Quote:
Originally Posted by coon74
Oh wait. While examining databases, I've found a powerful response for Black to the 2. b3 Bird's which has no mirror analogue for White vs the Dutch. (You can still play 2. b3 vs the vast majority of players - those who don't like 2. Bg5 vs the Dutch. Otherwise you'll be toast.)
1. f4 d5 2. b3 Bg4 3. h3 Bh5 4. g4 e6! (5. gxh5?? Qh4#; e3 is superstandard in the corresponding 2. Bg5 Dutch line) 5. Nf3 Qf6! (exploiting the exposed long diagonal that Black doesn't have in the Dutch!) 6. d4 Bg6, and the position is totally ugly for White, e.g. 7. e3 Bb4+ 8. Bd2 Bd6, and White's dark-square bishop is misplaced on d2, while his LSB lacks the d3 square (will be traded off after appearing there).
Hence White has to play either 3. Bb2 (then Black swaps the knight off as soon as it appears on f3 or h3, busting White's pawn structure) or the reverse Leningrad, 1. f4 d5 2. b3 Bg4 3. g3, whose mirror analogue (g6) is an inferior (to h6) response to Bg5 in the Dutch.
Like to all your posts! I like the setup f4,Nf3,e3,b3,Bb2 and go for control of e5.
