Straggler wrote on 06/15/18 at 12:51:09:


Try 3...Qc7!? which has been played by some strong GMs.

Lanark wrote on 06/14/18 at 22:16:46:

Thanks for the info. I will have to buy it eventually. If it holds up theoretically, this is a very convenient "Anti-Anti-Indian" even though I've taken a break from the Benko itself.

semper_fidelis wrote on 06/14/18 at 19:52:57:

True, it's possible. But it's a rare player who will offer the combative Benko, Benoni or Blumenfeld and then voluntarily go for the sedate Exchange Slav on the very next move. I'd rather follow the lines given by ErictheRed and Sielecki.

And of course there is also 3...cd 4.cd d5 leading to completely toothless Exchange Slav, if you prefer to steer the game back to 'mainstream' theory

an ordinary chessplayer wrote on 06/14/18 at 14:52:31:


I suppose you have to know your opponent. Many of those who adopt Torre, London or Colle ideas do so with the idea of avoiding critical theory and always using the same system of development. Not all of course, you cannot trust people who play 2. Bf4 to play a routine London as they might be intending a side swerve into a Pirc as in 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Qd2.

Pachman's book may well have some useful and mostly forgotten ideas for variation in the early moves.

Stigma wrote on 06/14/18 at 00:58:58:


If you are happy with a line against the Torre, London or Colle that has .. c5 in it somewhere, it isn't a problem. One other point is that the move order avoids the sequence 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Nc3 and you have a dilemma that if you continue on Kings Indian lines with 3. .. d6 or 3. .. g6 you could get move-ordered into a Pirc by 4. e4 . Otherwise you have to play 3. .. d5 which again may be not something you play from choice.

Another idea is to play 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 b6. If then they play 3. g3, you can play 3. .. g6 or continue into a Queens Indian. There's no pin, so 3. Bg5 could be met with 3. .. Ne4. Unlike the Tromp, f3 evicting the Knight isn't possible.

Possible middlegames would be a reverse Reti, a structure with Nf6, g6, Bg7, 0-0, d6, c5, b6, Bb7, Nbd7. As an alternative a Hedgehog with Nf6, e6, Be7, 0-0, d6, c5, b6, a6, Bb7, Nbd7.

Ntirlis: Playing 1.d4 d5
A Classical Repertoire

also looks interesting for a Queens-Indian player,
who wants to play solid lines against the d-pawn specials:

Fianchetto:
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 e6 4.Bg2 b5!

Colle-Koltanowski
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 c5 5.c3 Be7

Colle-Zukertort
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 c5 5.b3 Be7

c3-Torre
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c3 e6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Nd2 Nd7

London System
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Nd2 Bd6 5.Bg3 0-0 6.Bd3 b6

All these lines are compatible with the move-order
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6

Only the Torre:
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg5
is not compatible with 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5

The Alterman Gambit Guide
Black Gambits 1
chapter 4 (34 pages)

gives interesting hints to construct a combative repertoire against the d-pawn specials
if Black has played an early e6:

Trompovsky:
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 e6 3.e4 c5!? 4.e5 (two illustrative games and some notes about 4.d5;
Alterman calls 3.e3 c5 and 3.Nd2 c5 consistent without giving any moves)

Blackmar-Diemer-Gambit
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e4 Nxe4!? (only a very short note,
btw Avrukh thinks this line is okay for White)

Veresov:
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 c6!? (one very short game)

After 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 Alterman recommends 2...e6

Instead 2...c5 is risky:
According to Alterman
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 and
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.d5 b5 4.Bg5 are
problematic for Black (no details).
Btw Queens-Indian player should not forget that
4.c4 is a Benko Declined.

Sedlak (Winning with the London System - Part 2)
has a whole chapter about 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.d5
from White's point of view. Sedlak is optimistic about White's chances. 

Colle
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 c5 4.Bd3 cxd4 5.exd4 Be7 (5...g6!?)   
(only some notes on one page)

London System
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 (4.c3 in the notes) cxd4 5.exd4 Qb6!?
(one illustrative game)

Torre
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 c5 4.e3 (4.c3) H6 5.Bh4 cxd4 6.exd4 Qb6!?
(only one page with notes; the 3.c3-move-order is not covered) 

With Alterman you get started very quickly but have to workout the details for yourself.

Thanks for your answers.

hicetnunc wrote on 06/07/18 at 17:26:28:

Yes, I think I saw something similar advocated by Nigel Davies on his DVD "1...e6: A Solid Repertoire against 1.d4 and 1.e4". Definitely interesting.

I am tempted to play 2...g6 or 2...d6, going for a King's Indian setup, because I like the fact that some systems like the 4PA, Sämisch, Averbakh are ruled out. I don't like to play against those, otherwise I would of course play the KID in the first place. 
Still, I admit it's not a very practical choice to prepare for the whole Nimzo complex and additionally the King's Indian main line stuff with Nf3.