Quote:
Originally Posted by garcia1000
I've been browsing openings on chessgames.com. The cool guys playing 1...d5 are now doing this:
1. e4 d5
2. exd5 Qxd5
3. Nc3 Qd6
4. d4 Nf6
And then either ... a6 or ...c6 next move depending on what white develops next.
Any comments on this?
Also, it seems to me that 3. Nf3 is a far superior move for white, because then he can do d4 and then c4 with gain of tempo.
I was looking at this line last weekend because I thought one of my opponents might play it. I felt really happy about my chances after looking at games like this one:
[Event "CRO-chT"]
[Site "Sibenik"]
[Date "2005.10.06"]
[Round "8.4"]
[White "Zelcic, Robert"]
[Black "Sermek, Drazen"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B01"]
[WhiteElo "2533"]
[BlackElo "2531"]
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd6 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 a6 6. g3 Bg4 7. Bg2 Nc6 8. O-O O-O-O 9. d5 {It looks like Black might be OK here and maybe White has even overstretched with the d-pawn, but Black can't solve his problems here and he does terrible in practice}
Nb4 (9... Ne5 10. Bf4 Nxf3+ 11. Bxf3 Bxf3 12. Qxf3 Qd7 (12... e5) 13. Rad1 {and Black still has problems with his development})
10. h3 Bh5 11. Bf4 Qc5 12. Be3 Qd6 {if Black's best chance out of the opening is to try to repeat moves, it can't be good} ({the alternative is} 12... Qa5 13. g4 Bg6 ({GM Michele Godena decided instead to give up the exchange out of desperation with} 13... Nbxd5 14. Nxd5 Rxd5 15. Bd2 Rxd2 16. Qxd2 Qxd2 17. Nxd2 +/- {but soon lost anyway, Kotronias-Godena, Batumi 2002}) 14. Nd4 Nbxd5 15. Nb3 Qb4 16. Nxd5 Nxd5 17. Bxd5 e6 18. a3 Qb5 19. c4 Qe8 20. Bxb7+ Kxb7 21. Na5+ Kc8 22. Qf3 +- {and Black cannot stop the invasion of the White Queen, Skripchenko-Mamedjarova, EU-chT(W) 2007})
13. Bf4 Qc5 14. Be3 Qd6 (14... Qa5)
15. Qe2 e5 (15... Nbxd5 16. Nxd5 Nxd5 17. Rad1 Qf6 18. c4 Nxe3 19. Rxd8+ Kxd8 20. Qxe3 +/- {it's surprisingly hard for Black to deal with the threats based around Qa7, Rasik-Antoniewski, Ostrava 2006})
16. dxe6 Qxe6 17. g4 Bg6 18. Nd4 Qe7? {this looks like the decisive mistake} ({After} 18... Qe8 {I think White is clearly more comfortable but Black has chances. h7-h5, Bf8-d6, either N to d5 are ideas.})
19. a3 Nbd5 20. Nxd5 Nxd5 21. Nc6! bxc6 22. Qxa6+ Kd7 23. c4 Be4 24. cxd5 cxd5 25. Qb5+ Kc8 26. Qa6+ Kd7 27. Rac1 Bxg2 28. Rxc7+! Kxc7 29. Rc1+ Kb8 30. Qb6+ 1-0
Of course there are lots of alternatives for Black. But I think he isn't causing White any problems and if you aren't causing White problems then you should at least be able to get your pieces out, that didn't happen in a lot of these games.
Still 3...Qd6 has been played by lots of strong players (including very regularly by Tiviakov) and I've played openings that are ten times dodgier. So I can't say you should avoid it, all I'm saying is that it doesn't scare me as White.
Of course, in the actual game my opponent played 1...c5 (much more scary) and went on to win. So much for preparation.
Last edited by RoundTower; 04-08-2009 at 08:35 AM.