The merits of 1.g4

Have you ever had to play against someone who always opens with 1.g4? I know someone who's beaten IMs with that move. After black plays an eventual d5 he is not afraid to sack the g pawn. He explained to me that he usually goes for a vicious kingside attack, using the open g file, often castling on the queenside. My problem is tha tmost books do not go indepth  about this opening, disregarding it as  useless, and  'not the best way for white to go for the advantage', so I am surprisingly weak against it in tournament play. I was looking at some lines online, but in most of the lines analyzed white tries to defend the g4 pawn with h3, which slows him down and makes him play a defensive game for the rest of teh game.

It's been a while since I have had to face it and I wish i had documented some games to demonstrate.

I usually play the Sicilian/Acclerated Dragon against 1.e4, which could go

And I play the Nimzo Indian Defense against 1.d4, which could go something like this:

Does anybody have an interesting encounter with this line, and cold possibly provide some good analysis on how to combat it, or perhaps how to use it wellas white?

qa4

Have you ever had to play against someone who always opens with 1.g4?

No.

mike_y wrote:

I know someone who's beaten IMs with that move.

It always bugs me when people say things like that. Nothing against you personally, it's a common way of speaking. However: he didn't beat an IM "with" the move 1.g4 - he beat the IM with good play throughout the rest of the game. The IM didn't say "oh my gosh, 1.g4!! I resign."

Many different openings are playable, and it's possible to win a game after making any of the 20 possible first moves. Some openings are theoretically superior to others though. With accurate play black should have no trouble equalizing against the Grob Attack (1.g4).

He explained to me that he usually goes for a vicious kingside attack, using the open g file, often castling on the queenside.

That opening does lead to several neat traps though, so player of the black pieces beware!

I've beaten GMs with 1. e5 e5 2. Nf3 d5!? - in blitz of course.

Every level of player has lost to every garbage opening, it happens.

As to the Grob, I've always found holding d5 with c6 and playing Ne7 instead of f6 (which holds d5 but also gives the Knight the g6 square to land on, making g4 a bit silly) gives a good game where white's machinations look a bit silly. Instead of castling q-side (which again, c6 has provided a lever for b5 etc) white usually has to remain on the k-side and go to f1....

I dont care about blitz, in blitz anything is possible. What about a 2 hour+ game?

Gonnosuke, thankyou.

1.e5 e5?

You have the same move twice.

I like the simple system with 1. g4 e5 2. Bg2 Ne7 threatening Nf5.  I played it against a player who loves the Grob and it caught him off guard, since he is used to more classical development, but I think you should respect someone's opening choice to play something that makes sense AGAINST what they choose.

I am well aware the he beat the IM with good play and that is not what this thread is about. So you are not really telling me anything new, and did not give any analysis after 1.g4.. Ok then what?

Thanks for the input. I will be sure to try it out.