Whats the best way to respond to e4?

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KetoOn1963
spain284 wrote:

Gr8 explanation @KetoOn1963

Thank You.

There is no need to worry about move 2 at your level.  Just keep it simple.

If you want to play an unrated game of daily chess let me know. 

NFCHESS284

Thx i will

sndeww
Teo2007pro wrote:

King's Indian defence

... is not a defense to 1.e4

sndeww
spain284 wrote:

I play e5 but have come up against different variations. What's your opinion?

1...Nf6. The Alekhine's, although white can get a nice space advantage in all lines... if he plays 100% correctly, which isn't the case <2500. And even then the stockfish eval is less than +1, so it's fine, although @thrillerfan will be quick to point out that white scores well in the classical and exchange variations.

 

A-mateur

The first defense I learned against 1.e4 was the French. At a beginner level, it's as solid as a mountain: the scholar's mate is avoided!!! However, one needs to know the key ideas of 1...e6 before playing it. And the most important idea is having a solid pawn on d5.

At a beginner level you will meet mainly the exchange (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 and often coming from the move order 1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.d4) and the advance (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5) variations.
If you know how to play in the advance, but you opponent doesn't... you will have a good game! People playing it not because 3.e5 is the most natural move are very uncommon at my level.

The easiest way to play this variation is to focus on the idea of putting pressure on d4, with the moves 3...c5 (neother 3...Nc6 nor 3...f6 !), Nc6, Qb6, Nh6 (Ne7 works too), Nf5. And if there's a white bishop on d3, watch carefully if you can take the d4 pawn or not (the danger may be the discovery check Bb5+!) 

If your opponent plays 3.Nc3 or 3.Nd2, you will know he has some knowledge about chess; there is a quite strong possibility that he knows things about chess strategy etc, i.e. that he is a strong player (at your level). This is why I often play a variation giving black a sound pawn structure and that avoids too much risks: 3...dxe4, the Rubinstein variation (at a master level reputed drawish). Then the main ideas are to manage to have a knight on f6 (with moves like Nd7, Be7 and Ngf6), to castle on the king's side, to play c5 in order to challenge white's d4 pawn, and then to play b6 and Bb7. Ideas matter more than the precise move order.

Anyway, you are really likely to never meet 3.Nc3 or 3.Nd2 (or if you do, once a year!). 

sid0049

The best way to respond to e4 is resigns.

sndeww

For the french, if you don't like moving your f-pawn you should pick up something else

1. Know your advanced french theory

2. Be ready to be bored with the exchange french

3. Know your classical french theory

 

Of course, you can just play :

to avoid said theory on the classical lines, but one must be ready to face the advanced with a timely f6 push!

A-mateur

"Be ready to be bored with the exchange french"

happy.png I WAS bored by this variation (precisely 1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.d4). But I heard about a dynamic set-up that is not drawish at all: Bd6, Nc6, Nge7, Bg4, Qd7 and 0-0-0. The exchange variation won't be boring anymore if you use this system!