@156
Are you FM Bruno Dieu and do you recommend your own book?
Thoughts on 1.Nc3
Sort:
Aug 9, 2024
0
#164
There is no line in the Van Geet that can't be transposed into good positions that are played regularly at the GM level. And that's ignoring some of the best lines in the Van Geet, which are its unique lines... There are tons of good openings that block the c pawn, such as the paulsen french, the mainline caro-kann blocks, the closed sicilian... the jobava london which we can play after the most testing move 1... d5 - completely viable at GM level, multiple GMs have made chessable courses on it. It is complete nonsense to suggest there is some theoretical problem with 1. Nc3. If you like the openings it leads to it is an excellent move.
Aug 9, 2024
0
#165
In addition to the closed scandinavian / chigorin setup you can also reach the reversed mexican defense from 1... d5, this is a perfectly viable line as well, I think it's underplayed... it transposes into other lines - some good lines in the jobava / veresov / two knights sicilian. It's also got a unique line where black plays 2... d4 which scores fine, it's actually more objectively sound than the closed scandinavian and right on par with the jobava...
Technically black doesn't know they won't be facing this when they play 1... d5 -
You can also play this against 1... d5 from the reti. If you combine this with the two-knights sicilian you've got the beginnings of an interesting reti repertoire.
Infact you can even take this a step further and respond to 1... Nf6 with 2. Nf3. This 3 knights setup can transpose into the two knights sicilian, the jobava, veresov, a classical pirc or philidor in some cases, after 2... c5 3. e4 it's a nimzowitsch sicilian, french / caro kann two knights, or a very odd four knights setup which can become an e4/e5 four knights game -
Another line after 1... d5, not entirely sound but still interesting is the amazon attack. 3... c5 is the only line that really gives it trouble. You can transpose into it throughout the Van Geet as well, though, and bypass the c5 line -
darkunorthodox88: 'is 1.nc3 d5 2.e4 just a line of the center counter, or the Van Geet Opening. The answer is "Yes"'
Ehr, no. If Black plays 2...c6, we're in a Caro-Kann, if Black plays 2...e6 it's a French defence. 1.Nc3 really has very little independent significance.
You fail at understanding the value of transpositions on a basic level.
It's about 23% of players who play the french or caro-kann, the other 77% will not be transposing into either the french or caro-kann here, so just right off the bat your argument falls flat on its face. Furthermore, as a french or caro-kann player you do not know whether white will play 2. e4 or 2. d4. And you should dispense with this fantasy that players always handle odd transpositions correctly in positions they've either never seen or have barely studied.
Of that 23% not all of them are going to transpose into the french or caro here, and some may accidentally... Obviously, because players stay in the Closed Scandinavian 85% of the time in this position, and many french / caro players played e6 or c6 on move one. No, I'm afraid you are just making a crap argument.