I was recently looking at the Max Lange variation of the Italian in Yasser Seirawan - Winning Chess Openings. Although this looks like a very interesting variation, for one line given below

Seirawan states that 'white has shed a pawn for a dangerous lead in development'. To my reckoning white has only gained one tempo. I've read elsewhere (chessmaster perhaps?) that a pawn is worth roughly three tempi so what could Seirawan mean? Is the Lange a sound opening?

Well after quickly letting my computer analyse the position (I'm not nearly good enough to make decisions like this on my own ) it actually gives white a small advantage. Obviously this doesn't prove that much but it has potential I guess

The way I see it, without a computer to help me, is that the d5 square is poorly protected by black and seems to be e fine target for white's knight. How this would be sufficent compensation for a pawn I don't know but I'm no expert either

Yes a knight on d5 could attack a pinned knight on f6, allowing white to double black's king side pawns. Perhaps this combined with the extra semi open c file might provide an advantage. Thanks for your help.

I was also thinking about e5 and evetually snatching the pawn on f7 but I don't see what's so obvious about Qb3. I just don't think white's position after that really compensates for the loss of a pawn :/

I gotta say Qb3 looks pretty good possibly. Black has to defend with his Queen and then Ng5 gives white an ominous looking attack.

This is the way I see Qb3

Black is defending f7 very well and white is still a pawn down. I don't see the advantages. I'd say the best thing to do is to try to exchange queens after e5 and snatching the pawn on f7.

 

i thought the Max Lange Attack is a response to the Two Knights Defense...not the Giuoco Piano?  or is it both?

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both of these and the scotch gambit, they all transpose together.

white is ahead because of the development and weak d5 square as previously mentioned

Well if we're counting tempi white can be considered up at least two, since he's castled and has a knight on f3. Also black has to worry about a variety of things: pressure on f7, knight coming to d5, more space from white, they probably just add up.

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Maybe your right I don't play the line myself but I think that white gets some sort of colour bind on the position if I remember correctly. Maybe starting with Bg5?

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Nxd4 and white has the bishop pair for the pawn.

I'm an avid Lang player and really if you don't know the theory like the above game it's great for white. Yasser should get me to proof read his books. lol