I like to play Nf6, too. Hang the e pawn, block the check with Be7, and you're ready to castle, as well as gaining time attacking the queen with Nc6.
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How to Counter This?
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Vance917 wrote: Thank you all, I guess Nf6 is OK, but no defense is inpenetrable. This one seems vulnerable to a pawn coming up and attacking the knight. Funny, I always thought that bringing the queen out early is a mistake, and that a good player could obliterate this opening. But perhaps not?
My proposed defense is just a fun alternative I like to play against some of my beginner acquaintances OTB. Do not use it unless you are fully confident you can win the continuation.
Fromper's continuation is what I would play if I were in a tournament situation, with Black ending up with better development and White with a lone queen. My variation is what I would use against a beginner, as the loss of a Queen can severely impede the abilities of most beginners to attack.
Vance917 wrote: Nalikill wrote: I'll whip out a book I have here (and put it into the diagram that shows how Scholar's Mate is refuted; or the general idea, at least
What if 6. Qc3 instead
Then 6...Nxe4, threatening the queen and winning a pawn.
what if i push my knight at d4 square....what will you do?!!
If you mean in my variation, that move under the variation I was responding to was impossible as Qc3 has that square under control. However, in his variation, black can initiate a couple of trades, after which he'll stand slightly better because of his edge in pawn structure; but black does better to refute it without bothering with pawn moves, does better by simultaneously developing pieces and attacking the queen, which can allow for enough tempo, occasionally, to mate, but usually just to win material; which usually proves decisive.
Fromper: To me every pawn matters
Unbeliever: I agree. Development is good, but I rarely get my pieces trapped.
Nalikill: Good idea. Thanks.
Vance917 wrote:
Fromper: To me every pawn matters
No offense, but get over it.
Masters talk all the time about whether or not a side that's down in material but has a better position has "compensation" for the material. Learning to understand what they're talking about is part of becoming a better player.
I used to be very materialistic and defensive as a player, but I started playing gambits as a "learn to attack or die" learning method. I lost a lot of games that way at first, but as I got used to it, I got better at it. The end result is that I'm MUCH better at attacking now than I was 6 months ago, and my USCF tournament results and rating are starting to reflect that.
I really do recommend that all beginner and intermediate players play some gambits regularly. Not necessarily every game, but often enough to get used to playing attacking positions and learn how to attack. When you face the opening in this thread, it's a perfect opportunity to do this.
--Fromper
Nice post by Nalikill. Giving a simple refutation to scholars mate, leading to a win by black. I have to agree that 4.f6?? is a blunder. Simply playing Knight to f6 should suffice. A stronger player might retreat the queen quickly allowing black to set up a fianchetto defense. A variety of lines arise here but its a long story.....lol.
Take care- 8by8