The line 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.a3 Nc6 5.e3 came up the other day in another thread, but I can't remember where. Anyway, I got a chance to try this line out in correspondence game on chess.com recently. Do it Right was the one advocating this line, and I have to say, I really like it. Here's the game.

http://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-game...r.php?id=70324

I don't think black played the opening optimally, but these types of positions are certainly much more fun to play as white than the standard g3 stuff.

I have a couple of questions for feedback on the game, if y'all wouldn't mind.

The diagram below is the position after 16...Re8, white to move. What should white's plan be here?



During the game, my thought process is that white has a slight advantage. He has the clearly better center, open f-file, and a light squared bishop that can't be opposed. I struggle with positions like this though, because black has no clear weaknesses to attack and it's tough for me to materialize white's general advantages into something concrete. Ultimately I decided to focus on the f7 square, as I couldn't find anything else reasonable to do.

With 24.b4, I decided that white could put quite a bit of pressure on the black queenside, especially with white's queen and knight on the queenside. If black trades queens, that won't diminish white's queenside initiative.

Black blunders with 26...Kg7? and the game is quickly decided after that.

Any thoughts or feedback at all would be helpful, I'm not very good at playing positions such as the one in the diagram.

I didn't look at the game, but I think c5 followed by moving the Bishop to the a2-g8 diagonal looks like the most promising plan. I'm not sure if 1.c5 is the most precise, or some other preparatory move like 1.b4 or 1.Qc2.

Ok, my thoughts after looking at the game,

I could be totally wrong here, but I think after your move 1.Qf3 c5!?, Black should have sufficient counterplay (if 2.d5, either 2...Rf8 and Nd7 or just 2...Bd6).

So probably 1.c5 is the way to go - and the natural move 1...Nd5 doesn't seem to work after 2.Rxf7, creating a decisive attack.

I think you're completely right, an earlier c5 plan was called for. At the time, I was undecided on what to do, so I started shuffling pieces to the kingside. Thanks for the help.

i didnt check the game, but douglas :
QF3, c5 ?!
Nd5 seem pretty easy to find followed by Qf5 ?

im torn between bc2 and Qd3 to create weakness or the immediate Qf3 follwed by Ne4 followed by Qf5 ( depending black response )