Meeting a 1.Nc3. (Van Geet opening)

The engine evaluates this position +0.2 pawns.

In another opening, I would be satisfied with this result. But not here.

Hey! Know what? It's no good! They do not dare to get a good position with such a "bad" move. These were my thoughts...

So I learned that this is the opening is called Van Geet opening. 

There is at least one game in which this move did Bogolyubov. But this opening was named after the Dutch chess player Dirk Daniel Van Geet.

Dirk Daniel Van Geet

This Godfather played a "bad" move 1.Nc3 even against the world champion!

No.

Do not mind Magnus!

At the time, the champion was another chess player.

And - yes.

He made a draw!

I do not know why.

But, perhaps, Comrade Spassky thought: damn, my opponent, is so fearless that he makes such a "bad" move. I better beat Robert, but with this guy I'll go peacefully, otherwise he'll beat me!

And now the "deadly" novelty can meet any player. This may be surprising, but the originall move of herr Van Geet is more common than comrade Sokolsky's move 1.b4. I know a lot of books and publications about 1.b4 opening. But what about 1.Nc3 - ?! May be, this first move will be forbidden, because any chess player can make a draw against the champion? 

Some statistics from chess.com.

Then I began to search for a good example of action against this opening system. And I found it.

Then I tried to make conclusions from these games.

If Black close the center with d5 - d4, they must be active on the kingside. 

How to do it? 

The attack takes place by means of two instruments, the specific choice depends on the position of the white knight.

If Knight is waiting around the king, we will try to stretch his attacks Bc8-g4 (like Stephensson).

If he goes on the square g3, then a strong solution will be move forward h-pawn  like did it Shulman. And it is not dangerous for black until the center is closed.

I remember my first game, where I applied this knowledge.

This game has some mistakes.

But I won. And it inspired me!

And a few more games. Let them be an illustration of what ideas have this opening. You'll can see how I use and combine the techniques mentioned. This will be useful if your opponent makes the first move of 1.Nc3...