I have two questions about the Owen’s for Suttercane or other fans of this opening. I’ve put them in separate posts.

I’m just starting to look at fourth-move options for White and thinking about the line 3 Bd3 e6 4 Qe2!?. Some books imply this is innocuous, but is this so, and what’s the best defence? – there seems to be no clear consensus on this, and sources often omit critical lines. I’m particularly interested in the relative, and independent, status of:


I   4 …Nf6 5 Nf3 c5 (5 …Be7 is recommended somewhere on ChessPub, but isn’t 6 e5 a problem?) 6 d5!?. Some sources imply this is harmless but what does Black play? Maybe 6 …ed 7 ed Qe7 8 c4 Qe2 9 Ke2 d6, as in Gomez Baillo -- Tempone, Buenos Aires 1993? Black’s plan here seems to be to strongpoint e5 and other dark squares: is this comfortably equal or tediously passive?


II   4 …c5 5 d5 and now: 

(a)  5 …ed (5 …d6 first has been played, but why not 6 c4?) 6 ed Qe7 7 c4 Qe2 (or 7 …g6 7 Nc3 first) 8 Ne2. Does the knight-capture mean this is worse for Black than (I)?

(b)  5 …Nf6!? 6 c4 b5!?, as played by Minasian.

(c)  5 …g6!?, idea …Bg7 and …Qe7 with dark-square play.


III   4 …d6 with a Hippo – the choice of Spassky. Maybe the Qe2 allows Black e-file counterplay in some positions, but then 0-0-0 might be easier for White?


IV   4 …g6, with possible transposition to III.


All suggestions gratefully received!