Originally posted by AThousandYoungNow we can see the danger of White's early c4 move. Played incorrectly will lead to disaster. The the normal bookline is really Nc3. It develops the Knight and gain tempo with respect to the Black Q. Though it's not really proven that Black's Qa5 is not a sound move, It is a threat in the long run. In my almost 701 games employing the Center Counter, Black's Q on a5 is a strong move...
Here is the game between me and Marlone56 exploring this opening:
Game 706665