Originally posted by Sicilian SmaugI think black is already better here:
How about this as a response to the French? 2)c4 which i believe is the Steiner variation.. now if black plays 2)...d5 they will come out unfavourably from the exchange..Game 1516085
Originally posted by WildfireBlack's pieces have greater mobility, black controls the center, and in an endgame, white's d-pawn is a serious liability.
Hmm...but couldn't white play Nc3, thus gaining a development advantage? I don't think that white's isolated d pawn is that much of a hindrance.
White can use the dynamic potential of the IQP only after catching up with black in deployment. Hitting the queen with Nc3 begins this effort, but hardly regains the advantage that white already has sacrificed.