3. Nf3?! hasn't been tested much at the highest level. If you can find a way to keep the initiative after 3... dxe4, you won't need to worry about the Falkbeer ever again. Not saying it's any good, but if you must avoid the Falkbeer when playing 2. f4, you don't have many options.
But the main line as Korch gives is excellent for white and one of the main reasons I consider 2... d5 a weak move if it is followed by 3... e4? (3... exf4 is solid imo, but that's not truly Falkbeer).
Originally posted by KorchI agree. This is usually given as the main line, and I've always had good results with white. If the line is to be saved from the black perspective, it will be in one of the sidelines. 6...Bb4+!? or 7...0-0!? may be of interest.
In my opinion position after 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 e4 4.d3 Nf6 5.dxe4
Nxe4 6.Nf3 Bc5 7.Qe2 Bf5 8.Nc3 Qe7 9.Be3 is clearly better for white.
By the way I used to think 6.Be3 (instead of 6.Nf3) was a safe way of obtaining a small advantage for white, but in Game 1597949 hww seems to have rehabilitated a line for black that was considered virtually a win for white. I may have even been a little bit lucky to have scrambled a draw from that game.
Here's an interesting adjourned OTB club match I'm (still!) playing against an ECF 128 (1850 Elo) rated player.
He played the Vienna gambit & I replied with 3...d5 the Falkbeer variation.
[Event "Club Championship"]
[Site "Crawley Chess Club"]
[Date "25/10/07"]
[White "M. Harris"]
[Black "S. Collyer"]
[TimeControl "42 in 90"]
[Result "??"]
[ECO "C29"]
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.exd5 e4 5.d4 Bb4 6.Bd2 O-O 7.Be2 Bxc3 8.bxc3 c6 9.c4 cxd5 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.c4 Nf6 12.d5 Bf5 13.Qb3 b6
14.O-O-O Nbd7 15.Bb4 Re8 16.Qe3 Rc8 adjourned
white to play
I think 14.0-0-0? is too loose. 14.Nh3 then 0-0 looks much better to me & I think this could be my first big club scalp. 🙂
Originally posted by SquelchbelchNa3 then ...b5!
Here's an interesting adjourned OTB club match I'm (still!) playing against an ECF 128 (1850 Elo) rated player.
He played the Vienna gambit & I replied with 3...d5 the Falkbeer variation.
[Event "Club Championship"]
[Site "Crawley Chess Club"]
[Date "25/10/07"]
[White "M. Harris"]
[Black "S. Collyer"]
[TimeControl "42 in 90"]
[Result "??"]
[E ...[text shortened]... -0 looks much better to me & I think this could be my first big club scalp. 🙂
Originally posted by Squelchbelch...Nc5 and white just exchanges the knight off and his problems aren't entirely over but he is probably looking at a draw...look at ...b5! a little deeper
I think ...Nc5 next, with threat of ...Nd3+ & white is in deep trouble.
It's a bit naughty posting adjourned OTB games for analysis on here but I guess he can use Fritz or whatever to look at this position.