Originally posted by exigentsky
In another forum, it was said that if White plays Ndb5 and then Nc3 in the K, Black would have to play Nf6 and transpose into the S anyway in order not to be worse. Thus, players don't want to allow the bind and still have to play the S. It's more theory for no benefit. Is this true?
You don't necessarily have to play ..Nf6, and you aren't necessarily worse. You can play ..Nge7 or the rarer are maybe less convincing but interesting ..Nce7. Then line with ..Nge7 can become very sharp. For instance:
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d6 6. N1c3 a6 7. Na3 b5 8. Nd5 Nge7 9. Bg5 h6 10. Qh5 hxg5 11. Qxh8 Nxd5 12. exd5 Qa5+ 13. c3 b4 14. Nc4 Qxd5 15. Rd1 Qe4+ 16. Be2 Qxg2 17. Nxd6+ Ke7 18. Nxc8+ Rxc8 19. Rf1 bxc3 20. bxc3 Nb4 21. Qh7 Rxc3 22. Qf5 Nc2+ 23. Kd2 Rc5 24. Bd3 Nd4 25. Qe4 Qxe4 26. Bxe4 f5 27. Bb1 Ke6
Was a game where black acquired quite a large advantage. The main line runs not 9. Bg5 but 9. c4! Nd4 10. cxb5! Nxd5 11. exd5 Bd7 12. Be3 Be7 with enormously complicated play. It's all very interesting. I was actually considering adding the Kalashnikov or the Sveshnikov as a back up to the Dragon.
Also, in the Kalashnikov, you don't have to just sit there if they play c4. You can play some interesting options with ..f5 afforded to you by the fact that you haven't played ..Nf6 yet. So:
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Ndb5 d6 6. c4!? Be7 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 f5!? Where normally after 9. exf5 Bxf5 10. Bd3! Be6! , black trades a slightly worse pawn structure for activity and some happiness knowing that White doesn't have a stronger grip on d5. I would encourage EVERYONE in this forum who reads this to find the awesome game Nunn-Nataf, where instead of 9. exf5, the great John Nunn opts for 9. Bd3, and gets absolutely hammered in one of the greatest sacrificial attacks I've seen in a long time.