When I open 1.e4, no doubt it's the Scandinavian, either the 2...Qxd5 and 2...Nf6 lines. I find it very hard to play against it. I have to confess that the Modern 1...g6 I am finding very hard to prove an advantage against, too.

JEH wrote on 04/07/18 at 12:57:27:


There's a line which can specifically transpose to a c3 Sicilian or more generically an iQP style of position. That avoids any specialist judgements of what might be happening in Alekhine middlegames.

1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. c4 Nb6 4. c5 Nd5 5. d4 d6 6. cxd6 cxd6 

1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. cxd4 d6

Probably the Nimzo-Indian. I continue to allow it for move order reasons, and against lower-rated opponents I'm doing fine, mostly using 4.Qc2. But my score against equal or stronger opponents is not good. Against stronger opponents I also tried 4.e3 for a while, but that was a disaster: I would get roughly equal but boring positions and then get slowly outplayed.

It's just not easy to find lines against the Nimzo-Indian that are both strong and at the right level of unbalance and sharpness for my taste. Of course it's also simply a good defence! Long-term I intend to play it more often with Black and also learn 3.Nf3 or 3.g3 with White.

I have similar problems with the Queen's Gambit Accepted, though I face that much less often so it doesn't affect me that much.

Last time I played 1.e4 I disliked 1.e4 e5 and tried all kinds of open games, though in retrospect the Ruy Lopez should suit me fine stylistically and I should have just buckled down and learned some Ruy theory. I also struggled with the Caro-Kann until I took up the Short system, which was a godsend and brought me many easy point. But this was before it took off and became one of the absolute main lines.

The opening against which you consistently shoot over par, that you dread to see, that leads to uncomfortable middlegame positions where you don't understand the plans.

I hate the French. No matter what line of it occurs, I always manage to duff myself up against it. Don't know whether I'm pushing too hard or not hard enough.