I have a question: If you add a pawn on f2 in the position after 5.Nf3 in the BDG, can White count on any advantage? If the answer is yes, then one may ask, why on earth would White give up his f2-pawn just for a half-open file?

To Carl: Quote:


And what is his score with this line? I used that line myself and Leisebein too, it's one of the best line for White too but I had some difficulties in a sub-variation but I think I could improve my play as White on that line. 

To Doubledpawns : 4..Bf5 is the Vienna defense of the BDG, a good defense. White has 3 main way to play: with 5.fxe4 Nxe4 6.Qf3 (my favourite), and 5.g4 Bg6 6.g5 Nd5 and now 7.Nxe4 or more risky is 7.fxe4 Nxc3 8.bxc3 Bxe4 9.Nf3. But I think Gambit has already answered to that a few pages ago.

To MNb: Quote:
 

It might be true OTB but objectively, you have 0 advantage as Black here. If you manage to hold the c5 pawn with b6, I will put pressure on the e-file where you will put your bishop on e6, and then I will exchange on e6 at the right moment and win the e6-pawn in an equal position. So after 13..b6 I play 14.Bc4 followed by 15.The1+. But as Carl pointed out, 8.Qd2 is even better where 8.Qe2 is objectively at least equal.

flaviddude wrote on 02/10/08 at 11:42:53:



I trust Wilfried Weingarz, one of the strongest BDG advocates around, and I see he chooses 6.Bc4 Bf5 7.Bg5 with 0-0-0.

This is actually Ignaz von Popiel´s line 4.Bg5 Bf5 5.f3 exf3 6.Nxf3 c6 7.Bc4 from 1893!?

GM aproval here:

[Event "?"]
[Site "Romania"]
[Date "1951.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Ciocâltea, Victor"]
[Black "Seimeanu, Petre Vlad"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D00"]

1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. f3 Bf5 5. Bg5 c6 6. Bc4 exf3 7. Nxf3 e6 8. Qe2 Be7 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 10. O-O-O O-O 11. h3 b5 12. Bd3 Bxd3 13. Qxd3 Qa5 14. Ne4 Be7 15. Neg5 g6 16. Qe4 Kg7 17. Kb1 h6 18. h4 hxg5 19. hxg5 Na6 20. Rh7+ Kg8 21. Rdh1 Bxg5 22. Rh8+ Kg7 23. Qe5+ 1-0

I am pretty sure improvements can be found for White. Will post some ideas later. Though, what about (after 1 d4 d5 2 e4 de4 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 f3
ef3 5 Nxf3 c6)

A 6 a3!?

B 6 Bd3

Carl wrote on 02/08/08 at 20:44:59:


This looks convincing indeed. I haven't found a way to survive the pin along the e-file after 12...fxe6 13.Qxe6. Best is 12...0-0 but then White must be better due to his more active pieces.
Black has 9...exd5 though. After 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.Nxd5 0-0 Black still has his pawn and I am not sure if White's lead in development gives him more than equality:
a)12.Qf4 Nc6 13.Bc4 Be6 14.Nxf6+ Qxf6 15.Qxf6 gxf6 16.Bd3
b)12.Qe3 b6 13.Bd3 Nc6 and now what?

MNb wrote on 02/08/08 at 02:38:56:


Personally I think that White must be O.K. after 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 c5 5.d5 exf3 6.Nxf3.  ...a6 is a move that Black would very much like to have in.

After 5...a6 6.Bg5, I think 6...Bg4 is a good answer, putting pressure on the d4-pawn. The idea is not to take on f3 but to develop Black's queenside, with ...Nc6 or ...Nbd7. 7.Bf6 ef6 is better for Black, but 7.h3 looks like an improvement. After 7...Bh5 8.Bc4 b5 9.Bb3 e6 Black will play ...Be7 and ...0-0, and following an eventual ...c5 I don't see enough compensation for White. 

Also, 6.a4?! is bad because of 6...Nc6!, exploiting the fact that White cannot play Bb5 at some point, and White will have difficulties castling queenside because of the move a4. The other point is that after 7.d5 Nb4 8.Bc4 c6 Black is much better.

White could improve with moves such as 7.Bc4 or 7.Bd3, but after 7...Bg4 there is no doubting Black's advantage.

And enough with the "I'm only 1800" nonsense already...