1.d4 Nc6!?

1.d4 nc6 2.nf3 (now d5 is a threat) the best i can find is ...d5 or ...e6.  and there are some real problems in the chigorin and the french with ...Nc6, enough it's a slightly larger than normal edge for white for not much for black after 10 moves if white knows their stuff.  i've tried ...d6 but after d5 ne5 nxn px i prefer white a bit.

also 2.d5 followed by 3.e4 with white taking on e6 when ...e6 played is a slight edge for white.

and then u need a plan against g3 lines altho the N being on c6 is ok there.

The Nimzoswitsch fine, you will  get a playable position, but apart from surprise factor it doesn't offer all too much.

Without this early f5 idea I decided to just bin the Nimzoswitch as  I didn't want anything to do with the h4 h5 business.

maybe I overreacted a bit, that line indeed seems better for white. however I'm still not convinced taking on e5 is any good. After 4.Nf3 Nxf3+ 5. Qxf3 Qf6 it seems rather drawish if the queens are taken off and other options do not seem that promising either. It seems to me to create a situation where the higher rated person wins, not so much a consequence of the opening play.

It is a perfectly sound if unusual way to play as black, after d5, Ne5 black hits back at the centre with e6/e5. 

They are saying let's play chess!

2.nb8 or 3.nb8 is not that bad in these lines, as black will play it like a pirc where the extra pawn push slightly weakens dark squares and weakens a possible e4-e5 thrust.  2.ng8 in the alekhine however is not as good, the difference being, the pawn structure in those lines allows white to direct his pieces at a kingside attack.

it's basically a reversed Alekhine's defense, but not as good.

its not an easy to defense to play, but mostly because theory on it is quite scarce so its usually those willing to explore uncharted territory that are comfortable playing it. White also gets a whole lot of choice so black must be prepared for a lot.

1.d4 nc6 2.d5 ne5 lines are very fun and highly unusual, especially after 3.f4 ng6 4.e4 e6 5.dxe6 dxe6 6. QxQ, actually, if white naively tries to play these lines as a queenside alekhine instead (like keeping tension after e6 and/or plays c4 for example). , black gets a great game often with advantage, because bc5 is superior to bf5 in the alekhine due to restricting 0-0. 

2.d4 nc6 2. nf3 (most common move) and black can try a KID like game with d6 (Although some lines, allow bg4 or even early e5) or play 2...d5 where he transposes to a Chigorin where black avoids the critical 3.nc3 lines.

2.d4 nc6 2.c4 and black can traspose to a chigorin via 2...d5, play it like a KID with 2...d6 or transpose to the black knights tango via 2...nf6, but i prefer 2...e5!? the lituanian variation. This move order is not only superior to the knight tango move order as not blocking the queen dissuades some early h4 sorties but  3.d5 bb4!?+ is also a unique playable variation here.

2.e4 just transposes to the Nimzowitsch defense, it goes without saying that you should be confortable here if you plan to play 1.d4 nc6. 

2.bf4 d5 allows for some unique play, he can now adopt a variety of set-ups , from bf5, to bg4 to f6-g5-h5. doing a KID formation vs the london is also an effective method. 

2.nc3 is harmless, and he gets the usual variety of choices with d5 and d6-KID but e5!? is also possible here.

of course, white also has like a good half dozen other moves like 2.g3 2.bg5 2.c3 etc. None are particularly threatening.

IF you are still interested in playing it, find some games with it by Short, Rapport, Stevic, Vlasenko, Mestrovic  and a few others.  If you are fond of the chigorin transpositions, you cant go wrong with Morozevich games.

I used to play this to reach the Lithuanian, which I find very comfortable for Black:

1. d4 Nc6!? 2. c4 e5 3. d5 Nce7 4. e4 Ng6 5. Nc3 with ...Nf6, ...Bc5, ...d6 and ...Bg4 following.

Despite the spacial disadvantage, Black attains a very strong grip over the dark squares, and gets some strong outposts later on in the game.

Unfortunately, playing 1...Nc6 against 1. d4 means that you have to also learn the Nimzowitsch after 2. e4, know how to respond to an early 2. d4-d5 Mikenas pawn push, and know how to play a Chigorin Defense in case of 2. Nf3. And that’s a lot of work.

Nowadays, I play 1...Nc6 only against 1. c4 in order to avoid such transpositions. If White doesn’t play 2.d4, then I’ll just play into the English. But if he does, then I get a chance to play my preferred defense.

Anybody read Schuyler's book about Nc6 ? It's actually very interesting when combined with 2...e5 . I'd like to try it.

its a very good book, esp the section on how to deal with the many set-ups of the "nimzo-pirc". I dont fully trust all lines thoough, esp his coverage of 1.d4 nc6 2.d5 where he advocates for the fxe6 lines. I simply dont think he covers the most challenging lines which im convinced practically force dxe6.

you need to say more than that for people to take you seriously.