5!. After this move I personally prefer black's chances, as the white e-pawn will be difficult to defend, and if white prepares d4 with 9.c3, black has plenty of time to organise himself. Also, pushing on with e6 does not seem feasible as black can attack it with Qb6 and Nc6-d8, where I doubt white can support the pawn well enough.

The immediate 9.e6 may be white's best, but then black has the choice between 9...h5 which looks fine for him, or perhaps the crazy 9...Qb6, after which play might continue 10.Qxg4 (sharpest) Qxb2 (defending the Rh8)11.Rd1 Qc3+ 12.Ke2 Na6 (defending against the coming Nc7+ threat) 13.Nxd5 Qe5+ 14.Qe4 Qxe6 where white may have an advantage, but I think black can hold. Certainly, as Tim McGrew would call it, Terra Incognita.

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Craig  Grin
  
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Glenn Snow
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Re: Alekheine's Defense 2. Nc3!?
Reply #3 - 03/14/04 at 15:29:59
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According to Burgess Black should try 6...dxc3 7.bxc3 and now 7...Bg4 which the only outing at the time continued 8.d4 e6 9.h3 Bh5 10.Qb3 Rb8 11.g4 e6 12.Nf4? Nxc3 0-1, Maarten-J.Petrov 1995.  Probably White has a way to some advantage here.
  
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Re: Alekheine's Defense 2. Nc3!?
Reply #2 - 03/14/04 at 14:59:26
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[Event "Bundesliga 0203"]
[Site "Germany"]
[Date "2002.10.19"]
[Round "15"]
[White "Schmaltz,Roland"]
[Black "Gikas,Basilius"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Eco "B02"]
1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e5 Ne4 4.Nce2 d4 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.c3 Bg4 7.Nexd4 Nxe5 8.Qe2 Qd5 
9.Nb5 0-0-0 10.c4 Qe6 11.d4 Ng6 12.d5 Qf5 13.Nbd4 Qe5 14.Nxe5 Bxe2 15.Nxg6 Bxf1 16.Nxh8 Bxc4 
17.Nxf7 Rxd5 18.Ne6 Rf5 19.Nxf8 Nxf2 20.Rg1 Bxf7 21.g4 Nd3+ 22.Ke2  1-0

Notice 5. Nf3 before c3. While certainly the complications here did not favor black, white still looks better after 6. c3.
  
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