OK, I liked my transposition game, and even discovered that it HAS a name (Modern Defense) ...but, there was one thing I didn't like about it, and that was the Benoni. I am not that comfortable with that mighty Pawn army hanging over my head as I open.

So for a while i have been using a "trick" I invented (I thought) and it goes something like this:

But, as I ALWAYS say, Chess is a very liquid puzzle. One must pay attention to the opponent, eh? It isn't a one man show, it's an epic battle over much territory when conducted correctly.

Or, a quick knock out when it isn't.

In the back of my mind, everytime I used the ...c5 move, if the opponent advanced the Queen Pawn, then it became a very tight game. The squash is easy as I was halway into it, already. So I thought, why not ....d5, instead? It may take on the look of an Albin, but, step into it first, see what happens, eh?

I have seen this from the Danish, and always kept an eye open for it when I play the Danish (rarely) and I think it's in a Max Lange tangent, but that is information from too many years ago. Again, I kept my eye open for the opponent to make this mistake.

Little realizing that it would be MY mistake, one day.

Ahhhh. At least I got to see it played on my board!

Good game RAFAIL!
Хорошая игра!

7....Bg7 is not that good for Black, but there's no clear winning line for White.

I don't see how 7...Bg7 loses either..

8.Bxf7, Kxf7 9.Qxd8, Rxd8 -+ Black wins

Ah...then I AM a bonehead! Because I thought for sure I had lost.

And now, because I brought it here, I have asked RAFAIL which way I should go with the game.

#1 I should have waited for the game to actually end instead of take a defeatist stance

#2 I should have asked ANY of my group leaders to read it first,

#3 The only reason I posted it was for others to learn from my mistakes, whether or not mistakes were made.

My apologies...

Sorry.

Resign

I play your first diagram in a different move order, I use it against the Alapin  or Smith Morra variations of the Sicilian. There are some testing variations, one of which is 5.e5 Nc6 6.Nc3 Bb7 7.h3, which need preparation IMO, but it is a good defence.

I wrote to RAFAIL about the matter, and offered to either play on, draw, or I would resign. He said nothing, we have continued playing. As my elder, I default to him. The two of us are happiest when playing chess.

Yes, the e5 game I love. I have had fair success with it once I started respecting the Bishop at g7. Just a bit scary to see those Pawns wrap around one's front like that, but, it turns out they are like diamonds.

They look good, and although hard material... they are fragile.