Defense to 1.e4

Thanks for all the help. Right no, I think I will play the Larsen-Bronstein Variation of the Caro-Kann. It is sharp and fun to play. But do we have any more suggestions out there????

The keyword is "absolute." There is a huge difference between an absolute beginner and a beginner. Someone who barely knows the moves is an absolute beginner and they shouldn't participate in a tournament until they have learned some principles, which is what would make them a 'beginner.'

Well, you were the first to mention "absolute beginner". If you feel that is a huge difference from just "beginner", then why change the term?

Anyway, an "absolute beginner" probably isn't a Bronstein fan.

Change the term? What are you talking about?

My discussion has nothing to do with the person using the Bronstein. The point I was making is that an absolute beginner has no place in a tournament.

I always play 1...Nc6 in response to 1.e4  The Nimzowitsch Defense has many interesting variations that I have learned and like to play.  Therefore, 1...Nc6 has become my ONLY response to 1.e4.  Keeps it simple for me!!

After 1.e4 Nc6 a natural white response is 2.d4 to which I play the natural 2...e5

Hoping that White plays 3.d5 attacking my Nc6.  I respond with 3...Ne7 then white may play 4.Bc4  I answer 4....Ng6

That is where I was trying to get my knight all along.  To White it may seem like he is developing while I am moving the same piece from square to square.

Then I move Bc5, d6 and Qd7.  My white bishop is held in reserve to protect g5 and the "d > a" diagonal. 

In reality I am trying to get my knights on g6 and f6.  Trying to get a knight to f4 ans an attack on White's Kingside. 

Does not always work for me but I find that opening a little shocking to some 1.e4 players that leads to many interesting positions of which I have been trying to master over the past few years. 

I like the opening both in correspondence and in tournamen play.  It is a little different than most but lots of fun with a lot of potential.

In the years that I played in tournaments, I found that the Sicilian was over played and well refuted by many tournament players.  The French has too many variations and quite frankly too difficult for me to manage all of it's variants.

So, trying to come up with something a little different I went to 1.e4 Nc6

Most of the time I feel like I am in familiar territory but it does not always go in my favor.  I enjoy the opening nonetheless.

Chuck

3 d5 in the nimzowitch is not a bad move, but it should probably be followed by a queenside advance. I think it makes the game interesting whether you're white or black. Probably the safest way to play for an edge though is 3 dxe5, because the e5 pawn isn't defended by the d6 pawn unlike most defences and so after ...Nxe5 if the knight has to move, white will gain time.

I agree with both your points.  3.d5 is a good and a natural move.  I also agree that 3.dxe5 is also good because that gives me the most problems and throuws off my plans.

Like you I also think it is interesting to play on both sides of the board.

As I stated the reason I began playing it was to keep it simple for me as a response to 1.e4

Same goes for me as a response to 1.d4 I always play 1...Nf6  leads into a Nimzo or Queen's Indian.  That is another way I try to keep things simple learning just one response and try to absorb the multitude of variations.

I believe that people make huge mistakes trying to learn many different openings.  It is a lifetime achievement to actually learn just one and be able to play it well.  I have not gotten to that point yet.  I just try to stick to one opening repsonse to White's most cmmon openings, 1.e4 and 1.d4

As white I will always play 1.e4 and follow on with the Giuoco Piano 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 and go from there.

If in response to my 1.e4 they play 1....c5 trying to go into a Sicilian I will respond with one of the so called anti-Sicilians like the Grand Prix or simply play a closed Sicilian and many times it transposes into something like a Scotch game.

I have given up on trying to learn too many openings.  My brain can no longer handle it.  :-)

Chuck

Thanks for the help.

I played in the tournament and won once with a center counter

Thanks for all of the help

The problem with 2.. e5 in the nimzo defence is that white can, if he's comfortable with it, just play 3. Nf3 and take it into a scotch, which can be troublesome if black isn't up for learning it.

another problem with the nimzo-indian is that white can keep a small edge in the mainlines with Qc2. Probably not enough to win but enough to pressurize and that is generally what white wants anyways.

But why not just 3 dxe5 if you want an open game? It would be open like the scotch but probably with better chances for an edge.

lol... we're not talking about the nimzo indian, we're talking about 1...Nc6.

But yes I do like Qc2 for white in the nimzo indian.

It's like the QGD with the bishop pair in exchange for tempi. Seems good enough for a slight edge to me and doesn't allow the traditional counterplay against the doubled pawns.

 Uh, well you might want to at least take a look at the Advance and Exchange variations of the Caro-Kann so that you don't sit there looking dumbfounded on your 3rd move when the other player doesn't go Nc3.

Yeah, good point Sergius. Because those lines lead to completely different games most of the time! Though Nc3 is the most popular move of course. Besides, the larsen-bronstein variation isn't that strong anyway (even though the fact that black can get kingside attacks makes it look attractive to attacking players) and considering you have to be in book for several moves to even play it, it might not be the best thing to rely on.

Don't freak out though. At your level openings are not going to make a huge difference, you just need one that is easy to reach and one that you understand, as the french takes understanding. 1...e5 seems fine and honestly in beginner play whether you're white or black it doesn't really matter, once you leave the opening (because in the opening of 1 e4 e5 there are many attacking lines for white),  either side could easily get a big initiative. Even 1...c5 has fairly simple basic plans (to attack on the q side usually). Of course there are many subtleties to it to, but they probably won't matter. But don't play the sicilian if your opponent studies it for white alot as you could fall into big attacks or traps.

So ultimately, 1...e5 is what you can most rely on, or 1...c6, but those positions are more subtle.

any more suggestions

what do u have against the panov botvinnik variation?