Seems that this line is a good practical weapon for black. I've been looking at some of the analysis in this thread and will be trying 2...d5!? in blitz.

Anyone still got that Vlassov article?

Hi Linksspringer,


In fact I have not a great experience wih this line beacause I am a scandinavian player (2..Da5 or 2...Cf6 connected with Bg4). But few years ago the nimzowitsch defense fascinated me and analysed this line with 2....d5 in the spirit of the scandinavian.

I have some personal analysis but I must admit that I should verify them with the stuff proposed here. Probably in Xmas holidays... I'll come back soon to bring my own stone to the building. 

linksspringer wrote on 12/07/07 at 01:56:22:


I know well the scandinavian but 3...Dd6 is not ma favourite move.

By the way I am playing a correspondence game with wihite about this line. I think Tiviakov was OK around move 18 so I tried a novelty with  15.Ne5 !? and I believe White stands better after that move (white pieces are better coordinated to control the d-column and attack the black king)

Michael Ayton wrote on 12/06/07 at 12:51:36:


I am no Qd6 expert, and I am still busy delving into it myself.  In the meanwhile:
As background: I'm trying to improve on the following games:
Svidler - Tiviakov 2007: 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.g3 Bg4 7.h3 Bh5 8.Bg2 Nc6 9.O-O O-O-O 10.Bf4 Qb4 11.g4 Bg6 12.a3! (if 12...Qxb2 then 13.Qe1)
Kotronias-Godena 2002: 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.g3 Bg4 7.Bg2 Nc6 8.O-O O-O-O 9.d5 Nb4 10.h3 Bh5 11.Bf4 Qc5 12.Be3 Qa5 13.g4 Nbxd5 14.Nxd5 Rxd5 15.Bd2!
See also this thread on Qd6:
http://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1175475914

By playing 0-0-0 instead of Nf6 (in the 1.e4 Nc6 move order), I think that at least the Svidler-plan doesn't work for white. And the Kotronias d5-plan could perhaps be met by Ne5 instead of Nb4, I am not sure yet. 
In the line with Nb4, you suggest 10.a3 Nxd5 (right?), but I don't see how white plays for an advantage then? 10.Bf4 looks more dangerous to me, and I'm not sure yet if black equalizes.

About the Be3 plan. I played through the game with Rybka, and she thinks Dragicevic didn't lose because of the opening! In the game, 19...exd4 would have led to a black advantage. And in our line without Nf6, perhaps e5!? can be played. So lots of maybees at the moment, hope to come back with more later 

Thanks Michael 
It could be Templare2 is referring to another Vlassov daredevil line:
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.Nc3 Qa5 5.d4 Bg4 6.Bb5! 0-0-0 (6...e6 is safer) 7.Bxc6 bxc6
I don't have the article, but I can post what I do have from other sources if you want, Templare2. I think there are actually still some open questions in this line 

edit: almost forgot to ask: Templare2, why do think that El Columpio is a bad idea for black?

This is a very interesting forum! I have come across the "Columpio" variation in the book  "Play 1.. Nc6!" but now I think that  2. Nf3 Nf6  is a bad idea.
So can anyone here can send me these famous analysis by Vlassov, please ? 
 
My adresse is :masterblaster5@hotmail.it
 
Thanks in advance ! 
 

Quote:


Personally I feel that black can't do without an early a6, because otherwise the black queen is going to feel distinctly uncomfortable:
4 ...Qa5 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.0-0 e6 7.d4 0-0-0 
7...a6 8.Bxc6 Bxc6 9.Ne5 Bd6! 10.Nxc6! is line B2b from the earlier post, which may be black's best
7...Nf6 8.d5!
8.Be3 Nf6 (Ne7) 9.a3 Nd5 10.Qd3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 a6 12.a4! with a strong attack

Any improvements for black of course welcome