Papageno wrote on 08/18/10 at 12:14:05:
I must admit that I never considered this rare move order
1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nc6 5. Nf3 Nf6
although I've played a number of different setups with 2...d5 myself as Black. Looking at some games in the database I'd be quite happy to take the position after 6. Be3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bg4 8. Nc3 Qa5 9. h3 Bh5 (@trw) 10. Be2 e6 11. O-O Bd6 (@Djy)
Bd6 is a good improvement and this move is pointing with a ! in Rozentalis and Harley (page 67)
Quote:However, I'm somewhat more concerned about 6. dxc5 Qxd1+ 7. Kxd1, maybe since I don't understand how to find the compensation here, and BTW 6. dxc5 Qxc5 7. Na3 e5 8. Be3 Qa5 9. Nc4 Qc7 10. Qa4 Bd7 11. Nb6 also doesn't look too appealing.
6.dc5 Qd1 7.Kd1 e6 8.b4 a5 and it's difficult to keep the pawn
Quote:So, my question is now whether this rare move order really has any advantages for Black over the more traditional move order
1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 e6 8. O-O Nc6 9. Nc3 Qa5 10. h3 Bh5 11. Be3 Bd6 which now reached the same position as mentioned above. In other words, does White have any dangerous deviations here? if not, then this second move order would be my choice.
8.Nc3 Qa5 9.h3 Bh5 10.d5 is given as unclear
6.dc5!? was topical a few years ago but now i don't know the status of this move.
Maybe 2.d4 is a better move order