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Best defence against E4 : e5 OR c5 !?
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Which scores higher?
Dec 3, 2017
0
#4
e5 is the most common from average players; c5 is most common from upper-level players. Both are pretty good, but maybe c5 is ever so slightly better and more aggressive. These aren't the only defenses against e4, however. Moves e6, c6, d6, d5, g6, b6, Nf6, Nc6 are all usable as well. The one you should play should depend on which one you feel comfortable playing and the one that suits your style the best.
Interesting
Aug 31, 2018
0
#6
FunnyAnimatorJimTV wrote:
e5 is the most common from average players; c5 is most common from upper-level players. Both are pretty good, but maybe c5 is ever so slightly better and more aggressive. These aren't the only defenses against e4, however. Moves e6, c6, d6, d5, g6, b6, Nf6, Nc6 are all usable as well. The one you should play should depend on which one you feel comfortable playing and the one that suits your style the best.
True, but the best moves are e5 or d5 as they control the center squares
If there was a best defence, everybody would play it.
At move 1 : c6, c5, d6, d5, e6, e5, g6 are all reliable. And we could add b6, Nc6, Nf6.
And among these defences, we can find several (many) sub lines which are good.
Just choose the opening(s) which fit(s) to you. At high level, they choose according to their mood, or the circumstances (1...e5 more solid than 1...c5 for example, but sure 1...c5 is trickier).
There is no "best" defence. However the defence I currently play as Black against e4 is the Alekhine defence (...Nf6). I have played many other defences previously, so I can tell you what I think of them.
1...e5 is solid and easy to play (if you aren't looking to study the extremely complex theory) - just develop your pieces, castle early, choose whether or not to open up the center or not, look for a plan (e.g improving pieces, attacking the queen/kingside if you can), etc etc. However a downside is that it can get a bit boring as attack plans are not as easy to find compared to other defences.
The Sicilian Defence (1...c5) usually goes one of three ways. The first way is when the opponent knows nothing of the Sicilian Defence and perhaps plays something along the lines of the Bowlder attack (2.Bc4). In this case Black can develop and break in the center with ...d5 eventually and enjoy a relatively easy to play game against White. The second way is when the opponent refuses to play the main Open Sicilian (where White plays 2.Nf3 then 3.d4, where Black ought to follow with 3...cxd4) line and instead chooses to play one of the "anti-Sicilians", for example the Rossolimo Attack (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb4+) or the Smith-Morra Gambit, where White plays d4 on move 2, then if Black takes offers to sacrifice a pawn with 3.c3. The final case is when White actually takes up on your offer to play a standard Sicilian. There are many sub-variations of the Open Sicilian (e.g Kan Sicilian, Taimanov Sicilian, Najdorf Sicilian, Dragon Sicilian, Sveshnikov Sicilian), but generally they share similar themes:
- Black's dark-squared bishop is important, especially in the Dragon, Kan and Taimanov lines. As a result White's dark-squared bishop which opposes Black's is also quite important.
- Black's play usually occurs on the queenside. This may include stacking up on the semi-open c-file, launching a minority attack against White's queenside pawns or both.
However I switched from this, as I was not very comfortable with the usually sharp positions in the Sicilian Defence. I was also not a big fan of getting my kingside dark squares ransacked by White's pieces all the time. However if you like sharp attacking games with plenty of tactics then the Sicilian may be for you. However keep in mind that since White can divert the game into less attacking territory for Black (e.g the Smith Morra Gambit, where Black wins a pawn at the expensive of White getting the initiative), you must be prepared for those less "fun" games.
Another opening I played was the Caro-Kann defence. I quite liked this opening for its solidity. The plan was simple: Develop the light squared bishop and then e6 so it doesn't get blocked in, play Ngf6/Nbd7 then develop some more, defend my king (without getting too passive), preserve my decent pawn structure and perhaps go for a queenside expansion, allowing all those positional advantages to accumulate and shine in the endgame. If you like playing modestly (defensively) and slowly accumulating positional advantages until the endgame, then the Caro-Kann might be for you. However keep in mind that White can choose to go into a sharper variation with the Advance (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5) variation, so prepare for that.
The Scandinavian is a lot like the Caro-Kann, but only that Black plays ...d5 on move 1 rather than 2. The plan in the Scandinavian is very similar to the plan in the Caro-Kann, and similar pawn structures emerge. If you like the Caro-Kann but dislike facing the Advance variation, then the Scandinavian is for you. However keep in mind that Black usually loses a tempo with a queen, so White will be a tempo ahead and may have an advantage over Black.
The Modern Defence (...g6) is very interesting and can get very sharp. In this opening the plan is usually to let White build a large pawn center, so that Black can then attack White's pawn center with pieces and pawns (e.g with a c5 pawn break). On one hand Black may get some queenside counter-play, or may be able to undermine White's center (or both!). On the other hand White may be able to lung for Black's king via a kingside/center attack. Keep in mind that the Modern Defence, which is relatively theory-light may transpose into the King's Indian Defence, which is very theory-heavy and oftentimes extremely sharp. I eventually quit it as I realized that the kingside dark-square weakness, the g6 pawn and even the Bg7 fianchetto could be used as targets for attack by White. If you like sharp hypermodern (the idea that the center should be controlled from a distance rather than occupying it directly) games with both sides attacking each other, you should play the Modern Defence as Black.
The one I currently use is the Alekhine defence (1...Nf6). I enjoy using this because attacking games in the Alekhine involving Black attempting to undermine White's pawn center are often very eccentric and intriguing for me. Usually the general idea is for White to play 2.e5 followed by ...Nd5, with Black following up with moves such as ...d6, e6 or g6 (but don't do both e6 and g6 unless you absolutely have to, as it sets up a weak dark-square complex), developing in general and going for other pawn breaks which may break up White's pawn center. If you like sharp hypermodern games by Black but dislike the attacking opportunities White has towards the pawn at g6 and the fianchettoed bishop at g7 in the Modern Defence, then the Alekhine Defence might be for you. However keep in mind that White can sidestep the sharper lines by playing moves such as 2.Nc3. Prepare for this as well.
Which is stronger?
What's the differences?
It seems Magnus Carlsen prefers e5 over c5, especially Iin a serious chess matches, such as last world championship chess match between Karjakin and Magnus. Why is that? Does that mean e5 slightly more superior, then c5 ?