spagh3tti wrote on 10/28/10 at 10:22:16:

At the other hand White was quite happy with the pawn on c3 in Kasparov-Unzicker, Zuerich 2001. Sure Black can do better.
Another line is 4...Bb4+ 5.c3 Bc5 6.Nxc6 bxc6 (rather not 6...Qf6 here, a move that is possible with the pawn on c2) 7.Bd3 Ne7 8.Nd2 0-0 9.0-0 d6 10.b4 Bb6 11.a4 a5 12.Nc4. Or quite similar 8.0-0 0-0 9.b4 Bb6 10.a4 a5 11.Nd2 d5 (d6 transposes to the previous line 12.Nb3 dxe4 13.Bxe4 Bf5 14.Bxf5 Nxf5 15.Bf4.
So perhaps things are not that easy?

MNb wrote on 10/25/10 at 16:32:17:


In all lines of the Scotch White would like to play Nc3, that's the reason why ...Qf6 is played in the first place, to either force c3 or a decision on the N@d4. When White concedes on the N (Nf5, Nb3, Nb5, Nxc6 bc6 Qd2/Qf3) s/he will logically continue with Nc3.

Since Black isnt playing a Qf6-line but s/he wants to reach a playable version of the variation Bc5 Be3 Bb6 (which is not in this form precisely due to Nc3), it seems to me that the extra move c3 is only detrimental to white's development. 
I'm also preparing this line and I'm only at the beginning so it may be early to say but thats my first impression.

Quote:


The game Kasparov-Leko was played in 1997. A few games have been played since then in that line, with black having his share of the pie.
Li Chao (2634) - Babujian (2515), 2009, 0-1 in 65 and Rojas Keim (2439) - Buhmann (2591), 2010, 0-1 in 35 being two of the latest.

White's 'easy' time with both a4 and b4 is actually very rare, or at least has been in the last 10 years. The only instance I could find is Amonatov (2643) - Zubarev (2544), 2009, 1/2 in 48.





 

If you insist on 5...Bc5, you have to know that the seemingly attractive 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 Qh4 doesn't work, after a famous Kasparov-Leko game. If instead you play ...d6/Ne7, play is about equal but White has an easy time with b4-a4 plans, making use of both c3 and ...Bc5.

Then the obvious question is: can you give lines in which White very much would want to play Nc3, but isn't able to? The other relevant question is: are there lines in which the extra move c3 is actually an advantage?

I got a chance to try this line in a game recently and was successful. Despite that, I'm having some doubts and start to think its main virtue is being a less known sideline. Especially if white plays similar to the 4...Bc5 variations (with Be3 Bc4 etc.) I don't know what black gains with this system. I mean, I think he can equalize or at least reduce the white edge to a minimum but the same is true for the Scotch main lines. 

My one experience and some analysis let me think that all the problems lie with black to justify his loss of tempo and show that c3 is inconvenient. Seems like he can, but white's play is simple and straight-forward. Normally sidelines manage to set new and unconventional problems to the oppponent, this doesn't seem to be the case here, hence I also don't think black has more winning chances (somewhat of a problem in the Scotch) that with the main lines. 

I guess I'll use it as a sideline occasionally, but rather invest some time in 4...Bc5 or the Mieses attack to set white some more serious problems.

Thoughts?