This isn't the Levitsky. That's 1...d5 2.Bg5. That's playable precisely because you aren't forced to lose either a pawn or a tempo. This is just bad.
2.d5 2.e3 2.c3. Any of these will do. d5 or c3 obviously give you better chances to transpose back into Tromp or Pseudo-Tromp lines.
I can't go out with e3, as it blocks bishop which I want to move to Bg5, but never tried with c3, this sounds interesting.
The obvious problem there being that if black chooses to capture, you're on the white side of an exchange Slav. Which isn't exactly bad for you, but may not be your cup of tea.
d5 is probably better for the would-be Bg5 player, as it has a decent chance of transposing back into a Tromp. But then you have to be ready for the possibility of 2...e5, when you're in closed/Czech Benoni land, which is probably less friendly to the Tromp player than an exchange Slav would be.
Pick yer poison.
Can u post some links to variations u mentioned. I m not very familiar with openings, as I was working on my own attack over a long period of time.
What do u mean by Tromp player (I noticed some folks say Levitsky opening is Trompovski), though I can't find it in the openings here.
Oh, sorry. The Trompowsky is 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5.
It's considered a very playable and good alternative to allowing the Indian defenses as white.
And it's usually Trompowsky players who have any interest whatsover in the Levitsky (also called the "Pseudo-Trompowsky"). Because both moves are a great way to cut down black's options without playing horrible, easily-refuted chess.
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 c5 is considered one of the major branches of Tromp theory. 3.d5 is considered one of white's best tries to retain advantage.
After the line you posted: 1.d4 c5, if white plays 2.d5, the most popular response seems to be 2...e5, leading to a closed Benoni or a Czech Benoni. But the second most popular response is 2...Nf6, after which 3.Bg5 transposes back into the Trompowsky.
Hi,
So I used this attack in thousands of games, and develop and improve it to many different defenses.
I have an issue though, when player opens with pawn, horse and counter attack with Q. I lose pawn in the very beginning of the game.
Any advice.