In my view the Classical is the least threatening line for Black. I wouldn´t play it as White and am happy to face it with Black but it´s also the most solid line and can be played with minimal preparation.

gwnn wrote on 07/02/11 at 18:05:20:

And you don't like 2.c4 e5 I suppose.
Well, here is the dilemma. If you want to prove an advantage you either have to play the Austrian Attack 1.d4 d6 2.e4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 or the Argentinean/150 Attack 4.Be3. Both demand quite a lot of knowledge these days. If you want to cut on theory you have to give up that ambition. And like BPaulsen wrote, there is no guarantee that you actually wíll get that advantage, even with optimal play.

Now you don't really have the problem how to meet the Modern ánd avoid the KID, like 1.e4 players. The Averbach 1.d4 d6 2.e4 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 is logical for you. That gives you a little more choice against the Pirc.
A system that is quite dangerous here but not against the Modern is 4.Bg5. White still has the choice between a setup with f2-f4 and an Argentine-like Attack with f2-f3 and Qd2.
Another idea is 4.Nf3 (to avoid 4...h6) c6/Bg7 5.Bg5 and 6.Qd2 similar to the 150-Attack:

1) if Black castles, castle queenside, play Bh6 and storm with your h-pawn.
2) if Black doesn't (usually with ...c6 and ...b5), go for central pressure. You might consider castling queenside her too. Pomar-Larsen, Olympiade 1966 can be improved with the obvious 11.exf6.
3) Black's best is probably 5...h6 again. In practice White has done best with 6.Bf4 when Nc6 (not possible in case of 4...c6) looks critical.

You'll have to do your own work though. As far as I know nobody has written about this from White's point of view. The reason is probably that Bg5 is innocent against the Modern.

kylemeister wrote on 07/02/11 at 19:21:18:


OK, confusing of him to "copyright" Dzindi's work  but I'd expect it was unintentional as he was doing a favour by re-hosting it.

kylemeister wrote on 07/02/11 at 15:47:34:


Why do you think that? Can you be specific about what lines you think indicate this?

Fllg wrote on 07/02/11 at 15:34:56:


Roman's analysis is the Pirc was discussed in this thread, http://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1241662017

I too was a bit quick to jump on a Dzindzi bashing bandwagon,  but FirebrandX stuck up for his analysis and is what led to me recommending his line as a "quick fix". In reality there is no quick fix!

FirebrandX wrote on 05/09/09 at 04:56:58:

gwnn wrote on 07/02/11 at 12:44:11:

What dó you play against the KID?

If this 12 page document is written by "Dzindzi" than the answer is probably no.   

But perhaps it´s not bad to get started...

gwnn wrote on 07/02/11 at 15:03:53:


No doubt, though Black has other possibilities (and against most of them White can't/shouldn't play in Four Pawns vein).

As White I wouldn´t rely on "Opening for White according to Anand 1.e4" when it comes to the Pirc since the lines choosen there don´t promise White much in the line 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 c5 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Bxd7+ when both Knight recaptures are fine im my opinion.

Here instead of 6.Bb5+ the capture 6.dxc5 is solid and may offer White a small advantage. The main line here goes 6... Qa5 7.Bd3 Qxc5 8.Qe2 Nc6 9.Be3 Qa5 10.0-0 Bg4 when White may try to drum up an attack with Qf2-h4, f4-f5 and Bh6.

Of course Black has other possibilities on move 5 (mainly 0-0 followed by Na6 or Nc6) and you have also to consider Black delaying Nf6 with 2... g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.f4 a6!? (or c6/Nc6)