Position Analysis

dxe5

d5

You could play Bd3 after Na5.

OK, you got me there .

Yes, defending and not really taking any risks.

I've played Re1 in this position before, and it does close shut down the queen side while letting you get ahead with some space to move on the king side.

gosh...

7.dxe5! Nxe5?? 8.Nxe5 Bxe5 9.f4 Bd6 10.e5 +-

7.dxe5! Bxe5 8.Nxe5 Nxe5 9.Bb3, followed by 10.f4, with bishop pair, space advantage, development, and whatnot.

Thanks for the commments everyone!  What do you think about Bf4 attacking the e5 pawn?  If black takes your bishop, you can play e5.

7.de5 is positionally inconsistent: e5 is Black's soft spot- he has managed to protect it blocking his own development, so it really does not make sense to release the tension by taking on e5. True, you get the bishop pair, but you lack development, and Black's knights have decent squares to occupy.

Why not simply 7.Bb3 with the idea increasing the pressure on e5 by Nbd2-Nc4? Stopping that with ...b5 allows the usual a2-a4 stuff.

You can also start with 7.Nbd2 I guess, since there are no ...Nxe4 or ...Na5 tricks. Even 7.Bd5!? Qe7 8.Nbd2 is a way to increase the pressure against e5.

@ chess608: You watch too many westerns. After 7.Bf4 ef4 8.e5 Be7 9.ef6 Bxf6 10.Re1+ Ne7 Black will castle comfortably, and while white will be trying getting back that pawn on f4, play ...d5 and make good use of his bishop pair.

Party pooper.  They were having so much fun with their SWAGs (Scientific Wild Ass Guesses.)  And I was enjoying watching them learn.  Sometimes the Socratic method of teaching is best.

The reason chess608 watches so many westerns is because he wants to be a "professional gunslinger" very strong player.