1.d4 d5 2.Nc3!? Nf6 3.Bf4 (My new favorite opening)

It's probably been used by GM's on occasion, but few probably have it as their main opening.

If you're content with quick equality as white (realizing that white can usually maintain a .25 to .50 plus in any mainstream opening) then by all means play it. 

The two points against it are:

1) It's a novelty opening at the price of instant equality.
2) It's easily solved OTB / doesn't create any problems for black.

As a quick note, if you like less played opening systems that are also very solid look into the colle system.  The colle zukertort is solid, can be played against anything, and gives you more play than whatever this is called.

I have read the recent comments and disagree on many points you guys have made.

I believe you are not playing in White's best manner.

So I am going to quote all of the people I disagree with and explain why.

RobertA Brown reccomended...

So this is my response to RobertA Brown's comment

Here westcoastchess also missed 5.Bd3 after 5...Bxd3, 6.cxd3, c6 is a mistake, as after e4, dxe4, dxe4 Black is to passive and White has a big space advantage.

yes Barry attack as someone else said before me! I used to play this earlier in my years but as the players get better i didnt like it and got destroyed a few times against very strong players. The fork with the bishop and knight on c7 won me many games but if the opponent knows anything about theory i soon found it didnt work. 

Thanks, any more comments???

I think some of your analysis is bias.  I still think it's very easy to equalize even with the lines you gave.

Thanks, although the whole point of the opening is to get a "static position" Any more notes.

It looks pretty bad to me. You don't want the block your c pawn in d4 openings with such an early Nc3. It's like a crippled version of the london system.

Now now, it's a reasonable way to play for white. Just don't expect any theoretical advantage out of the opening. I lump this in the "d-pawn special" category with the London, Colle, Tromp, Torre and other 2nd tier queen pawn openings.

It is possible to win with any opening while playing against players who blindly follow the book and do not know thw basic principles underlying the opening moves.

1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 is a perfectly playable line - only it lacks the advantages that 2.c4 gives. Black faces fewer problems to attain equality.

[The following are taken from Game Explorer]

1.d4 d5 2.Nc3  (broadly classified Veresov Attack)

  2...Nf6 (mainlline; also possible are 2...f5 Dutch System, 2...Bf5 Alburt Defense, 2...c5 Irish Gambit, 2...Bg4 Anti-Veresov line)

  3.Bg5 (Richter-Veresov Attack) Nbd7 4.Nf3 g6/h6 etc

  3.e4 dxe4 4.f3 (Blackmar-Diemar Gambit) (4.Bg5 Bf5)

  3.Bf4 Bf5 4.e3 e6 5.Bd3 Bg6

  3.Nf3 g6/e6/Bf5/c6/c5

  3.f3 (Veresov Opening, Richter Attack) Bf5/c5

The above are all fully playable lines.

I would say that the Veresov is pretty good for situations where the White can afford to draw, while the Black needs to play for a win. Yes the Black can equalize fairly easily in the opening, but he / she can find it difficult to create winning chances later on.

The Veresov is with Bg5, he is talking about the Barry Attack with Bf4.

*See the previous post:

[The following are taken from Game Explorer]

1.d4 d5 2.Nc3  (broadly classified Veresov Attack)

  2...Nf6 (mainlline; also possible are 2...f5 Dutch System, 2...Bf5 Alburt Defense, 2...c5 Irish Gambit, 2...Bg4 Anti-Veresov line)

  3.Bg5 (Richter-Veresov Attack) Nbd7 4.Nf3 g6/h6 etc

  3.e4 dxe4 4.f3 (Blackmar-Diemar Gambit) (4.Bg5 Bf5)

  3.Bf4 Bf5 4.e3 e6 5.Bd3 Bg6

  3.Nf3 g6/e6/Bf5/c6/c5

  3.f3 (Veresov Opening, Richter Attack) Bf5/c5

*Barry attack usually comes from 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 and it works because g6 has been played.

 Why wouldnt you take it with the queen? You avoid double pawns and you develope a piece

Arkady Naiditsch is playing this versus Pentala Harikrishna right now.  

Find Jobava's games with white in this line, or Rapport, or the top German GM, or Stefanova. Attacking players like this line, people scoffing at this opening have no idea what they are talking about. It's about speed, unorthodoxy, piece play, sacking the b pawn, f3-g4/e4 ideas. It's a fascinating line that is exploding in popularity right now, and should be respected. Don't forget, chess is ultimately 0.00 and drawn, it happens in the Slav, grunfeld, Ruy Lopez and anything else. It's very much worth looking into as a white weapon, and has strong practical value.

Hi SnowLion,

I hope you are alright with calling it the London Veresov.