Antillian wrote on 06/08/08 at 01:58:31:
Karpov and Podgaets, for example cover this line in the 3...c5 chapter where they suggest Black is fine. Clearly, they missed the transposition since then later on in the Short Variation chapter, they suggest it is inferior for Black
An oversight from Karpov/Podgaets, obviously. But they do suggest a couple of sidelines as OK for Black in their Short variation chapter:
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.0-0 Nc6 7.c3 (this position could arise from 3...c5 4.c3) and now they give both
7...Bg6 and
7...Rc8 as equal/unclear on pp. 219-20 (though without a lot of analysis). Did you have anything in mind for White against these moves?
To naughtyknight: I wouldn't despair at having to learn this one line. I have played the Short system as White, and one of the most fun lines there is 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3! where White will often look to quickly open the centre with c2-c4. This is much less likely with White committed to c3. And of course by playing 3...c5 you still avoid (3...Bf5) 4.Nf3 e6 5.a3!?, 4.Nc3, 4.c3, 4.Be3, 4.h4, 4.g4 and so on
Antillian wrote on 06/08/08 at 01:58:31:
Stigma,
I am not so sure about 5...cxd4 6.cxd4 Qb6 7.Nc3 Qxd4 as 8. Nd5 looks nice for White. And after 8...Qxd1 Bxd1, I suppose Black's position is playable, but I prefer White certainly.
Quite right. The dangers of trying to analyze blindfold... I somehow thought that Black was ready to castle long!