It's good to trade ideas like players would do at a post mortem.
There was a bit of speech play going though both games and I have to say
I spent more time looking at the other game till Black played 11..Bxh2+.
Background - this was a final so getting the plus early doors with Black
in our other game meant I was happy with a draw.
As a 1.e4 player I can confirm that 1...d5 is a pain.
It steers the game into unique positions (some similiar to the Caro Khan)
but on the whole every other defence by Black, White can maintain a pawn on e4.
I've tried everything against it.
2.f3 2.e5 2.d4 2.Nc3 but best is 2.exd5.
OK you get the tempo back when Black recovers his pawn but tempo
ceases to matter if Black plays correctly.
And usually Black is booked up enough to get out of the opening.
The drawback is Black has no e-pawn to attack.
No e-pawn to develop on. No tension. If White wants a draw.....
I started playing it myself just after Larsen defeated Karpov with it in the late
70's (Montral 1978) and it has been a part of my rep ever since.
It's solid, easy to play and you side-step White's book.
I put together 11 wins on the trot in the 90's mainly due to what Morgski
said: White's (usually at our level) don't have a line against it just two or three moves.
And it's real name is
The Centre Counter
A Scandinavian is an Avian that comes out of photo-copier after you have Scanned it.
I am the Sprint Duel 64 Champion. 😏
[Event "Sprint Duel 64"]
[Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"]
[Date "2013.06.05"]
[Round "7"]
[White "greenpawn34"]
[Black "morgski"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "1985"]
[BlackElo "1969"]
[EndDate "2013.06.19"]
[WhiteRating "1985"]
[BlackRating "1969"]
[GameId "10056050"]
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 {This is the line I play as Black.} 3. d4 e6 {I play 3...g6 Bg7 and 0-0 giving White plenty of time to 'crack' and play c4 then you play c6.} 4. Nf3 Be7 5. Bd3 {I do not take opening gambit pawns on principle. (see how I play v the Danish in the other game.)} 5... exd5 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 Nc6 {By now I was looking very good in our other game after White's 4.e5? and now....} 8. c3 {...we have an Exhanged French. If I wanted to mix it then I would have played c4 here.} 8... Bd6 9. Bg5 h6 10. Bh4 g5 {But me being me and I'm winning the other game...why not?} 11. Nxg5 {I get two pawns plus pressure and it looks easy to play (unlike the other game for him.) And anyway I've retreated the Bishop back one square, I am not retreating it again.} 11... Bxh2+ {Boogar! Never saw that. I'm taking it, never thought about anything else.} 12. Kxh2 Ng4+ 13. Kg1 {I saw the idea of Qxg4 but juddged Black was better. I swap my developed bit and develop his. That cannot be right. Maybe, maybe not. I never really looked it.} 13... hxg5 14. Bg3 f5 {Here he comes. I cannot allow f4. Saving grace is that c8 Bishop. I bet it liked 14....f5.} 15. f4 gxf4 16. Bxf4 {If you look at my games it is not often I get attacked. I'd shed a pawn or two to do the attacking first. We are lousy defenders. However years of hanging on in Latvians have taught me it's never as bad as it looks. .} 16... Qh4 {OK it's looking bad. He hitting f2. and is two moves away from bringing his Rook to the h-file. I can steal a defencive tempo with g3 but I must cover h2. so...} 17. Re2 {I like that, aggresive defending. I'll bring the other Rook to e1 and lash out at him.} 17... Kg7 {I thought it would be Kf7 to help keep a Rook off the 7th. If I double on the e-file I would not hesitate to shed the exchange with Re7+. I see now it's best.} 18. g3 {That's the defensive tempo I was talking about.} 18... Qh5 19. Qf1 {And I know from bitter experience a Queen defending on g2 (usually I see it on g7) makes an excellent defender if you are attacking you with a Queen leading the army.} 19... Rh8 20. Qg2 {Safe for now but if he is 3 moves away from tripling on the h-file.} 20... Qf7 {One of the reasons Kf7 was not played....strewth he has seen more than me.} 21. Nd2 Rh2 {I take it because it kills the attack and I get three bits for the Queen. (I am counting that c8 Bishop) I also get the h-file or the d-file. I did not consider any alternative. I have a fortress. I did not think he considered this. Else he would not have played Rh2.} 22. Qxh2 {See Morg's note. I was thinking I bet has not seen this. Round about here I was thinking I could bring my bits over to the Kingside and march my King to b1 where it will looking cute.} 22... Nxh2 23. Rxh2 Be6 24. Kf2 {Time for me to be clever with a King move. I've gone here to cover e1,e2,e3 and also head for the Queenside.} 24... Rh8 {He cannot allow me to double on the h-file.} 25. Rxh8 Kxh8 26. Rh1+ {Which I get with a tempo.} 26... Kg8 27. Nf3 {Suddenly it's me with the threats and he cannot get in.} 27... Qe7 28. Ne5 {Threating Rh8+ and Ng6+ } 28... Qg7 29. Be2 {No Qg4's in this game. I cannot see a win so it's fortress time.} 29... Ne7 30. Rh5 Qf8 {I'll take the perpetual.} 31. Rg5+ Kh7 32. Rh5+ Kg8 33. Rg5+ Kh7 {Good game. Got a bit of a fright.}