Markovich wrote on 06/06/11 at 18:09:29:

I agree. But you might be amazed how few amateurs as Black dare to play this. So one can make an argument for playing 5.e5 while making sure how to handle 7...Bc5. After 8.Be3 Bd7 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Nd2 White has a quick development, so opening up with ...f6 is not a big deal.
Funny enough nobody as White has tried this against me.

That Sveshnikov line always has looked suspicious to me as spending a tempo for the relatively useless c2-c3 doesn't feel good.

Markovich wrote on 06/06/11 at 13:58:17:


Really? I've played the Italian as white on and off since I was a beginner, and I've been using 4. d4 exd4 5. e5 as my main line against the Two Knights probably since I was around 1300 rating. The fact that I'm almost definitely going to recover the "gambit" pawn on d4 quickly made it seem more straightforward to me than 5. O-O, which seems like it could be a true gambit, though I haven't looked into that line enough to know for sure. 

Also, I play Sveshnikov's 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. e5 against the Giuoco Piano, so I'm getting similar positions in both. I started playing this combination of lines early on, just because it looked like an easy way to get an open game with no study. Because I rarely see e5 from higher level opponents, almost all of my opponents in these lines are rated much lower than my 1700, so they're good enough, even if they're not the most theoretically respected variations at top level. 

4.Ng5 is a good move, no doubt, but its difficult to play and requires a lot of knowledge. 4.d3 is the popular GM alternative while for amateurs I would recommend the modern 2 Knights 4.d4 exd4 5.e5!? as leading to interesting positions where White can play for initiative. Check games of Sveshnikov while Nakamura has a couple also.

Apologies for the pedantry but 4 Ng5 is surely an exceedingly aggressive move

More generally think its a good idea for gambit obsessives to play it, to teach that you can play when material up for an initiative.

I think I will play 4.Ng5

Any advice, where to start?
Maybe some free sites on the internet, what books to you recommend?

Thanks!

Stefan Bucker has recommended 4.d4 exd4 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.Re1 d5 7.Bxd5 (Canal's line 7.Nc3 doesn't work due to the forced line 7...dxc3 8.Bxd5 Be6 9.Bxe4 Qxd1 10.Rxd1 cxb2 11.Bxb2 f6 =+) 7...Qxd5 8.Nc3 with the gambit idea Nxe4, Neg5, Nxe6 and then Bg5/Re4.  It doesn't promise White a theoretical advantage, but it's in the Max Lange style and avoids Black's drawish options like 8...Qh5 9.Nxe4 Be6 10.Bg5 Bd6 11.Nxd6+ cxd6 12.Bf4 Qd5.

However I have little doubt that 4.Ng5 is White's most critical response.  It's worth noting that in the 4...d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ line White sometimes lets the pawn on h2 drop off in return for attacking chances, eventually castling on the queenside after b3 and Bb2, so it's not always Black who does all of the attacking.  But whatever happens, with 4.Ng5 you get an unbalanced game just as you do with the Evans.  You may need to check out 6...Bd7!? as it has been getting some favourable attention recently.

Personally, I play the Evan's and also enjoy the 4 d4 exd4 5 e5 line.  I play the Two Knights as black and would not really want to be on the white side of 4 Ng5.  Not that it's bad, just seems like a lot more fun for black to me.