How to Punish Opening Flaws [Super Compilation Thread]

Sort:
defenserulz

A thread devoted to learning how to punish opening flaws.  Feel free post your own examples and to study in this thread.  Hopefully, this will be a useful tool for people interested in this topic.  

To get the party started, here is a very well-known opening scenario (discussed here at the 12 minute mark of this GM Varuzhun Akobian lecture on opening ideas and tactics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f46ymbyHJS0  ):

 

From this critically flawed position, WHITE can punish BLACK in one of two variations:  

 

In this first variation, if BLACK tries to block check with pawn to G6 (after taking WHITE's Knight on E5), then BLACK automatically loses a Rook and the game is an easy win.  In the second variation below, if BLACK moves the King to avoid check, then an easy checkmate follows:

So either way, if BLACK takes the Knight on E5 on MOVE #3, then this game is an easy win.  At very best, BLACK loses the center pawn (if the Knight isn't taken).  At worst, BLACK loses the game on the spot (if the Knight is taken).  All of this is due to BLACK opening up lines to the King by protecting the center pawn with pawn to F6 on MOVE #2.  That vulnerability is then easily exploited.

csalami

The best move after 3. Nxe5 is 3..Qe7. But there are many ways to play against this weak move. 3. d4 and 3. Bc4 are good as well.

turbo_racecar

what if they start with e4 e5 nf3 nc6 then f6

CaroKannEnjoyer02

This is an opening that is very common at beginner level, and is a good example of how to "disprove the move", or take advantage of a bad move.

First, when I see a move, I ask what the purpose of the move is. It is obviously to prevent any nuisances from appearing on the g5 squares, especially a knight. However, this move doesn't do anything to fight for the center, and isnt ever related to the fight on the center, only for that one square.

So, how do we punish it? We punish blacks lack of play in the center by making center go boom, which allows us to use our superior peices to full effect.

CaroKannEnjoyer02
turbo_racecar wrote:

what if they start with e4 e5 nf3 nc6 then f6

You mean like this?

Then the e5 pawn is actually protected by the knight. This variation is bad, but not terrible.