Thanks for this, AOC! Though a Nimzo maniac I never got Bauer's book, prob. 'cos I always played 2 ...e5. 

After 7 ...d5 here, Stockfish gives 8 Ng7 Kf8 9 Nh5 Qh4 10 Ng3 de 11 Qd2 Qe7 12 Bh6 Nh6 13 Qh6 Ke8 14 Be2 Qd6!? 15 Qd6 cd 16 Ne4 Ke7 17 0-0 d5 18 Ng3 Rd8 and actually reckons Black has a fair amount of comp. If I played 4 ...Bb4 as Black I might well prefer to risk this than allow White to set up the c4/e4/f3 bind -- but I certainly don't claim equality.

I see now that my previous post is rather redundant, since 6 Be3! is stronger than 6 Nc6, and 6 ...Bb6 7 Nf5! is at least a bit better for White -- even, probably, if 7 ...d5!? works, which according to the engine it just about does!

   The problem is, if white answers your 1e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd  4. Nxd4 Bb4+ 5.c3 Bc5 6.Be3 Qf6 you reach that position with white to move. 

    The line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Be3 Qf6 6.c3.... In this line it is the same position as above, but it's black's move. 

   So, if you you let the game go as above, in the 4...Bb4+ line, you are using one extra move to get there. That can't possibly be good.  It's like playing 1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 e5 using 2 moves to go from e7 to e5. That can't be good. In order to make your 4...Bb4+ line pkay for black, you'd have to find something else instead of 5....Bc4 and/or insraed of 5...Qf6. If you let white get into this position using your 4...Bb4+, you are losing one tempo compared to the second line I gave above. White should be ecstatic to get black to waste one move, and get into the regular position for the Scotch in that line.

its explained in Black Repertoire 1 e4 e5 by Chessexplained I have made notes by studying this video..I hope this might be useful 

It looks like after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 ed 4.Nxd4 Bb4+ 5.c3 Be7 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.e5 Nd5 9.Qg4 Kf8 Black's plan is to bring a mess on the board, while the dialectics of 4...Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 (Mieses line) are more readable : Black concedes a weak queenside against a lead in development and White tries to catch up, often at the price of the e-pawn, in order to make the weaknesses tell. Playing the Mieses with White, I always get a headache since Black has an initiative, as well as a choice of lines and various tactical shots. White must not succomb in order to"equalize" and has to soak up a lot of pressure. It is revealing that a recent book explores a gambit with 7.Bd3 d5 8.e5 Ng4 where White prefers to give up a pawn for an initiative and some traps rather than entering the Mieses.

Quote:


What would be the point? I can play 4...Bc5 directly, it just seems to transpose.
My problem with the Mieses is that it seems just irrational to me and I don't enjoy the resulting positions and wouldn't play them well I guess. The 4...Bc5 lines (or 4...Qf6 followed by Bc5) are fine but a prepared white player can easily and without much danger keep a minor edge or at least a dry position where black can't play for the win. (Not a theoretical verdict, but experience from my games)
What I mainly want to achieve is give white some more headaches and get more counterchances.

@spagh3tti: Since you're preparing this line, do you have any practical experience already? Do you want to use it as your main answer or just an occasional surprise weapon?

@Meat:  if you don't like to face the Mieses, then you can play 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 ed 4.Nxd4 Qf6 possibly followed by ...Bc5 and ...Nge7. I would be curious to know if this move has any shortcomings?

MNb wrote on 10/28/10 at 16:20:06:


I never said it was easy. It's a defence, Im sure there are critical lines as well as less critical ones.
My previous post was aimed at countering what I perceived as a lightly dismissive attitude towards the line.
If you have ideas or improvements for White I'll be happy to discuss them with you. As I mentioned I am preparing this line so I'll be just happy to know stuff in advance.
For example, after 7.Bd3 Ne7 8. 0-0 0-0 9. b4 Bb6 10. a4 a5 11.Nd2 d5 you suggest 12.Nb3 as an improvement over the previously played 12. ed5. 
I'm not sure I like the look of 12...de4 there, let me have a look at that and see if I can cook up a few ideas for Black, and I'll get back to you.
As per Kasparov's game, both 8...Qg6 and 8...d6 definitely improve over Unzicker's 8...Nxd4. But I havent gotten to the Qg4-lines yet so I'm gonna have to get back to you on that too.
Cheers for now