Strategy_Rules wrote on 05/16/07 at 12:01:12:
Well, it seems you do not understand my question ....
I am afraid, that even now I do not understand .... You asked me, what I recommended for Black, didn't you?
Strategy_Rules wrote on 05/16/07 at 12:01:12:
If I am right white should prefer 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 instaed of 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g3, assuming the variations with c7-c6 are not convincing.
Did I miss any disadvantages of the 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 move order ?
Concerning the move order for White, I am not sure. Regarding the 3...d5/4...d5 main variation, I would say that White will not object the extra options with ...Nd7. After all Black will have to spend time to activate Bc8. Regarding the ...Bc5 variations, I would say, that it is nice to have the option of x.Nge2. I would not fear the Ponziani Reversed (c6 and d5) either. This opening in itself is not dangerous and the extra tempo 3.g3 must be useful.
The main snag might be the Symmetrical Defence 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6. White will have to decide before Black does, how to develop the King's Knight. Something like 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nge2 Nge7 6.0-0 0-0 7.d3 d6 looks very equal to me. In the Glek move-order 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 g6 (but ...Bc5 ...) 5.Bg2 Bg7 White can break symmetry with 6.d4. This likely transposes to a variation of the Pirc: 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.Nge2 e5 7.h3 Nc6 8.Be3 exd4 9.Nxd4.
So the desired move order via the Vienna might be 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3. Unfortunately 5...Nge7 seems to favour Black. How to solve this dilemma? There are four possible answers.
1. Play 2.Nf3 anyway.
2. Play a mixture: 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 and 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3. Hope, that you will not meet ...Bc5 too often, but prepare it just in case.
3. Find something interesting after 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6.
4. Decide behind the board, depending on opponent, circumstances and mood. This requires a little more work, but might bear most fruit.
brabo wrote on 05/16/07 at 12:27:38:
Both critical replies for black are based on the thematic d5. There are however some important nuances see:
1. e4, e5 2. Nc3, Nf6 3. g3, d5 4. ed5:, Nd5 5. Bg2 (5. Nf3 still returns to the Glek variation) , Nc3: 6. bc3:, Bc5 (6.., Nc6 leads indeed to a transposition) 7. Nf3, e4!? 8. Nd4! , 0-0 Taking on d4 is extremely risky as proves the huge plusscore in practice for white. Now it is clear that the e-pawn can't be taken but how to proceed best is not easy to find.
Probably the wisest choice for white is 7. Ne2. Personally I find the Glek variation with Nf3 more critical (d4 has more effect and also Re1 is more attractive while f4 is always difficult to achieve correctly in this kind of positions) but this doesn't mean at all that white stands worse after 7. Ne2. (There is e.g the sheme d3 - c4 - Nc3 and so on)
Tseitlin/Glaskov disagree: 6...Bc5 7.Ne2 Nc6 8.0-0 Be6 =+.
They give 7.Nf3 e4 8.Ng5 Qxg5 9.d4 and 7.d3 0-0 8.Nf3 e4 9.Ng5 exd3 10.0-0 dxc2 11.Qxc2 and "White has definite compensation for the pawn."