MNb
Quote:


True, but the sidelines of those variations are different, 3.Nc3 dxe4 for example. 

And if the draw is not desired, how about Danielsen's suggestion of 3.Nf3 dxe4 4.Ne5!? - A Fajarowitch with f4 in for free, which changes most of the tactics (as Bf4 isn't available vs Qc2 for example). But white could try either a quick d3 e.g. if black plays 4...Nf6 as the cheapo with Nxf7 might be on. Or Bb5/Bc4 and then Qe2 and Nc3 regaining pawn e4 in Englund style...

I can only find 5 games with 4.Ne5 and none of them use a quick d3 + Bxd3. But at least in blitz it should be an OK gambit - actually I think I've faced it once vs an opponent who used about 5 seconds for the first 20 moves, which was a bit scary...

The idea of 2...d5 is usually to meet 3.exd5 with 3...Nf6 and then if 4.c4 e6, sacrificing a pawn for pressure on the central files.  This is generally thought to take the wind out of White's sails to such an extent that many prefer to play 2.Nc3 first (although this then makes the lines with Bb5 easier for black to deal with, as ...Nd4 in response will be more effective).

Smyslov-Fan wrote:
Quote:


I completely agree.

Actually I do play 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 as Black, but I was just responding to Smyslov-Fan's post about liking Anti-Sicilian lines with ...e6.  I feel the same but was just pointing out it wasn't really feasible for me (and obviously many others) to play 2.Nc3 e6.  After 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3, 3...e6 isn't as attractive.  Probably Smyslov-Fan plays a variation of the Sicilian which involves ...e6.

I like a lot of the variations involving an early ...e6 as well in many of the Anti-Sicilians but it isn't always a good bet for a Dragon or Najdorf player.  For example 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 (or 3.Nge2) intending 3.d4 already leaves the repertoire.  I suppose it really could be a good idea to actually learn an ...e6 based Open Sicilian Defence but that is a lot to ask of someone who has spent time learning and keeping up with the theory of the Najdorf or Dragon (or Classical).

condor -

I agree with you.  The queen sacrifice looks pretty good.  I’d hate to have to play the black side of this in an OTB game; I’d much rather have white.  Black’s king and queen will be bounced all over the board, and eventually, one of them will step on a land mine.  Fortunately, black does very well with 5…e6.   

MNb -  Thanks for not mentioning you-know-who.  Maybe he won't see this thread and hijack it with his wild boasts and jabbering.    Playing the best move, and not always offering or accepting risky sacrifices is not "chickening out" as Mr. Excitable constantly bellows.  My limited analysis tells me that 5...Bg4 is too risky for OTB play, whereas 5...e6 is perfectly safe and gives white problems.

- Lost Highway

What do you think of the move  3 Nf3!? after 1 e4 c5 2 f4 d5. The main idea is to play a reversed Budapest with the useful addition of a pawn on f4. One line involves a queen sacrifice as early as move 6: 3...dxe4 4 Ng5 Nf6 5 Bc4 Bg4 6 Qxg4! Nxg4 7 Bxf7+ Kd7 8 Be6+ Kc6 9 Bxg4. Black can take the safer alternative and give back the pawn with 5...e6. Several games are given at  http://hem.passagen.se/tjmisha/bryntse.html . This has already been discussed in a thread about 1 e4 d5 2 Nf3 but I thought this was the more appropriate section.