chess opening

I'm thinking about something different then Puzzles all the time...

I will have an opening set up and you tell us the following:

1. What opening it is.

2. The strength of the opening

3. Best way to defend against this open as black.

I hope this will help you with seeing new opening and knowing what to do against them.. 

I will need a lot of help from our high ranking players on the best way to defend some of these opening.. Thanks ahead of time...

This first opening is my favorite opening:

Well, I don't know this opening, but it kinda feels to me like some stonewall system performed by white. Black however, in my opinion, didn't make the best moves.

2. e3 signals closure of the long diagonal, so 2...g6 is a ?! move I think. 

4.c3 strenghtens the wall and solidifies the centre but white neglects piece development.

5.Bd3 is a move I'm unsure about. Bc4 was what I thought to be better as the b1-h7 diagonal is secured by ...g6. 

5...d5! is a strong move. It finally occupies the centre and takes control of c4 and e4, two potential weaknesses in white's position.

6...Nbd7 is a ? move I think. Better was Bg4 first, pinning the well-placed knight. Now black's light-squared guy is destined for passivity. b6-Bb7 doesn't help him get a life either. 7.Nbd2 for white is way different. The c1 bishop is locked in anyway. That's however white's only problem currently. Maybe c4 might be a plan intending Nxc4 and Be2. Black on the other hand can prevent this by not taking on c4, but playing c6! instead. (Not e6, permanently killing the c8 guy).

I don't think that 8...e6 is best because of what I wrote above. 8...c6 was my idea. And the problems start to show off for black by way of white playing 9.Ne5!, a very strong occupation of a central temporary-outpost. (I say temporary because black might play f6 later.)

I don't quite see a plan on how to develop black's light squared bishop, or even counterattacking in the centre. A long-term plan might be c6-Qe7-c5 for black. True, the c-pawn loses a tempo, but black needs their queen on c7 before pushing c5. Another idea is b6, c5, but white probably won't play dxc5?! so after black goes ...cxd4, cxd4 from white  restores the tremendous centre.

The strength of the opening is 9 out of 10 for white (I deducted a point for the c1 bishop) and 6 for black. The second player has plenty of problems to solve, but at least they have a secure king position.

After all, I'm by no means sure that I'm perfectly right about everything. I'm anxious to see your thoughts too, dear group members ;) Perhaps you can correct me where I'm wrong and I will even be able to learn from it.

1. Stonewall Variaton

2. I think it's a decent opening choice by white.  White often employs the same strategies and club players tend to not know how to counter it.

3. I think Re8 was a mistake by black.  The knight on f6 needs that square to get to d6. Which allows the knight on d7 to go to f6, thus regrouping both knights.  Once Black has control over whites 'attack', he will play on the queenside where has has more control.

Great job on the knowing the stonewall opening.. Please give me your thoughts on the below opening.. Thanks again for all your feed back.. If you would like me to keep doing different opening just let me know.. Thanks

Here is another opening you can try out for black..

1. What open is black using?

2. The strength of the opening

3. Best way to defend against this open as white.

1)Albin Counter-Gambit

2)I am sure it has its strength but I find it weak and only play it against low rated players to try Lasker's Trap. (6.Bxb4?? exf2+ 7.Ke2 fxg1=N+!)

3)After 6.fxe3 white has an equal game.

I like this thread.  I think it is very helpful for people like me who are trying to learn a few new opening moves.