MikeMurray wrote on 08/18/14 at 17:16:17:


About 2% of games reaching that position got there via 1. e4 Nc6

From the viewpoint of a 1. e4 player, it might be a useful way of avoiding having to know a great deal about the Nimzowitsch Defence, given that if you play the Tarrasch against the French, the Guimard is common enough to need something against it. There's no guarantee a Nimzo player would handle the position in the same manner as a French player. There was a Melody Amber rapid game where after 4. .. Nf6 5. e5 Aronian punted 5. .. Ng4 against Svidler instead of the "automatic" choice for a French player of Nd7.

My first thoughts are that 4. Nd2 doesn't transpose to the Guimard (and hangs a pawn), and 3...e6 looks pretty dubious indeed.

After 1 e4 e6, 2 d4 d5, 3 e5, Black can play 3 ... Nc6.  Now, 4 Nc3 transposes to the Hecht.  But 4 Nf3 gives the line an independent character.  After 4 ... f6, 5 Bd3, the standard plan of 5 ... Qe7, 6 0-0 Bd7 doesn't seem to work as well with White's knight not yet on c3:  7 c3! Qf7, 8 b4.  So, maybe Black should try 5 ... fxe5, 6 Nxe5 Qf6.  And 5 Bb5 has had good results in the few games played by strong players.

If this line is playable, it offers another way for Nimzovich Defense players to handle White's most common evasion after 1 e4 Nc6, 2 Nf3 e6, 3 d4 d5, etc., where 4 Nbd2 reaches the Guimard French.

Thoughts, ideas for Black?