At move 9 engines like the move Ne5 instead of Qe2. They give white with an advantage of 0.42 after this move.
Which Personally I think your better off with the other line in this continuation he has advantage in other continuation you have advantage.
And there's no pressure on black at all. Let's anaylze the line we are analyzing because most people will think Qe2 is better.
The other continuation looks boring lol...
Will try later, but I love the d5 breakthrough more.
I know that. Not MANY fall for that. Very,very few players fall for that.
What if I play 9. d3 instead of 9.Qe2?
XPLAYA (and anyone else): Would you say these lines are inferior to, say, the Grand Prix Attack? Why or why not? Can you compare and contrast a bit?
White can try Nbd2 and then fianchetoo the DSB.
The key tabia I am familiar with (it's in a book I am reading anyway) is 5.Bb5, a Ruy Lopezish move putting pressure on the Black Knight on c6. The authors mention 5.Bc4 only in passing, and recommend the first line.
Nicely done. Far more interesting the way you explain it. Sometimes these textbooks can be too dry. That was interesting and clear.
There are other pills to take, however, and I am wondering if any pill suggested in this thread is really the one to swallow from White's perspective. I'll start another thread to ask about that and get book recommendations. Thanks.
Bc4 is playale, no refutation
Here is a 2022 top grandmaster game:
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2211621
Here is a 2022 top grandmaster game:
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2211621
Actually that game has 2. Nf3 Nc6 and only then 3. Bc4 - which is very different. It's a common misconception to assume they're the same. In fact the other second move of black: 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 is a top professional opening and occurs around one in every 80 master's games according to the database, having a similar winning percentage for white as mainline theory (probably not as good objectively obviously but good results due to better preparation for the offbeat line).
According to the database 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 is very rare in master's games and has a slightly better winning performance for black. But it's still not the same as going full 2. Bc4, which has twice the win rate for black as for white in the lichess master's database if black follows with 2... e6.
It's amazing about how complex it all gets straightaway, how they ever figured all this out without databases or engines is beyond me. I think the easiest way to think of it is after 2. ...d6 black can no longer play d5 all in one go destroying the bishop, so that's a simple explanation for why 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 is a fairly top tier opening. Meanwhile 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 black has already used up a tempo on Nc6 and can't force white to play Nc3 as he could if white played 2. Bc4 immediately.
Evaluate the new analysis I made.