Greetings,

LeeRoth wrote on 11/29/07 at 15:50:47:

I always play e3/Bd3/Nge2.

Having read Nimzowitsch's opus when I was younger, I didn't fancy getting doubled-pawns. My only concern then was that someone would exchange before I'd played Nge2.

Equally, like any d-pawn player, I wanted to find a answer to the various possibilities for Black.

Apart from my own general opening books, I flicked through specialist books in shops and came to the conclusion that Rubinstein's system was the optimum solution against the Nimzo-Indian.

[In a similar vein, having flicked through various books on the King's Indian, I came to the conclusion that the Sämisch was the "best" answer. This was mainly due to Gallagher's admitting that this was the one against which he had the most trouble. If an acknowledged expert on the KID had trouble with it...!]

I was often astonished at the number of players who'd exchange the bishop for the knight after I'd played Nge2 - with or without being "asked"(!)

I'd generally try and push the e-pawn - perhaps with f3 first to control e4/prevent ...,Ne4. The bishops invariably got a very good game.

It was actually rare to get the NID played against me - at that time, I normally ran into the QGD, KID, Benoni or Grünfeld, sometimes Benkos or Budapests, ... once I even got a Albin. The Slav and Semi-Slav didn't seem to be played by club and tournament players then.

As I don't play Nge2 without playing Bd3, I can't advise you on the lines you mention.

Kindest regards,

Dragan Glas

If I were sure to get that, I would play 4.e3, 5.Bd3 and 6.Nf3 all the time. No, I fear the Main Line 8.a3 Bxc3 9.bxc3 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Qc7 as I don't see how to activate White's bishops. Therefor I have chosen 4.e3, 5.Bd3 and 6.Nge2 or 6.a3.
4.Qc2 is too slow to my taste, I am a firm adherent of smooth development.

drkodos wrote on 11/29/07 at 16:07:56:


Yes. all his Qc2 lines are nice, except that I don't believe at the moment that White has much against 4...0-0 (not fluffy's fault though). 

The top GMs are going for 9. Ne2/ 10. Qc2 (see Emms latest updates), but suspect this is not a long term solution 

Quote:


Greetings Dragan Glas,   

Just curious, do you try to put the King's Knight on f3 or e2?   

If you play Nf3, then you have to face the Huebner.  Also, I think Black is fine in the ..b6 lines when the White Knight goes to Nf3.   

I always used to play 5.Nge2, but found it difficult to get an advantage in these two lines: 

(a) 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Nge2 d5 6.a3 Be7 7.cxd5 Nxd5 

(b) 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Nge2 cxd4 6.exd4 0-0 (6..d5 is also challenging for White) when I don't trust the 7.a3 Be7 8.d5 exd5 9.cxd5 Re8 10.d6 pawn sac.

BTW, in line (b) Ruslan's 7.c5!? idea has scored pretty well.  Does anyone play this or know its current theoretical status?

Regards,
LeeRoth
 

Greetins,

Yes, I would!

[I did try replying shotly after you yesterday, but the page wouldn't load - network issues somewhere along the line.]

Kindest regards,

Dragan Glas

Greetings,

For myself, being a 1. d4 player from the first game I ever played(!), I've always played 2. Nc3.

I don't see the point in worrying about trying to avoid this or that opening from a opponent - if you do, then the opponent has won the psychological battle. The real point is to know what you're going to do against the major openings.

Against the Nimzo-Indian Defence, I play Rubinstein's 4. e3 - I only wish Hansen's book had been out when I was younger! 

Against the Benoni, I've played the Taimanov - particularly at the time it was all the rage.

The Exchange against the Grünfeld - à la Kasparov-Karpov matches.

And so on...

My only problem now is in trying to get back into chess, I'll have to update my knowledge of the critical lines from all of these - and other! - openings.

Kindest regards,

Dragan Glas

Markovich wrote on 09/27/07 at 19:12:33:


And what about 1. d4-Nf6 2.c4-g6 3.Nc3-e5? 

MNb wrote on 09/25/07 at 21:53:31:


Agreed.  I used to play both 3.Nc3 and 3.Nf3.  There are solid and sharp lines in both openings, so it really does, I think, mainly come down to a matter of preference and it's nice to be able to switch off.  I eventually gravitated to 3.Nc3, not because I liked it any better or any worse, but because of how it fit with the rest of my repertoire, and in particular my lines against the QGD and the Benoni.

Against the QGD, as MNb notes, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 preserves White's ability to play the Exchange variation with Nge2.  The 3.Nc3 move order also avoids a couple of sharp variations, such as the Vienna and the Ragozin, which are available to Black after 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3.  Not that these need to be avoided, but it's more theory for you to learn.

Against the Benoni, 3.Nc3 c5 4.d5 preserves the option of playing the Taimanov or the Modern Main Line -- two of White's most testing lines.  After 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5, White's options are more limited, and you can't even be guaranteed of getting the Modern Main Line, as an early Nf3 gives Black some additional options.

LeeRoth

Thanks for the replies. I have got some things to think about in the process to find "my" opening.

3. Ktc3 threatens 4.e4. It is the more principled and probably stronger move.

Smyslov_Fan wrote on 09/26/07 at 02:32:09:

It might be a delayed Budapest!!

If I could guarantee the variations that Black would play, I would play 3.Nc3.  Especially if the opponent has the Modern Benoni in his main repertoire.   If my opponent is especially skilled in the Budapest, I may play 3.Nf3.  I'm not afraid of the Budapest, per se, but why should I allow my opponent to play his favorite line anyway? 

If I don't know in advance anything about the opponent other than he's good, I most often play 3.Nf3.  My favorite QID/Nimzo variation as White is the Petrosian/Kasparov System of the QID, 4.a3.

kalle99 wrote on 09/25/07 at 21:49:25:

Depends on what you intend on the QGD. I myself now have a Nimzo/QGD combo as black and I think many have a Nimzo/Semi-Slav as well. So basically your choice will depend on the rest of your repertoire, though given the choice as you put it I'd go Nimzo as white and play the 4.Qc2 lines.

Why catalan is out of the question ? Too complex and messy positions for me. Seems difficult to play.

Of course other openings can turn up after BOTH 3.Nc3 or Nf3. But I talk more of main line repertoires here. 
Many players have Nimzo/Qid  Nimzo/Bogo as their repertoire as black against 1.d4.

So I intend to pick up either Nimzo or QID  as my "main line" opening.

This question is from whites point of view. After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3. ?????? (Catalan is out of the question).

Yes..this is the question. What to play now and ......why 3. Nc3 ? or why 3. Nf3 ? I have tried to find answer in this forum by reading earlier posts. I have not found it. Myabe I have missed it ?  

What kind of player choses the Nimzo ? (Classical system is what I would like to study first)

What kind of player choses the Queens Indian ?

The question is What kind of player choses the one or the other opening ? 

Which opening is more aggressive,more dynamic,more solid (safe). Gives more winning chances.

Which one is (in general) easier to play and learn ?. 


I am an 1.e4 player but I have decided to test 1.d4 for a while. 

I imagine that many players have jumped back and forth between the Nimzo and the QID (and maybe even the catalan) before making their definite choice to include one of them in their repertoire. I hope their experiences can be a shortcut for many players aiming for taking up one of these openings as white.