After 1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bg5 Nbd7 4. Qd3 h6



White isn't supposed to play 5. Bxf6 because of the line 5. ...Nxf6 6. e4 dxe4 7. Nxe4 Nxe4 8. Qxe4 c6!



Black threatens ...Qa5+ followed by ...Bf5, equalizing (at least). If 9. O-O-O then ...Qd5 =.

9. Bd3 has been tried, but ...Be6 is supposed to equalize. I was wondering if white could try 9. Bd3 Be6 10. c4!? Qa5+ 11. Kd1



Here black has a few reasonable options.

11. ...Qa4+ 12. b3 Qa3 13. Kc2 (or 12. ...Qb4 13. Kc2)

11. ...g6 12. g4 h5 13. Nf3!? hxg4 14. Ne5 looks interesting

11. ...O-O-O will probably transpose, as black is probably going to play both ...g6 and ...Qa4+ at some point.

It seems to me that white might maintain an edge here.

so let's say 11.. g6 12. g4 Bg7 and where are you going to play? I honestly think black is just better, two bishops/no weaknesses. What am I missing?

edit: maybe instead 11.. g6 12. g4 h5 13. Nf3 Bg7 even better so that you don't have some random f4-f5 pushes.

Yeah I doubt White can objectively have anything more than equality. But hey it's the Veresov, you are not supposed to get an edge anyway, just a messy position with relatively little theory

After simple development with g6 g4 Bg7 followed by 0-0 and Rd8 I don't see any reason why White should be better. White has a weak king and weak pawns.. where's the compensation?

Black is way better here, you don't need to analyse variations to see that black has two lovely bishops with the queens on in a position where white's king is stuck in the centre on an open board.....

As a side note, why are we playing Kd1 and not Ke2?

Ke2 makes much more sense to me - get the King's rook into the game ASAP (Rhd1 or Rhb1!? followed by b4) and drop back with the King to f1 if necessary. Also in a line like 11.Ke2 g6 12.Nf3 Bf5 13.Qe5 Qxe5 14.dxe5 Bxd3 15.Kxd3 the King might actually be well-placed in the centre.

Mind you, I still don't really believe in White's position, but this looks like a better try to me.

Agree with this. With the bishop on e6 and the e-pawn not moving anytime soon, white has plenty of time to get the king's rook out and put the king on f1. Looks much better unless there is a concrete refutation we're missing.