In the Queen's Gambit Declined, is white's dark squared bishop best deployed on f4 or g5 (and perhaps outside the pawn chain), or is it better to hold back this bishop, and perhaps block its mobility with a pawn on e3?
Here's a game where my opponent slaughtered me quickly, perhaps because the bishop went to f4 and was then needed on d2.
Game 1578072
(Note: the game began as a Trompowski Attack, and transposed into a QGD.)
I would have to say g5 since it pins the knight and forces a decision from black. Some Nizmo-Bogo plays are also relucant to play it, if they know you bishop is coming to g5 althought I don't really care. I still play h6 and kick the bishop out.
With the Tromp though it might be diffucult keeping the bishop on g5 unless if you want to move it multiple times. I'm suprised you play the Tromp though. Do you play it in your OTB games?
Originally posted by RahimKI play it from time to time, mostly against players rated higher than me. I play the Levitsky as well.
Get good results with it? There were a couple of people who used to play it but we made them stop with the black pieces. If you're playing someone who doesn't know it then its good, but Black has decent lines to equalize early don't you think?
I get good positions, but not a lot of upset victories. Against lower rated players--OTB and correspondence--I usually get the expected results.
My first USCF rated game was against the Trompowsky, which I had never seen before. The man that played it against me played it exclusively as white. He stopped playing regularly in tournaments (or even coming to the club) after he got married. Sometimes I play the opening just because I miss him.
I don't worry about it from the black side, as I once did.
Originally posted by WulebgrThat game suffered not because of your bishop placement but because of black's outposted knight.
In the Queen's Gambit Declined, is white's dark squared bishop best deployed on f4 or g5 (and perhaps outside the pawn chain), or is it better to hold back this bishop, and perhaps block its mobility with a pawn on e3?
Here's a game where my opponent slaughtered me quickly, perhaps because the bishop went to f4 and was then needed on d2.
Game 1578072
(Note: the game began as a Trompowski Attack, and transposed into a QGD.)
I normally play Bg5 (before Nf3) and play the Orthodox QGD (with Qc2). It works for me. There has been somewhat of a revival of 4. Bf4 in recent times in an attempt to avoid opening theory and it seems to be perfectly acceptable.
The bishop isn't needed in d2 at all. You're playing white in the QGD: unless you put some pressure into your opponent, he'll equalize easily - and both Bg5 and Bf4 are usually more suited to that than Bd2. Just remember to always play Nf3 before c4, specially in that kind of position. Having developed nothing but your dark squared bishop, playing such a move is asking for trouble.