This scenario just got put upon me by two different people. What is the best response? I know its very basic but I haven't really studied openings at all so i'm not sure what would be best to do and not give me disadvantages that early in the opening.

2... Nf6 3.Bf4 b6 4.Qc3 Nc3

That person must not be very good. He's trying to place one of a number of traps on you. Just do Nf3, than take out your peices and demolish that queen. you'll end up getting more developed than your opponent.

I disagree with the above suggestions. 2. ... Nf6 is bad because it allows 3. Qxe5.

 

I would play 2. ... Nc6 to defend the e-pawn. 2. ... Qe7 is another alternative. This is really a simple case of your opponent attacked a piece and you have to defend it.

This is the preamble to Scholar's Mate. Black wants to bring his bishop to c4 and threaten mate at f7. The trap he's hoping for is that you attack his queen with 2... Nf6, after which, he'll play 3. Qxe5+. You have two logical options that protect this pawn: 2...Qe7 and 2....Nc6.  Both are playable, but most people seem to prefer 2....Nc6.

Since 2...Nc6 protects rather than attacks, white still has the initiative and will play his hand with 3. Bc4, threatening mate. Black still can't attack the queen, but must defend against mate with 3....g6. After which, white will continue threatening mate at f7 with 4. Qf3. But White's threats are over. Black simply plays 4...Nf6.  White can try to continue with threats by moving 5. Qb3 (after which 5...Nd4 puts a stop to everything. - if 6. Bxf7+, then 6....Ke7, attacking both the Queen and the Bishop, one of which must come off the board)

 

These games often go something like this:

 

 

Well done batgirl, I believe I seen your example in Yasser Seirawan's  winning chess series.

I disagree that the Patzer's opening is unsound , in fact it is quite playable if white proceeds with developing correctly . Interesting info about a chess master who uses it pretty much all the time . http://chesslodge.blogspot.com/2005/06/matrix-system.html ,also GM Nakamura gives comments about the time he played 2.Qh5 .

Qe7 gives the most flexability. A one piece attack cannot win, just by logic, so don't freak out about this overaggressive Qh5. An important question to ask in response to ANY chess move you face is "Does this matter?". We look at Qh5, which creates a minor tactical threat, and ask 'does this matter?'. Not really, we just parry basic threat and move on with our game. Treat it objectively, assess the strength of it, and respond accordingly.

I like Batgirls response to this position. Ans as usual Loomis is providing very sound advice as well. At times I play 2.Qf6, which usually defuses the attack and then counter with 3. B5.  Can anyone tell me if that is not a good tactical move? and why? I am learning as I go.

jamjosh wrote: I like Batgirls response to this position. Ans as usual Loomis is providing very sound advice as well. At times I play 2.Qf6, which usually defuses the attack and then counter with 3. B5.  Can anyone tell me if that is not a good tactical move? and why? I am learning as I go.

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3.c5, excuse that my brain slipped.

"I believe I seen your example in Yasser Seirawan's  winning chess series"

 

I did learn this refutation from one of Seirawan's books. There are a good many ways to refute (really, just geting a major advantage) an early Queen raid, unless the player is particularly good. This one is especially instructive, I thought, since it showed that the King could move with impunity, that threats of check were paper tigers and that the White Queen could end up more of a target than the Black King and because White ignored some basic principles, Black had a lot of leeway himself.

 

"At times I play 2.Qf6"

Shrug.....It might be a matter of temperment, but I worry that in bringing out my own Queen too early, I risk a lot for little gain.  I'd rather develop my minor pieces, especially with tempo. Minor pieces can control a lot of squares.

The continuation you know is good, I’ve used it at some point. To me its just a weird rookie open with the strongest piece white has to chuck at his disposal. Some times I play Nf6 let him take the pawn then Be2 so I’ll still be able to castle. You can usually make the pawn up that you lost somewhere in the mid game.