CCD - Second Branch - 3.Nf3

Second Key Point of the Opening: "White's move 3"

*** Directed to Beginners ***

The main moves I will cover will be the ones in the below chart. If your opponent plays another move which is not on the chart. It is probably a bad move. Which means they have no clue, what they are doing.

For example:

3.d6 - If you are a beginner and your opponent plays stuff like this take the pawn with your E pawn and you are a pawn up. After which just develop normally and castle etc. Don't be afraid of strange moves.

I have a nice game in which I lost with this continuation actually lol.

Yeah it seems as if I was winning. Than I totally messed it all up lol.

Lets show the starting position once again.

Take notice to the chart below.

I will be going over each move. I will try to show a few games if I can find some. I do plan on showing both some wins and some losses.

I feel showing only wins doesn't help anyone.

I feel showing only losses doesn't help much either lol.

I will try to give you a nice mix to see how the Clarendon Court triumphs and how the Clarendon Court goes crashing down into burning flames lol.

Hopefully, These different opening ideas/tips will help you get into a reasonable middle game. Once you reach the middle game you can than try to out play your opponent.

Move 3.Nf3 - This move develops a piece. It is a very flexible move which does not commit to anything.

I do not plan on talking a lot about this continuation in great depth because it usually tranposes into one of the other 3rd moves. This move is used as a tranposition move in most cases.

It is not a terrible move. However, at the same time it is not very demanding either.

Move 3...Nf6 - I believe black can continue normally with 3...Nf6.

The idea with Nf6 is to add more control to the e4 square. At the same time it makes way for you to begin to castle.

After black plays there 3rd move white often follows up with either c4, g3, Nc3 which turns the position into one of the other continuations which I will talk about in alot more detail.

Which is why I will not cover those options here since it will only repeat information.

Instead what I would like to talk about is if white plays a bishop move. Funny thing is I do not believe a bishop move has ever been played here. However, incase they do one at least you will have some idea. Lets say they proceed with like a weird London System or Torre Attack bishop move.

Why would they do this? Who bloody knows people do weird stuff when they have no clue what you are doing.

I suppose a nice quote would work to answer this question.

Up to this point White has been following well-known analysis. But now he makes a fatal error: he begins to use his own head.

- by Siegbert Tarrasch

Move 4.Bf4 - I believe the idea for this move is to try and play the bishop outside of the pawn chain than play e3 going into a weird London System.

Again this move has never been played isn't that strange. Uncharted territory like I have said.

If I was you I would respond with 1 of 2 moves. I will show both moves and explain what they do.

The 2 moves are Qb6 or d6

The purpose of these moves are:

Move 4...Qb6 - This move directly targets the weakness of the last move. The dark bishop has left the b2 undefended. This move targets the b2 pawn, defends the knight horizontally, and helps defending the d6 square.

OR

Move 4...d6 - This move blunts the bishop which went to f4. It also protects your pawn on c5. It is unclear what white has accomplished.

However, I believe you have nothing to fear in these type of positions. Simply because white is playing passively and you can continue normally.

I think this bishop move in this position inspires no confidence for white.

Move 4.Bg5 - This move is a more aggressive bishop move. Lets talk about it. You do have to be aware of some danger with this move. White could be threatening to take the knight and ruin your pawn structure.

Which might be a legit reason to play this move.You will see this same idea in the 3.Nc3 line.

Move 4...Qb6 - Key move! You will see this move again. Remember this move! The idea with this move is to 2 fold.

First it defends your knight horizontally. If white takes your knight with his bishop you can retake with your queen.

Second it hits the b2 pawn which is now weak because whites dark bishop is no longer guarding it.

I believe this response is nice and I believe you should get a reasonable game with this move.

The closest game I could find which had Bf4 or Bg5 being played was online.

It actually was the move 3.Bf4. I did not mention 3.Bf4 in my chart. However, if your opponent plays 3.Nf3 than plays Bf4 the position could be similar. In the video, The person playing black decided to instantly play Qb6 in response to 3.Bf4.

Obviously if 3.Bf4 was not played and 3.Nf3 was played than black would not need to play Qb6.

As I mentioned 3.Nf3 is a flexible move. Do not be thrown off by the move order. The Qb6 move was direct response against the bishop moving undefending b2. If the bishop never leaves than you don't need to attack b2 because b2 is not undefended!

Understand the idea's and understand why you do different things based on different moves your opponents do!

I do not know the ranking of the person in the video.

However, I thought he did very easy and simple explaination as well. I like video's which give explaination which people understand.

Hopefully, These idea's will give you some very helpful insight on how to deal with such moves by white. I will admit these moves have not been played a lot before. I struggled finding games. However, I do not believe you will have too worry too much about seeing them.

If your opponent does play them at least you are equip with some of the tools/understanding to play against them.

Thank you very much for reading. In my next blog, I will cover white's third move 3.c4.

Hope you enjoyed yourself.

Have a Happy Day
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