General drawbacks for each black opening?

Hi, I am curious to know about the general drawbacks that each black opening has. For example, I know that many times in the French defense black has a rather bad bishop, or that in some lines in the Sicilian black has a hole on e5, etc... Things of this sort. I was wanting to know specifically about the black drawbacks on the Pirc defense, Italian game, Ruy Lopez, and the Nimzo Indian defense. Of course, there are many variations and different drawbacks, but any detail about any of these openings will already help. Also, don't feel restricted to talk about the drawbacks of openings that I didn't list.

It's typically fairly diffcult to generalise the drawback of an entire opening starting in the first few moves, since the variations often vary greatly in their plans and approaches.

In general the drawback of the pirc defence is that playing it makes you a scrub that hates fun.

I know, but I kinda feel like knowing some drawbacks even though most of them may be too specific. Also, I don't think the Pirc is boring, it's just a positional opening against e4. I would way that a "boring" black opening would be the Petrov defense.

The Caro has a better LSB than the French but the French opening allows c5 to be played without a loss of tempo, as Caro has already played c6.

Thanks for the responses so far. Correct if I am wrong, but the reason that the French defense doesn't have lack of space is because even though white may have a more advanced pawn structure, the center of the board gets pretty much balanced for each side, right?

It is funny to read that people think black suffers from a bad bishop in the French. I have a lifelong affection to this opening - my "bad bishop" on d7 is maybe the best piece on the board. Watch the recent games of Vovk in Baku and get new insights! Or the games of Morozevich and Georg Meier....ask French Players about their favourite piece!

Is that one of those games that they played f5 and Be8?

Concerning the Alekhine - you can't call a space disadvantage here a disadvantage. Black's idea is to provoke Whites overextension. And I don't think the Caro-Kann is passive - it is just a different approach, focussing on solidity and stategy. Have you ever played a Caro-Kann player who really knows what he is doing? Botwinnik and Karpov had it as their No.1-answer to e4!! And why should the Pirc be "vulnerable to hackers"? If you know the opening, it is very sound.

@Gilas.: exactly!!

In the French Defense black can sometimes get rid of the bad Light square bishop. However, In the majority of the variations the LSB is considered a problem piece.

The openings which give black fair share of space usually involve openings which are very classical.

1.e4 the move  1...e5 as black would be classical getting fair share of space.

1.d4 the move 1...d5 again black is playing very classical getting fair share of space.

Other openings which give fair share of space usually are openings which control a specific square which doesn't allow white to gain 2 pawns in the center right away.

For example:

If we take a closer look at the top 4 responses vs 1.e4 you can see this in work.

The King Pawn Game which is 1...e5 gives black space and controls the d4 square which prevents white from playing the pawn move d4 which would give white more center space.

The Sicilian Defence which is 1...c5 gives black space and controls the d4 square which prevents white yet again from having 2 pawns in the center.

These lines give black a fair share of center space if they chose to take it.

*Note* In some of the Sicilian lines black can get a cramped position if he plays some Sicilian variations. However, That would be up to black obviously.

Examples of lines which give black fair space advantage in the Sicilian Defence include:

• The Sicilian Najdorf with e5
  

• The Sicilian Sveshnikov
  

Examples of lines which give black a cramped position in the Sicilian Defence include:

• The Sicilian Najdorf with e6

• The Sicilian Scheveningen

• The Sicilian Dragon
  

As you can see the lines which do not place a pawn 4 ranks up give black less center space. Its pretty logical.

The Two defenses I mentioned above can offer black the chance for fair center space. Which as you can see the way they do it is by aiming to prevent white from having 2 center pawns. They both target the d4 square with there first pawn move.

The next two defenses I show do not aim to prevent white from having 2 center pawns and because of this fact they naturally are lacking a fair share of center space.

The goal of these 2 lines I will mention is to target the e4 square.

They target the e4 square (Bascially hitting the e4 pawn)

They hit the e4 pawn in an effort to either take the pawn or make the pawn flinch(move) in order to begin an undermining operation.

The French Defence which is 1...e6 gives black a cramped position because it does not prevent the pawn move d4. In fact, white often follows up with 2.d4;thus, leading to white getting a center space advantage.

No matter what variation of the French happens the 1...e6 pawn move has done its damage in limiting black a fair share of the center space. However, one must wonder why is the French Defence so popular if it is in a effect giving white a space advantage?

Well the reason it is popular is because blacks idea is to try and get the e4 pawn to move or trade it off in order to get nice outpost for there pieces, to begin an undermining operation, and in some cases to try and get white to overextended in an effort to gain material.

The draw back of this is some of the black pieces become caged in such as the LSB I mentioned before. Which is the price that has been paid in order to play a cramped position.

For when you willingly give up your fair share of center space you have a debt which must be payed. In this line the trapped LSB is such a debt.

The Caro-Kann Defence which is 1...c6 gives black a cramped position was well because once again it does not prevent d4. Thus, White can play 2.d4 and get away with a nice space advantage.

Yet again lets talk about why the Caro- Kann Defence is such a popular line when it willing gives up space.

The idea behind the Caro-Kann Defence is to try and target the e4 pawn and take the e4 pawn in order to prevent white from having 2 center pawns.

Once the e4 pawn is taken black aims to form a Compact Defence Structure which is very hard to crack. Its position is cramped;however, unlike the French Defence the LSB comes out and often trys to trade itself off in order to reduce alot of the piece in order to prevent the pieces from stumbling over each other.

Doesn't that sound wonderful? lol

Black gets the LSB out. Black reduces white's dou pawns. Black position is tough to crack.

It sounds to good to be true!

Its because it is to good to be true. MWWWAHAHHAHAHA

For black has reduced his center space advantage and a debt must be paid.

The debt which is paid comes in some of the different variations were black ends up losing a tempo.

You see the idea behind 1...c6 is to support the pawn move d5 with out blocking the LSB. In the French the 1...e6 move to support d5 does block the bishop. However, it allows the move c5 to come in 1 move.

In the Caro-Kann the pawn has already moved to c6 so if it has to move again it has taken 2 turns to reach c5.

Thus, Leading to a loss move simply because the pawn has moved twice in order to get to c5.

An this type of situation happens mostly only in the Advanced Variations of the Caro-Kann.

Another Debt in the Caro-kann happens in some of the other mainlines Variations. Which you might say is terrible that the Caro-Kann has 2 lol. However, some people think its not that terrible.

The other debt usually happens when you play against someone and they make a mistake. In other Defenses when your opponent makes a mistake you can usually punish them really fast and really hard. You might win a piece or checkmate their king or something. The mistakes which happen in the Caro-Kann by your opponent more often than not are positional mistake which the way you punish them is through a series of moves. Your punishment in most cases is not swift its more long term.

Some people don't mind this type of thing. However, Speaking from my own personal experince I hate when I play a lower rated player and they make a mistake and It takes me like a dozen moves for them to even realize  they are losing lol etc.

Which if you plan on this being your line you will have to be ok with this type of thing. Which I think can be a Draw back/Debt of this line. I see it as a Debt because I like to be swift when I win and in some cases specially in the Caro-Kann you can't really be that way. Its more positional which involve several series of moves in order to exploit the mistake.

I always make the joke. If you make a mistake in the Sicilian its forced mate in 1. If you make a mistake in the Caro-Kann its forced mate in like 60. Its like your opponent blundered a pawn and now your in a winning endgame pawn up trying to convert the win lol which takes you all those moves to do it lol.

As for the Pirc Defence I didn't get to touch on it at the moment because I have to go in little bit. However, Hopefully you can understand the move 1...d6  would be lacking space similar to that of the 1...e6 move. Hopefully you can understand why.

I am not particulary good at chess, but what do you mean by 'hackers'?

Its a term chess.com uses in some of there chess video's. They have a show called the Hack Attack.

The basic idea is to run the H pawn up the board in an effort to tear open the H file for the rook to be active. Which can sometimes lead to a checkmate. If the side getting hacked doesn't realize the danger.

However, realistically this cave man attack method only happens in lower/intermidate levels of chess.

Or

Usually games which have very short time controls.

Bascially it would be very strange for an expert to do this sort of thing OTB because his expert opponent etc. will have plenty of time to try and refute such a nonsense attack. Which is why usually you don't have alot of hackers.

However, There are some lines which can be played against the Pirc with similar hacking intentions. However, Usually they proceed more soundly and don't wildly just throw up the pawns to do it.

For example:

I like to play a line called the 150 attack.

Black has a few moves in the above position.

I believe one of the main moves is c6.

However, If we gave black some natural moves. They might find themselves in some trouble.

White will often castle queen side. Than plays moves like Bh6 and throw the H pawn up to try and checkmate black on the H file.

Usually black players don't play this way alot anymore.

I do remeber a continuation with like an e5 move from this position. However, I don't know if it is good or not.

I think the other move 4...c6 has been side to be the better way of handling this position.

The idea behind the move 4...c6 is multiple purpose.

Black plans to gain some queen side space. Obviously black is lacking some center space because of the white pawns dominating the center.In a way black trys to get some space of his own.

Another purpose of the move 4...c6 is to set up an attack on the side of the board they believe the white king is going to go.

They will meet whites king side attack with a queen side attack of there own.

It similar to like the Yugoslav Attack vs Sicilian Dragon.

Both sides might end up castling opposite sides than start lashing out the pawns to get open files to checkmate the other side.

Hmm, thanks for your explanations. I will study them carefully.

There is some of this sort of thing in the verbal introductions for the openings in MCO15.

https://web.archive.org/web/20140626165820/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen110.pdf

For example: "... The main disadvantage to [Petrov's Defense] is that it offers few winning chances for Black, and White can almost virtually force a draw by trading down to a dull symmetrical endgame. ..."

Once again I thank for the responses. By the way, can someone address the Philidor and the Old Indian defense? Black is rather unsafe in both, right?

That's just hilarious. Just because you don't think a certain opening is "fun" doesn't mean that other people think so as well.

The Philidor is considered a little dubious because it has some concrete lines which white can play that give white a small edge.

Do not be fooled. You have to know the lines to be able to exploit the continuations. Higher level players know how to exploit the lines which is why it is not played in Grand Master level alot.

However, The Philidor can be a very good opening in beginner, intermidate, and I would even venture to say it can be good in advance level.

Probably from 100-2199 range. I believe once you get into the Title player range things might take a turn.

However, If I remember correctly some Title level players have played it. They have been taking a look at the Philidor trying to bring it back I believe. Maybe a novelty will be found. I strongly believe one will be found eventually.

The Philidor often has very solid structure. It could be considered safe in terms of its structure. The advantage white gets is more of either a positional advantage or a freer hand in attacking.

Some people have considered the Philidor similar to that of the Sicilian Defence and even in some cases they compared the Philidor to the Sicilian Dragon.

Which comes to no surpise one of the most popular effective lines white plays against the Philidor take the shape of very popular attacking formation. It is very popular in the Sicilian Dragon which is called the Yugoslav Attack.

Some of the piece placement differs slightly;however, the general white plans overlap. The draw back of course is in the Sicilian Dragon or even in other lines like the Sicilian Najdorf the Yugoslav Attack or English Attack can be a very difficult to deal with and in some cases black takes extreme measures with different types of exchange sac's to get strong counter play.

This possiblity is not possible in the Philidor since the Philidor often involves an open E file and not an open C file.

Which is why some believe the Philidor is slightly inferior.

If your opponent does not go into these types of set ups lol than yeah you can in some cases exploit white mistakes and get an edge as black.

From my understanding no one has refuted the Philidor. They have some lines which might be some what troubling for black. However, same thing could be said for some of the lines in the Sicilian Dragon or many other black openings.

I personally believe the Philidor is undervalued. It can be very dynamic and aggressive. I plan on writing an article on it for sure.

I love calling the line "The Fighting Philidor"

In fact, There is a book named the fighting philidor which I think is very catchy by  Viktor Bologan

This is the starting position of the Philidor Defence

I will talk it over with you.

Move 1.e4 - White plays this move with the idea of establishing a pawn in the center gaining center space, occupying the center with his pawn, and opening up his light square bishop and queen.

If white could move again he would love to play the move 2.d4 which would give a dou pawn center allowing white the chance to have a firm occupation of the center with his pawns. However, This is obviously a very ambitious dream since it is black to move!

Move 1...e5 - Black plays this move with the idea of stopping whites dream position. Black says "NO WAY JOSE!" Your not getting 2 pawns in the center against me!

The move 1...e5 as black takes control of the d4 square which if white plays the pawn move 2.d4 black would have the chance to simply take it and than the 2 pawn center dream of white would be ruined!

By playing this e5 move black allows himself to gain fair share of center space, open up his queen and bishop, and occupy the center with his pawn.

In completely anger and frustration white lashes out at black! This is exactly what is happening every single game of chess you play from this position.

Move 2.Nf3 - White plays this move completely upset. White is steaming red hot at this point. He wanted his pawn on d4 and now black has ruined it for him the baster! White develops his knight to f3 with the sinster intention of taking that undefended e5 pawn.

The nerve of black to play his pawn to e5 to stop my wonderful dream! How dare he play such a move against me! I will punish his little pawn with Nf3 take that black!

It is obvious a center agrument is happening here.

At this point black has several ways of handling the position.

Black can get upset and try and do a counter attack with the move 2...Nf6 which is called the Petroff.

Black can talk smack to white and say his attack is so weak by defending his e5 pawn with the move 2...Nc6 which is the King's Knight Opening/Normal Variation.

However, we also have the move 2...d6.

Move 2...d6 - Black plays this move which I believe is a taunting move. Can you believe that? It is surely a taunint move. By playing this little 2...d6 move black has defended his e5 pawn;however, he has closed in his dark bishop?

Why on earth would he close in his dark bishop like this?

Well we know why he is closing in his dark bishop don't we?

Black is bascially giving white bishop odd's in this position. Black is saying to white " I just closed in my dark bishop on purpose giving you bishop odd's and your game play is so terrible I'm still going to beat you being a bishop down. I'm hindering in my develop and I'm still going to win. Deal with it loser!"

Its completely obvious this is a taunting move. Think about it for a min. Nothing is stopping black from playing Nc6 to defend his pawn. The bishop does not have to be blocked in by a pawn.

Yet, Black is willingly blocking in his bishop to prove a point! It is a classical example of a taunt in action here.

It is obvious a taunting situation is happening here.

Who created this line?

Andre Danican Philidor is the man who created the line in the above picture.

André Danican Philidor famous quote

“The pawns are the soul of chess!”

I believe that is one of the best quotes ever said by anyone.

Furthermore, Andre Danican Philidor backed up his quote in his line.

Andre Danican Philidor defended the e5 pawn not with his knight but with his d6 pawn!

A move created out of a taunt?

or 

A move created out of the love for his pawns?

Which reason for the move do you believe lady's and gentlemen!

Nah, what's hilarious is your inability to understand a joke. 

@abrahamp.: Interesting approach. You simply take probably the best game of the maybe best player of all times to prove that the "Pirc is indeed vulnerable to hackers"...things are never as easy as they seem. There are plenty of victories for the black side in high-level encounters, too. And many players on the black side of the board use it in encounters with weak players in order to create imbalanced positions, e.g. Viktor Moskalenko

The below line is the position of the Old Indian Defense if I remember correctly.

I do not play the Old Indian Defense. However, I have played the Kings Indian Defense which the Old Indian Defense can tranpose into if both sides allow it.

In general terms one drawback of the opening would be black ends up in a cramped position.

Obviously black is willingly giving up his fair share of space in such a line.

It is an imbalance which is in whites favor. However, white will have to be very careful. Black may seek to undermine the center and set up counter attacking chances.

It is a double edge position.

The word unsafe is kind of confusing me lol.

I kind of don't understand what you mean by "unsafe".

Are you asking whether or not the line is playable or not?

Or are you talking about king safety?

I believe the line is playable. However, the pawn move 2...d6 is a very commital move. You do reduce some line flexibility with such a move.