The effect for white is to have some control in the center.
A good continuation for black is (I think) Nf6
Sicilian variation
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If you play e4 and c4 together you leave a huge hole at d4. Do you really want to commit such a pawn weakness so early and unforced? Imagine the effect a knight will have in that square. A good response would be either g6 or Nc6 to aim at locking it down with pieces.
I don't think Nf6 is very effective because white has e5 and you'll end up in a difficult to play for black Alekhine defence. I think that Nc6 is more effective, then with g6, Bg7, 0-0, and it could transpose to a position that looks a bit like the Maroczy Bind.
rijkieboy wrote:
I don't think Nf6 is very effective because white has e5 and you'll end up in a difficult to play for black Alekhine defence. I think that Nc6 is more effective, then with g6, Bg7, 0-0, and it could transpose to a position that looks a bit like the Maroczy Bind.
+1
2.c4 is a somewhat unflexible move. W restricts his bishop immediately and fails to put pressure on B. B can either aim at developing and then breaking the center with e6-d5 or at locking the position with e5 in my view. W should probably reserve c4 for later, when e5 is impossible (for example after 2.Nf3) and B has committed himself to a different pawn formation with, say, 2...d6.
The idea of c4 is not bad in itself but needs better timing. Look at 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6(accelerated dragon) 5.c4 for example. Here c4 is strong, since e6 would create a pawn weakness on the open d file and the d5 break is hard to archieve thanks to the open d-file.
How effective is this line for white ?
1)e4 ... c5
2)c4 ....
And what is a good continuation for black ?
Do respond.