Article: 9621 of rec.games.chess.misc
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess.misc
Path: info!dregis
From: dregis@exeter.ac.uk (D.Regis)
Subject: Re: 1. b4 2. Bb2 ?
Message-ID: <Duy43D.I5r@exeter.ac.uk>
Organization: University of Exeter, UK.
References: <4skg8c$ce6@newsbf02.news.aol.com>
Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 12:59:37 GMT

In article <4skg8c$ce6@newsbf02.news.aol.com> mckie@aol.com (Mckie) writes:
>Can someone give me some insight to whites
>1. b4 2. Bb2
>What is the theme here and what is the best way for black to
>punish white.  
>

White's main ideas are:

1. pressure on long dark diagonal a1-h8
2. general Queen's-side advance (rather like the English or reversed French)
    or just thrust b4-b5 to make life awkward
3. allow Black to occupy the centre and then use it as target
4. after ...c7-c5, exchange b4xc5 giving an extra central pawn

It's a sound opening, relatively unexplored and well-motivated.  I
don't think White can be punished, but there is no way for White to
gain an advantage.  I think the main line with 1. b4 e5 2. Bb2 Bxb4 3.
Bxe5 Nf6 is perfectly OK for Black; a club mate abandoned the opening
because of this line (it's also one that naive opponents are likely to
adopt). 

Black's main ideas are:

1. Block or oppose on the long diagonal
    e.g. 1. b4 e5 2. Bb2 f6
    e.g. 1. b4 e5 2. Bb2 d6 with ...Nf6, ...g6

2. Counter-attack on Q-side
    e.g. 1. b4 c6 2. Bb2 a5 with ...Qb6 

3. Occupy centre at least temporarily
    e.g. 1. b4 e5 2. Bb2 Bxb4 3. Bxe5 Nf6 with ...Nc6
    e.g. 1. b4 e5 2. a3 d5 3. Bb2 Nd7 

4. Adopt a general-purpose formation like the Dutch or King's Indian
or "general QP" (with d5/Nf6/e6/Nbd7/Be7/O-O and ...c7-c6 or ...c7-c5)
These can be adopted with confidence against most unusual openings by
White. 

What's best for you might not be best for someone else!  I play the
...c6 system because I like being awkward, but you won't go far wrong
with a KID system if that's the sort of thing you normally play.


-- 

May your pieces harmonise with your Pawn structure and
your sacrifices be sound in all variations


D
--
   _       


From info!dregis Fri Jul 26 10:09:19 BST 1996