Any thoughts on the Scandinavian?

Best reply, by far, is:

1. e4 d5; 2. d4!!!

And if 2...dxe4; 3. f3!!!!

BDG rocks! 😀

Originally posted by nimzo5
There is always going to be certain openings that bug you. Objectively, there is no reason to have a particular aversion to seeing the Scandy but if it bothers you at least you can be somewhat reassured since it is far less common than the Sicilian, e5, French or Caro.

The best advice I can give you is to grab a bunch of master games in each of the core l ...[text shortened]... l for where you want to go with a variation. Stick with what makes sense to you and build on it.

This is what I've been doing, but so far it's been like what I imagine a gay guy would feel going through a Victoria's Secret catalogue. Nothing inspiring yet!

Originally posted by greenpawn34
First of all let's call it by it's correct name shall we. The Centre Counter.

Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway and Sweden) all have a main line
or a varition named after them. This is just being plain greedy.

1.e4. Loads of good points about this move the bad news is that the main
Black defences all act on the fact the e-pawn is undefened and lay sie ...[text shortened]... urself.

I would not lose any sleep over it. You will face 1....c5 and 1...e5 more often.

Thanks for this! I have been considering 2. Nc3, but have been waiting for another opinion on it. I'm going to look at this some more.

Originally posted by greenpawn34
In the 2.Nc3 variation we see in [b]Wiabj v rchillcott RHP 2007 Black
pushing the pawn to d4 and then walking into an unusal form of Legal's Mate.
The mating Knight comes from g3 instead of c3.

[pgn]
[Event "March 2007 Quartets IV"]
[Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"]
[Date "2007.11.02"]
[EndDate "2007.11.04"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Wiabj"]
[ ...[text shortened]... te.} 20. dxc5 Rb1+ 21. Kxb1 Qb8+ 22. Bb5 Bxb5 {White resigned}[/pgn][/b]

The first game you posted has made me a believer! There are shades of "the Alekhine Reversed", and the ideas and play I have been seeking.

Originally posted by atticus2
Best reply, by far, is:

1. e4 d5; [b]2. d4!!!

And if 2...dxe4; 3. f3!!!!

BDG rocks! 😀[/b]

Hi pdunne and atticus 2,

I have actually considered this route, but the two OTB 1. ... d5 players I know (at my local club) both say that all Scandinavian/Center Counter players are prepared, and relish the opportunity to play into the BDG. They proved it to me in blitz...

In turn, there seemed to be too many reasonable plans for black in the BDG. I'd be willing to try it CC, but I don't have the time necessary to prepare the BDG for OTB play. Not yet, anyway!

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Smile it off. Replies to this thread have already pretty much diffused any future shock. [b]As white, tactically play 3. B1 C3... develop routinely and castle early as GP and Tom suggested. As black, strategically play 1. E4 D5 frequently. Go to school on any particularly effective lines by white for future use whenever 1... D5 rears its 'ug ...[text shortened]... high flying NO-20 (favored by a morning line of 4.5). Also, gotta love Texas (MLB).

gb[/b]

(We pause briefly from our scheduled thread comments to bring you this sports update)

Since the Rangers beat the Rays, I want them to win it all. They sure seem good enough- their 6 and 7th batters could bat cleanup on most other teams!

Originally posted by Trev33
I don't play 1. e5 because i'm scared of 2. f4. I play that opening as white a lot but playing it as black gives me nightmares.

Why play something you're not comfortable with?

I quite like 2.e5 after d5 tbh, either that or just taking the d pawn and forgetting about my pawn but that leaves it difficult to push the f pawn.

I have played the KG OTB when I knew I would get 1. ... e5, and I transpose into it after 1. f4 e5 2. e4.

Here's the secret to playing the KG OTB:

1) You need to know the main line down cold, which begins (I'm only being half-facetious) 1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5. Most 1. ... e5 players act vaguely annoyed that you would play something they forgot existed, and they crank out the Falkbeer because they can't remember anything and want to simply mix it up. It's easy to play against if you know what you are doing -make them pay.

1A) Some 1. ... e5 players will be as above, but they will make the opposite choice and decline the gambit. Make them pay, too.

2) For everything else, just make sure you study Bxf7 sacrifices and look for two-movers.

3) Finally, remember that White almost always has the better ending in the KG. Black will often try to blunt the attack by going into an ending, and then realize after the smoke has cleared that they are worse or even lost- if you pay attention to your endgame prospects throughout the game.

I am waiting for someone like GM Joe Gallagher or GM Neil McDonald to write Starting Out: The King's Gambit- the format would be awesome for the opening, and it would encourage players to take a second look.

John Shaw should eventually have a new KG book out for Quality chess.

Originally posted by nimzo5
John Shaw should eventually have a new KG book out for Quality chess.

Isn't there almost three (Shaw, Taylor and Johnsen?) KG books "soon" to be released?