play d4 at once
1.c4 e5 2.g3 f5: how to respond?
Sort:
..e5xd4,Qd1xd4
Just play 3.Bg2, and develop normally. Its just a more agressive line in the English for black. Just rememberthat when you play c4-g3-Bg2, youre playing for control of the light squares, and play on the queenside, while black is playing on the kingside. The idea is similair to the Sicilian, where black plays on the queenside, while white plays on the king side.
the point of d4 is to immediately challenge black's f5-e5 pawn duo.Then,if the Q on d4 gets threatened,retreat to d1
Apotek wrote:
the point of d4 is to immediately challenge black's f5-e5 pawn duo.Then,if the Q on d4 gets threatened,retreat to d1
How would you evaluate the position after this? Was blacks f5 weakening enough to compensate for the loss of time?
Fiveofswords wrote:
3...e5 isnt legal. For one thing it is white to move.
I meant e4.
I agree with five that Nc3 is more accurate.However i don't agree that black has it so easy.Iguess you could look at it as a kind of reversed Grand Prix sicilian with a tempo up for white.
3.Bg2 is normal and it usually leads to a reversed Gran Prix attack.
3.d4 is possible but after 3...ed 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qe3+ even though White is supposed to have some kind of advantage it's not very practical imo.
3.e3 is another way which can lead to some French-like positions with reversed colors.
I agree with firebrandX,white controls d5 effectively and his position is rather more pleasant to playFinding a plan for black here is not so easy in my opinion.I'd take white any day.
Just develop and wait for Black to make more over-ambitious, weakening moves.
When the time is right, you pieces are well placed, and depending on what he has done with his pawns, attack them with d3, d4, f3, etc.
I also like white, but I prefer 5.Qd3 to the "patzer sees check" 5.Qe3+ approach. Black is not at a serious disadvantage, but I find white's position easier to handle.
2.g3 is the way to avoid the reverse Rossolimo continuations (2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Bb4, or 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4) which are very comfortable for Black.
Black will typically proceed with 3...e5 which cramps my position. Is this good for black? How can I play against it?