1.e4 2.Nf3 3.Bc4...Almost Always?

I recently switched from 1.d4 to 1.e4 and am having a blast. Can 1.e4 2.Nf3 3.Bc4 be played almost always?  Against the French/Caro-Kann? The Sicilian? I know it won't work against the Scandinavian - pretty sure - 1.e4 d5. Can White just close his eyes and play these three moves as a 1.e4 player?  

I'm especially interested in this new thing that I get to play as a 1.e4 player - C57: Fried Liver Attack 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Nxf7.

This is all new and very exciting. Here's two recent games where I did the "wrong" thing by moving a piece twice in the opening and won.

Gotta hurry up and go to work. Arg!

 Look and see how it fares against 2...e6 or 2...Nc6. ;)

I'm especially interested in this new thing that I get to play as a 1.e4 player - C57: Fried Liver Attack 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Nxf7.

i see you are interested in this thing

1.e4 obviously you can play every game. I'll list black's [common] responses and which ones you can play Nf3 against, and if not Nf3, what move is preferable:

c5 - Sicilian defense - Nf3 is the main move here. Almost regardless of what black plays next, 3. d4 is the move, followed by 4. Nxd4 (after black takes with ..cxd4). I'm not a sicilian specialist, so I'm not going to get into the Sozin variations, but will just say that Bc4 is played in some variations, but is probably not good on move 3. 

c6 - Caro-Kann - Nf3 is playable to transpose to the Two-knights variation after 1.e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nc3, but usually Nc3 is played first. Bc4 isn't seen much at all.

d5 - Scandinavian/center counter defense - 2. exd5 Qxd5 (usually) 3. Nc3. If you play Nf3 you just lose a pawn.

d6 (sometimes g6) - Pirc/modern - 2. d4 is better. As a general rule, if your opponent doesn't stop you from playing d4 on move 2, you should probably play it. While I don't think there's any particular problem with 2. Nf3, it does seem to give up your advantage.

e5 - King's Pawn game - 2. Nf3 is again the main move, to which black has 3 main responses: 2...Nc6 3. Bc4 (Italian game) or Bb5 (Ruy Lopez) are fine, as you know. 2...Nf6 (Petroff defense) 3. Nxe5/d4/Nc3 are all playable. Finally 2...d6 (Philador defense) 3. d4 is the move, though again I don't think 3. Bc4 is necessarily bad, but just not as good.

e6 - French - 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3/Nd2/e5/exd5 are all common moves, but not Nf3. Bc4 just drops the bishop to the d5 pawn.

Nf6 - Alekhine's defense - 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 is the main continuation, though 2. Nc3 is playable, trying to transpose to a 4-knights game.

Now, I don't advocate everyone memorizing opening theory for all of these different defenses. Take a look at the first few moves (3 or 4 maybe) and go from there. You've all heard it before; develop your pieces, control the center, etc etc...2. d4 should be the move you want to play, unless black makes you do something else, either by preventing d4 from being effective (for instance with 1...e5) or by attacking your lone e4 pawn (with 1...d5 or 1...Nf6 for example). 

Don't play 1.e4 blindfold - it's tricky ! 

Joking aside, Bc4 works better if black can't play ...e6, else the bishop is going to be kicked away sooner or later by ...d5 with a gain of tempo. Besides, ...e6 prevents every nasty Bxf7 idea.

Wow! A ton of great advice and tips. Dang, I'm going to place all of these posts and games in my new 1.e4 folder!

In a previous topic I started (Ruy Lopez), I was extremely excited about 3.Bb5. After blowing a few players off the board with 3.Bc4 using Nxf7 or Bxf7 tricks, well, it was a real rush.

I need to play 100's of games with 3.Bc4 to really get a handle on what it is to be a 1.e4 player. I'll still play 3.Bb5, because I enjoy the Ruy Lopez, but 3.Bc4 gets me into other positions that are so incredibly rich with history, instructive and just plain fun to play.

I forgot all about one of the excellent reasons behind getting in the move d4. Both of White's bishops are liberated, free to attack fast with tremendous fury. Now I'm geting excited about playing d4 at some point after 1.e4! It's like having the best of both worlds or, it's too good to be true. Having been a 1.d4 player, for Black to allow 1.e4 and 2.d4 or 3.d4, wow!

"e6 - French - 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3/Nd2/e5/exd5 are all common moves, but not Nf3. Bc4 just drops the bishop to the d5 pawn." - Lucidish Lux 

Thanks for posting a short look up sheet on the first 3-4 moves for the beginning 1.e4 player.

You told me once to know why I play every move. Well, I don't know why 3.Nc3 is played in the French. Both 3.Nc3 and 3.Nf3 look the same to me and 3.Nf3 does allow White to castle faster, which is one benefit of being a 1.e4 player, and not a 1.d4 player.

For some reason, White likes to push the "wrong" pawn in the French, one of the three short castled pawns, f2-f4. For a beginner, pushing the f-g-h pawns in the beginning is a no-no, dropping White's king saftey.

You'd play Nc3 to support your e4 pawn, and invite the Winawer variation of the french. The French in my eyes is characterized (beyond the moves themselves) as white having a dominating center and more space, and trying desperately to protect it and attack while Black builds up and tries to break down white's center, while playin on the queenside. Nc3 helps protect your center, and since you'll be playing on the kingside, f4 is a natural advance to gain more space there and help your attack with a possible f4-f5 break. 

While moving the f-pawn is scary for some beginners, that's usually because they do it in the wrong positions, or don't understand how their play has to change because of it. Playing Nf3 prevents playing f4 at some point, or at least makes it more awkward.

I'd have to spend more time on the French to have a better answer for you; I don't see it much and haven't really refined that part of my repertoire much yet.

Your answer was just fine and explained a lot. I have opening books that explain the French, but not as clear and concise. Thank you.

Yeah, but they're probably more correct and comprehensive than me too =)

Alliteration. 

Yeah, but the posters here at chess.com talk about chess in a way that penetrates my thick skull, and in the most practical way, where the rubber meets the road.

In my latest chess adventure, 1.e4 and 1...e5, I'm also having a blast getting clobbered, seeing aggressive early queen/bishop moves that I did not see when playing 1.d4 and 1...d5. Here's one example where Black keeps my king in the center and destroys my kingside pawn cover.

I will know next time what to do after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 Qh4 3.Nc3 Bb4. 

---

Time Control: 10 0

1.e4 e6 2.d4 Qh4 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3??  Correct was Bd3. I figured that Nf3 would drive the queen away.

4...Qg4! 5.Bd2. Unpinning Nc3.

5...b6. Looks good for Black, preparing Bb7, adding a second attacker to my e4 pawn.

6.Be2?? Correct was 6.h3, and White has the advantage. It looked good to unpin my knight at f3, but missed, and I don't know how, the threat of Qxg2. Geez!

6...Qxg2!

I played on a bit attempting to get Black to waste time with more queen moves, giving myself a chance to regroup, and maybe even trap Black's queen.

I love the Sicilian for black against e4, and I love the lines that transpire from the opening.

In French, bishop is usually better placed on d3, eyeing the h7 square:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_bishop_sacrifice

I've been using this lame excuse of Blitz time controls being the cause of my errors. No more. I've been working far too hard on tactics to not pay closer attention to forcing moves. It's what I see all the time in tactics drills. Time to put what I've learned into practice.

Below is a sample of my commitment to tactical exercises.

User: musikamole (Gold member. Subscription expires:2011-04-24 12:29:12+02)

Total Solving Time: 95.5 Hours (excluding outliers)

Stats for standard tactics

Rating: 1446.5 (RD: 38.27) (Best Active Rating: 1551 Worst Active Rating: 829)

I made real improvement, from 829 to 1446.

Active Rank: 5327/8513 (Better than: 37.43% Best Active: 2018 Worst Active: 6045)
Problems Done: 2109 (Correct: 1588 Failed: 521)
Percentage correct: 75.30%
Average recent per problem time spent 207 seconds
FIDE Estimated Rating based on standard tactics: 1571

Stats for blitz tactics

Rating: 1291.4 (RD: 64.45) (Best Active Rating: 1368 Worst Active Rating: 1190)
Active Rank: 828/859 (Better than: 3.61% Best Active: 802 Worst Active: 851)
Problems Done: 189 (Correct: 160 Failed: 29)
Percentage correct: 84.66%
Average recent per problem time spent 26 seconds
FIDE Estimated Rating based on blitz tactics: 1471

Stats for endgame theory

Rating: 1454.7 (RD: 195.59)
Active Rank: Not Active/635
Problems Done: 35 (Correct: 27 Failed: 8)
Percentage correct: 77.14%

Stats for endgame practice

Rating: 1500 (RD: 350)
Active Rank: Not Active/294
Problems Done: 0
Percentage correct: n/a

Rated Tactical Motif Performance

Maybe it's not your tactical ability per se, but your thought process.

At 6, I learned chess and read the following advice : "when your opponents makes a move, look for threats and try to understand what he is trying to do"

Worth tons of elo points...

How many?

Seriously, I've been working hard at getting better since I started playing two years ago, but my Live Chess rating has not changed. I'm still playing in the 800 - 900 pool.

Dan Heisman has this saying: check for checks, captures and threats before making a move.

I see most checks, most captures, but threats? That's the sneaky stuff. For all the tactics training I do, it doesn't direct my attention to threats made by the computer program.

Is there a computer program that will say, "Look, this is a threat, pay attention!" ?

Well, for every move just try to reason what that move does. TO find tactics/threats, try attacking the problem by looking at the WHOLE BOARD and asking yourself how are the pieces on the board placed. What pieces/pawns are defended and am I vulnerable at any part of the board? Is it safe to grab or sacrifice this material? These are some questions that should guide you.

Additionally, how are you going about doing the tactics training? There must be some flaw to your method. Are you actually trying to burn every problem into your head/going through the solution a few times? Or do you just go to the next problem?

Also, if the tactics trainer you are using isn' working out, why not get a good tactics training book?

My coach, an IM, recommends the ACC: Anthology of Chess Combinations for tactics training by Chess Informant. Personally, I don't have it but I skimmed through the one my coach has and I like it. When using this, make sure to burn/etch the tactics into your head, and do a limited number/day otherwise its not helping at all. Basically, create a tactics training schecdule.

This last game has nothing to do with losing due to what happened in the opening.

4. Nf3? Your opponent could have played 4. ... Qxe4+

7. Rf1 followed by 8. Rg1 wastes a tempo.

Moves 10 through 13. You're attacking the queen, but you're not improving the position of your pieces, you're just giving up another pawn.

18. d5? Your opponent could play Bxg3.

23. Rd1? Why not 23. 0-0-0

24. Bb5 gives up the knight for no apparent reason

26. Rxg7 gives up the rook for no apparent reason. Maybe if your king was on c1 you could have kept an attack going by bringing the other rook to the g-file.

I think you need to focus on playing moves that don't lose material and playing logical moves that improve your position

Thank you.

1. I need to ask myself a few basic questions before each move.

2. My method was flawed at first. I've just started looking at more than the solution. I'm looking at what the computer/opponent is threatening, king saftey for both sides, weak squares, while repeating the solution several times before moving on to the next problem.

I'm going through my recent Live Chess games, stopping at my first mistake, with the idea of not repeating those same mistakes in the future. IM Daniel Rensch talked about this simple plan for improvement, stopping at the first mistake after the game leaves theory. For me, the game leaves theory after the first few moves.

Opening theory, while helpful to study for Turn-Based chess, does not help me in Live Chess because my rating is simply too low. Book moves are seldom seen in the under 1000 pool. The openings I see in Live Chess have lots of pawn moves, sometimes only pawn moves, and especially wing pawn moves early in the opening.

I find it confusing, because it doesn't look familiar, like an Italian or Spanish opening would look. I can't play from memory and must calculate on every move.

Here's one example where my opponent pushes several pawns in the opening, with no regard for developing pieces. Tunnel vision is one of my problems. After seeing some strange wing pawn moves, I focused soley on pushing a second center pawn, d2-d4, completely missing the now obvious 3.Bxb5 and 4.Bxb5.