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?