Taking d4 for a test drive.

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Avatar of Woodkiller

Not sure why, but a couple days ago I decided that I wanted to try d4 out. I was always an e4 player, and I did enjoy it but I've always wanted to just try d4 and see what happens. I think the reason that d4 has always been attractive to me is that e4 has always seemed a bit dry even when the games are tactical. I enjoy both tactical and positional play, but I especially like dynamic positions with clear targets. I think d4 has that: Benko Gambit, KID, Tango, Grunfeld, and maybe Nimzo-Indian have all appealed to me as black although I haven't played all of those. e4 just seems sort of... loose. No matter what you guys say, I want to try d4 even if I end up going back.

So what are some lines I should be looking at? I think I'd like to play the Queen's Gambit, and I'm pretty sure I can work something out against the KID since that was my opening against d4 for a long time. I'm looking for relatively aggresive openings, although it doesn't matter if the king is the target or not.

Avatar of swanster

Queen's gambit is my bread and butter.  Always opened this way.  After d4, black can play almost anything and I'll still respond c4.  It's a great way to get the pawns involved in your non-castling side.  There are so many ways black can make mistakes if they try to hold the pawn they capture.  It leaves black playing rather defensively except when black plays either the Albin-Counter or Budapest Gambits, neither of which when responded to correctly by white, have much success.

Avatar of OsageBluestem

So e4 isn't enough for you? You just have to flirt with d4.

Avatar of Woodkiller

I've already cheated on e4 with Nf3, so its feelings for me are long gone by now.

Avatar of OsageBluestem

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