Stefan Buecker wrote on 08/15/11 at 04:57:12:
Did you see the link? Before criticizing you could at least look at my article. I am tired of the empty talk. Give me a concrete suggestion for Black. I think the logic (principles, if you want) behind the move is pretty good, and yes, I have a tree of variations which only partly went into the article.
I'll try that.
As a preface: I enjoy 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Bb4 on a regular basis, counting on the facts that it hasn't been in the spotlight of the big guys and the fact that it poses concrete problems to solve from move 2 on. Nevertheless, I am aware of the fact that this variation (IMHO) yields better prospects for white, who is (IMHO) good-advised to reply with 3.Nd5 (!).
This constitutes the first try:
A) What is your reply to
1.e4 c5
2.a4?! Nc6
3.Bb5 Nd4
? In the mirror variation, black's best retreat is Be7, yet the appearance of a pawn on a2 or a4 will not change the evaluation. The only retreat trying to utilize this move is by 4.Bc4, when black may just mirror the english variation by the means of 4...Nf6, when 5.c3 Nc6 6.d3 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 may be equal, but the additional move a4 doesn't impress much. I'd rather be black here.
This tells me that you mostly will keep the bishop on b5, which however automatically puts you into standard openings in which a4 is harmless, like 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bb5!? Nd4 4.a4?.
If you propose to challenge the d4 knight classicaly by 4.Nf3, black seems to be able to level the game by
4...Nf6!? (gamblers might also enjoy 4...a6!?, when 5.Nxd4 transposes to the note below and 5.Bc4 gives the additional possibility 5...d5!? 6.exd5 Bg4 - as well as a transposition by the means of 5...Nf6)
5.e5 (the desired 5.Nxd4 cxd4 6.d3 seems harmless: a6! 7.Bc4 d5 8.exd5 Bg4! this nice yet typical zwischenzug gives black a fine game)
and if the white bishop does not retreat onto the a2-g8 diagonal, the whole point of a2-a4 seems to be missing (6.Bd3 Nd5=). Yet after
6.Bc4 d5!
7.Be2, it seems simplest for me to play 7...Nxe2 8.Qxe2 Ng8 9.d4 Bg4, which resembles a superior C-K (Bf1 exchange clearly favors black).
The only true independent line is constituted by 4.c3?!, when 4...Nxb5 and 5...d5 next levels the game immediately.
And it should be kept in mind that this is a variation in which white was allowed to get his "dream" exchange on d4.
B) Your variation
1.e4 c5
2.a4?! g6
3.Nc3 (One can surely look what Marin has analyzed in the mirror variation following 3.d4?!, but you already agreed upon white having nothing in this line) Bg7
4.f4 Nc6
5.Bb5
B1) - of course! - allows black to transpose into one of the GPA main lines by the means of 5...Nd4 6.Nf3. I think we agree that objectively, black does not have to fear this line, even though black was not able to "punish" the first player for his rather strange move order.
B2) There is also the independent idea 5...Nh6!?, which enjoys a certain popularity against the "normal" Bb5 GPA (it takes the sting out of e4-e5, allows the defence manoeuvre f7-f5 and does not block the Bg7's view onto d4). The move a2-a4 seems rather dispensable in this variation.
B3) Also the "direct punishment" 5...Nb4 (!) seems adequate. After 6.Nf3 a6! (it seems to be most precise to first question the bishop and then play according to its retreat square) 7.Bc4 (7.Be2 is harmless, 7...d5 =+, the possibility Nh6, controlling f5, secures black the better game), black should rather not try the energetic 7..d5?!, when 8.exd5? Nf6 = as well as 8.Nxd5 Nxd5 9.Bxd5 Nf6 = gives him an easy game and 8.Bxd5! Bg4! is a creative and troublesome counterplay attempt (e6 comes with tempo, when Ne7-c6-d4 will be quick), yet does not seem to give enough compensation for the pawn.
WAY better (after 6...a6 7.Bc4) is 7...e6!. This basically forces 8.e5, as otherwise black gets a hyper anti GPA setup with 8...d5. After 8.e5 d5! 9.exd6 Nf6 and Qxd6 next, black is at least equal.
C) After
1.e4 c5
2.a4?! e6
3.Nf3 Nc6
4.Bb5 you give 4...Nf6 in your analysis, but fail to mention the 'natural' 4...Ng-e7. This position is known with Nc3 instead of a4, with the former being way more useful. Usually, in this line White tries to exploit his development advantage, and a single wasted tempo can be quite telling.
Having employed the GPA exclusively (and quite successful) for several years, I do not feel comfortable with such an early a4. There are some subtleties in which White is better off with a2-a3 instead of a2-a4, and there are a LOT of positions in which the move is not needed at all. I have therefore at least mixed feelings regarding this move, even though it does not seem so easy to dismiss it. Nevertheless, as my considerations above show it is also not easy to claim an advantage.