King's Pawn Game: Maroczy Defense - Help

I have encountered this defense at several occasions, and I have always chosen the variation: 3.dxe5 dxe5 4. Qxd8+. But far more popular is the move (instead of 3.dxe5) 3. Nf3. I do simply not understand why. By following the variation I usually choose, you take away black's ability to castle, as well as you can easily get the initiative.

Both 3. Nf3 and 3. dxe5 are standard book moves in that position, with the former is slightly more popular than the latter. I also play 3. dxe5. It takes away Black's ability to castle and allows White to put pressure on Black's position. White also has an easier time bringing the rooks into play. Perhaps 3. Nf3 is more popular because it transposes into the 3. d4 variation of the Philidor Defense.

3.d4xe5 doesnt bring white so much. Black has to move his king but will continue with c6 and Kc7, a safe place.

Structure is symmetrical, the only way to try to push will be to go for f4, but then e4 will be weak, not easy to prove anything.

Thats why advanced players prefer Nf3 to tranpose into a Philidor, and a bad one for black.

Indeed, the "modern" philidor is 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 and now white can chose between d4xe5 (theorically ok for black) which can tranpose into your move order, or Nf3 when black has Nd7.

The finesse of this move order (for black) is to avoid this possibility for white on the old move order :

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nd7 4.Bc4 c6 5.Nc3 (or 0-0) Be7 6.d4xe5 d6xe5 7.Ng5! with an advantage for white... White cannot make this in the modern move order, because here black was forced to play c6 for tactical reasons, while in the modern move order, its not the case.

Thank you to all of you for explaining this to me. I didn't look at it that way! 

You're welcome!

One problem for Black with 1. e4 d6 2. d4 e5 3. dxe5 dxe5 4. Qxd8 is that White still has multiple options on where how to develop the Nb1, i.e. manuevering in a way that could more easily target e5.  The alternative 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5, after the Q-swap, Nc3 has already been played, and is easier for Black to play.

1. e4 d6 2. d4 e5 3. Nf3 as mentioned, will likely transpose to the Antoshin variation of Philidor's Defense after 3...exd4 4. Nxd4 Be7, playable, but Black can easily be wiped off the board if they are not careful.

This is all monkey shines...... The real line of the Maroczy defense is the very Sharp. 3. dxe5 Qe7 4. exd6 Qxe4+ 5. Be3 Bxd6 and so on

3.Nf3 transposes into the Philidor

Hola

eres tonto

Why?

That's a good point  

I will concede this point to the International master. However Stockfish loves this move and recommends it as the answer to 3. dxe, But I mean whatever your probably stronger than Stockfish anyway. But I have had nothing but great games with it at club competitive level. Allot due to the surprising nature of it. I had one game against a 1700 which went something like 1.e4 d6 2. d4 e5 3. dxe Qe7 4. exd Qxe4+ 5. Be3 Bxd6 then he blundered a pawn and played the move 6. Bd3 met by of course Qxg2 followed by Qf3 QxQ NxQ then My Bishop goes to G4 and I had a cracking game. Nc3 just gives you time to move your queen somewhere threatening. There's absolutely no reason why this line is stupid. Except from perhaps your Arrogance. But I guess you've earned the right to be a little arrogant given your title. So I respectfully resign my point on this position to the IM's expertise.

Sure Qe7 is stupid, it makes nothing to develop your pieces.

If white doesn't go in your exd6/Qxe4 thing (which is probably better for white anyway which will gain tempo on your queen later), u will take on e5 at some point with a stupid queen on e7.

Thus we can consider this line as stupid : not arrogance, just a fact!

Another IM who is apparently stronger than Stockfish. I'd much rather take advice from Stockfish than an International master thank you very much. You don't even know what tempo is, if you think that having your queen on e4 after having developed more pieces than white I.E even after bashing your queen away with Nc3 You are still even on development. I mean maybe it's not arrogance, maybe you just need to learn to count? Lets do it together like a preschool class shall we?

How many pieces has black developed? 1 Queen and 1 Bishop

How many pieces has white developed? 1 Bishop/Knight

So lets add that up 2 pieces developed for Black 

1 piece developed/ PINNED! for White

So lets see what happens after Nc3

Queen goes anywhere on the board she pleases preferably in her own half.

Now White has 2 pieces developed 

Black has 2 pieces developed

Black would rather his queen wasn't developed early

White would probably wish his minor piece had gone to somewhere slightly more productive than just in front of his king which could still be pinned for a duration if black decides that Qe7 is playable and it is! 

I mean I'm no IM sure but I can perform simple mathematical calculations. soin a couple of years time when i'm a Candidate Master and your all still IM's i'll come back to this post and inform you what I still think about this opening. Bare in mind I'm 12 years old and have only been playing chess for half a year. And I'm already 1300

Also another point to be made here. You aren't arguing with me a 1300. You are arguing with Stockfish 9, a solid 3400. Not only that, you aren't even arguing with Stockfish 9's calculative power. You are quite literally arguing with the OPENING BOOK of stockfish 9 the opening book of the most powerful chess engine on earth! Idiots, Uhter Arrogant Idiots!

Taking away your opponent's ability to castle doesn't usually mean much if you can't follow it up with a fast, strong attack - which usually means you bring your queen in with support.  Oh, wait, you just traded your queen and have nothing developed.  So, how are you going to take advantage of removing their ability to castle?

Hilarious kid

Well at least I know how to count to 2