I went ahead and bought Miedema's ebook. I think he did a very good job. It looks like Black has several good systems after 3Nd2 c5 4exd exd 4Nf3. I'm going through them to see which I prefer.

Visually and according to Stockfish, Black is very close to equality in several lines. The issue then is subjective. At one point Miedema says something like this - White can play this (vs. IQP) for a long time. However, on most occassions, he likes Black's play with the isolated queen pawn.

In the main lines, Black places his king knight on e7. Black has two move orders. They often transpose, but a careful player of the White pieces can send them down distinct paths.  Marin (Modern-chess) chose 6...cxd. Miedema discusses both moves, but recommends 6...Bd6 instead. As Miedema published more recently, he has the last (published) word. However, I think both moves remain viable.

Miedema also promotes less well known systems where Black places his knights classically on f6 and c6.

The ForwardChess eBook works very well. I'm able to access it from my main laptop. When it is turned off and recharging, I can access it from an older laptop. When waiting in an office, I can bring it up on an 8 inch tablet!

Despite the fact that Miedema's book is probably all one needs as Black, I went ahead and bought two ebooks on sale at Modern-Chess. They can be viewed on line, or dowloaded as PGN files. Catellanos is a proponent of 3Nd2. Marin (like Miedema) is a proponent of 3Nd2 c5 4exd exd for Black.

It should be noted that some positions can arise from the Alapin Sicilian. There will be subtle differences based on White's having played c3 early, but I suspect these favor Black.

FreeRepublic wrote on 10/19/23 at 21:35:55:

Two actually, Chapter 6 deals with 10.Nb3, 11...Nd6 and chapter 7 with 10.Re1. Chpater 5 offers 7...Qxd7

FreeRepublic wrote on 06/27/21 at 20:32:15:


I'll suggest another 11th move for Black, ...Nd6.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. ed5 ed5 5. Ngf3 Nf6 6. Bb5 Bd7 7.
Bd7 Nbd7 8. O-O Be7 9. dc5 Nc5 10. Nb3 Nce4 11. Nfd4 Nd6!? with Black castling the next move.



Perhaps Black can claim equality now. Still, once one has equalized, then what? You have an entire game to play. I can see someone familiarizing himself with this middle game and considering his opening preparation against the Tarrasch complete.

A possible continuation would be. 12. Qf3 O-O 13. Nf5 Nf5 14. Qf5 a5 or Re8.

I admit in advance that this is easier to play at home with the help of an engine, than over-the-board. Yet it does not look as though White has much.

FreeRepublic wrote on 06/27/21 at 20:32:15:


I read somewhere that later in his career Tarrasch changed his mind and no longer recommended "his" line 3.Nd2 against the French - precisely because Black would be able to get an IQP position and he would rather play with the IQP than against it.

P. S. There is also a DVD by Sokolov, Sokolov Explains, where parts 2–4 are all directly or indirectly about IQP positions. A lot of the material is the same as in his book, but it's more narrowly focused, largely on the Tarrasch Queen's Gambit, the central pawn break, and symmetrical positions with d4 against d5 (i.e. after a piece exchange on d5 in an IQP position).

No, I mean they go for it but are not particularly good at it. Sometimes after a while they look a little in over their heads, or surprised that it's not as easy as they thought.

Speaking of old Korchnoi days, that 6...cd reminds me of another of his Candidates matches (vs. Hübner).

I sometimes play the French but always go Nf6. I'm 2020 FIDE and curious to know what strength of players are going exd5.