Indian Advanced.

Is this any good?

After 2 years and almost 4000 games I never got this once.

Now, twice in one day.....

Sure, as black you can respond with the Benko Gambit :D

I would play ...c5

2. d5 plusses and minusses:

• - doesn't contribute to the development of white pieces
• + may gain space

However it's doubtfull whether white can keep the space he gains. 2... e6! and if white tries to support the d5-pawn black can also undermine it with c6 and Bb4 (after Nc3 by white).

Conlclusion: 2. d5?! is questionable at best.

The only thing I don't like about 2...e6 is that white can try 3 dxe6, when 3...dxe6 is probably the move as the other recapture looks rather loose. Then white can trade queens. People seem to like to move their king at an early stage, but I was never too crazy about it, especially here since now the usual ...c6 may look a little odd with the e pawn on e6 instead of e5. Black can play with ...c5 and safeguard the king on c7, but this makes the development of his bishop a tad slower. Then again, black is ahead in development, having a knight out and the potential to move the bishop out, so that probably evens it out.

So yeah, ...e6 or ...e5!? which I kind of like (gains space of his own and frees up development; without the pawn on c5 for black his bishop can develop there, basically along the cracks made by d5, and later he can blast more stuff open with ...c6, thus white may want to bail out with dxe6) probably don't give black any trouble at all.

I think d5 pushes forward too quickly, which is especially bad because at the same time he's not developing. Still, black probably shouldn't be overambitious either, despite the move's rarity and instead be happy with an easy equality.

My blitz move would be 3... fxe6 without thinking - extra pawn in the centre and rook gets the open f-file after castling. Are there really some problems there?

I wouldn't think so, Shakaali, on the contrary 3...fxe6 looks much superior to 3...dxe6.

I guess it depends on how dynamic black can make his center. I certainly wouldn't just assume it's good for black because of the central majority (f file as well but that's nothing huge), as if it gets sufficiently undermined then his kingside is exposed. I'm surprised others would, though his position seems well developed that white can't do too much damage. I however would not agree that either move is much superior.

Black may not be so interested in saccing the b-pawn here. Perhaps simply 4... d5 and black is currently two development tempis ahead with a good central control.