I use Nf3 as a flex move before c4 or 2. b3?! . If you get ...d5 2. c4 your opponent probably doesn't want to push d4 so a reverse Benoni type might be okay?
Response against 1.Nf3
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Aug 8, 2017
0
#23
Merovwig: Bon, tu pourrais écrire en français aussi, j'habite à Toulouse. Je vais continuer en anglais pour les autres. 
Contrary to U, John Nunn is not categoric at all. First of all, he praised databases. 
Then he made some well-explained cautions. That's clear and wise. Personally, I consider statistical results as an interesting info not as the absolute truth.
Yigor a écrit :
Personally, I consider statistical results as an interesting info not as the absolute truth.
I am saying nothing else, I was reacting to the "'the unique objective criterion of goodness or badness". 
penandpaper0089 wrote:
tennistree2 wrote:
penandpaper0089 wrote:
Other than playing something special against 1.Nf3 you could try this stuff:
1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Bg2 dc
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.g3 e6 4.Bg2 b5
You might need to think about what you want to do against Reti's old setup with 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 (2...dc) 3.b3 as well.
Thanks, I was planning on keeping my black repitoire against d4 and just use it against Nf3.
The first line you mentioned I am already playing(with dxc4). My main issue is with the move order where they delay c4 until after I commit Be7.
The second line is very interesting. I have never seen it before or looked at it. I will research it further and see how good it is.
To be honest most of the reti lines don't scare me too much. It's perfectly fine for white but I haven't really had any trouble on the black side of it.
Thanks for the response!
White can generally delay playing d4 or c4 depending on what he wants to do.
When they delay d4 it's usually to either avoid ...Bb4+ systems or to only play the move b3 after Black has castled to avoid ...Be7-f6 ideas. I'm not really sure why they delay c4 other than maybe to avoid some early ...dxc4 stuff. At any rate both move orders seem to avoid the position you want to get into so you may have to find something to counter these ideas like that early 4...b5 move that Black wouldn't be able to play in a typical position.
Could you maybe show me some ideas in the b5 line using a diagram?
I'm sorry Yigor, but I have to agree with Merovwig. Statistics on move 1 mean nothing. I was looking more for something than one move but rather a deeper variation. Thanks for all advice all anyways.
Y
D5 or Nf6
D5
I personally think that 1...,Nf6 is the best choice.
A) it stops white from playing e4. (Nf6xe4) this limits white to a d pawn type game or an English ( in general, but any move 2 or 3 or so forth is possible).
B) which brings me to my next point. It keeps black flexible so as not to be caught in transposition. Remember white still has the first move. Until white commits a pawn move, you have no idea which opening or pawn structure you will be in. If you commit a pawn move too soon as black, you may end up in an inferior variation of an opening that you never intended to play.
C) study Victor Kroichnoi. He was the master at dancing through the transpositional possibilities.
May 17, 2025
0
#35
If you play a sicilian 1... c5 is a great option. If white ever plays e4 you transpose into a familiar line. Other lines where d4 cxd4 get played skirt around a transposition to the sicilian, with many similar patterns. And otherwise ... If white plays it slow, i.e. plays g3 early.... counter his fianceto with b6. If he continues to play slow... often by playing b3, d3, or e3... then you can double fiancetto with b6/g6. The kings bishop is basically neutralized and you just get an equalish positional game, often reminiscent of a botvinnik setup... it's a position that can be played without much memorization, which is good against a Reti player... and the double fiancetto along with your grip on d4 is quite nice.
What I also like about it is it frees you up to play unique lines against d4.
B6
Just for your information, I quickly translate here a small part of John Nunn's book I was speaking about (from French back to English, so forgive me, that's my broken English, not GM Nunn writing his own language like a monkey).
The chapter is called "Of the good use of computers":
"After praising databases, it is time to warn you. It is said that figures lie and it is true one has to be aware of the dangers of statistical treatments in opening preparations. Let's talk about two common issues. The first one is that there may be not enough games for a reliable conclusion. The other is that in a given position, the best move may have been rarely played. Let's imagine for instance a variation which has been played for years and which is broadly considered favourable for White. Suddenly, Black introduces a very strong novelty; this one is played on two or three occasions, then everyone knows it and White stops entering this line. In statistics, the long period favourable to White would weight more than the few games won by Black, giving the wrong impression of the value of the variation. This kind of problem is likely to appear in sharp opening variations, and in such lines it is essential to be cautious."
From my point of view, I remain statistics does not give clues about essential reasons to play or not a variation such as for instance the player being comfortable with the type of position. But once again, before we waste more OP's thread, his question is about transposition issues in the opening. ^^