Help with this opening, please

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Avatar of FreeCat

I'm very weak at openings, so Im working on it and trying to build and study a new opening repertoire. As white, I always begin with 1.e4. When faced against the French Defense, I used to play the advance variation. But I don't enjoy much the kind of games resulting of that variation. So I am wondering to play 2. Bb5 (known as the Bird invitation). This gives white a solid position after 2... a6 or 2... c5. But I have a problem after 2... c6, which leads to this:


Do you think this is sound for white? How should white continue? There are hardly games like this one at the Chess.com database, and I have been searching on the Internet but found nothing. Some insight would be appreciated. Thanks.

Avatar of jonnin

not an expert but I might try e5 then try to hold it there with support, which may be tricky but if you can do it black is cramped.

Bc4 seems better to me though.  All Bb5 did that I can see is give black a tempo for nothing, and any "baiting" going on here seems to help black. That is, "tricking" black in to pushing that pawn did not hurt black at all, and probably helped!

Avatar of NimzoRoy

The fact that it's real hard to find games with this opening should tell you something. But just to make sure, I'll tell you: stop playing it. Just say no. Try learning some openings that are sound instead. As a diamond member you have lots of options here such as using the Game Explorer  to look up sound opening moves. Read some articles on opening theory (click on "Learn" at the top of the page) and/or watch some videos and/or start taking chess mentor lessons that teach openingprinciples.  

BTW after 1.e4 e6 (almost) everyone else plays 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5, 3.Nd2 or 3.Nc3.   This blog should be helpful too to get you started. GOOD LUCK!

http://www.chess.com/blog/NimzoRoy/chess-opening-principles 

Avatar of FreeCat

Thanks Nimzoroy, but I already knew those principles. What I lack is opening theory.

Avatar of bresando

both 2.Bb5 and 2.Bc4 (which just invites black to play d5 with tempo) are honestly horrible; by playing this kind of move you will certainly not improve your results. You have two alternative paths:

If you really don't like the blocked pawn chain structure resulting from the advance, you migth prefer to open the game with 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.c4; this is not dangerous in theory, but at least it gives you a reasonable position in which white is not worse. This is the quickest fix avaiable, it will give you reasonable results, and is ok if you have no particular ambition to improve your chess.

If you want to improve, then the only thing you can do is to open a chess strategy book and learn how to play proper french structures (i'm referring to the e5 pawn chain). This will take longer, but ultimately will improve your chess in general, not just your results against the french.

Avatar of Sortov

Itspaybacktime: clearly you are not banned, but give it time.......

Avatar of caveatcanis

Black could play 2...Qg5 3. Bf1 Qd8 and invite White to play a proper move this time. Smile

Avatar of aggressivesociopath

I like 2...a6 3. Be2 c5 with a tempo up in either a Kan, 2...c3 or passive closed sicilian.

Avatar of zborg

Play a reversed system instead.  Simple.

Tony Kosten, The Dynamic English, (1999, and reprinted 4 times) should work just fine. But the theory is big (and the fur can fly early) unless you know what you are doing.

Otherwise you are just "winging it" in the opening.  Making it up as you go along.

Why bother?

Avatar of sftac

You're very weak at openings, yet start with 1.e4

Suggestion:  try 1.d4 (much easier going)

sftac

Avatar of Mandy711

Weak at openings? Study. Fundamental Chess Openings is a good book to start.

Avatar of Stormstout
Mandy711 wrote:

Weak at openings? Study. Fundamental Chess Openings is a good book to start.

This. Study French Defense 1 hour from there and you'll be more than fine.

Avatar of Robertososa64

2..a6

Avatar of Mainline_Novelty

I thought the only people who played 2.Bb5 were people who had pre-arranged a draw...

Avatar of shepi13
FreeCat wrote:

Thanks Nimzoroy, but I already knew those principles. What I lack is opening theory.

You know the principles, yet you invite black to gain tempo on your bishop?? Bb5 seems to go against all opening principles.

Avatar of AquilaZeta

1.e4 e6 2.Bb5 Qg5 3.Bf1 Qg6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.e5 Ne4 

I prefer black when facing this position

Avatar of LoveYouSoMuch

yeah, i wish i could say something good, but there just isn't anything good to say about this

if you want something original you might want to try 2 c4, it's not too good either but at least it does lead to some ok original positions. i wouldn't recommend either though