2.d5

I've come to understand that openings at my level are less important than they are when you get to higher levels(I'm about 1600 on Online Chess).

So I was curious about this opening as it seems like it really encroaches on black territory.  I'm certain that the higher ranked players could exploit it, but at my level, I think that as long as I maintain fundamental opening principles after 2. d5 that this could really give black trouble, especially if a majority of their opening moves come directly from the Game Explorer.  Anyway, I'd just really like to hear what some better players think about not only 2. d5, but more importantly my reasoning behind possibly introducing this into my game.(By the way, I usually play e4, so this would be a bit of a change, but d5 doesn't seem to produce the same results, as the queen is not behind it)

d6 is not a common response to d4.  most likely is 1...d5, Nf6, e6, f5, and g6

Even if d6 comes d5 is not promising as only 1 recorded win.

But lets go through the one that won..

Well if my opponent doesn't play d6 then obviously this changes alot. Although there are only a few won games with 2.d6, there are more games that come up depending on blacks response. Not a whole lot I'm aware, but again, I know there is a big difference in the master games, and games of my own skill level.(Hopefully this doesn't sound like I don't appreciate your response though.)

In the shredder dBase 1. d4 d6 occurs 6463 times with a score of 44.3%.  d6 being the fourth most popular answer to d4.  2. d5 is not even listed as one of the possible replys.  As the dBase concerns higher rated games I must conclude that d5 is seriously flawed as an approach.  I do not play the Pirc/Modern bloc but it does seem to me that d5 plays into black strategy of overextending White's center, creating and then attacking targets.  2... c5 starts steering it back to Benoni/Benko areas.

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 I can appreciate the study behind the response.  I'm sure extensive study has been behind nearly ever opening combination within a small amount of moves, so I don't intend to argue with the masters.  Perhaps a time will come when I can do my own study(when I have more understanding of opening theory.)  For now I'll stick with the more basic control of the center.  Thanks, and hopefully even more people will give their thoughts on it.

There are always new things to be found.  2. d5 at the club level will probably throw off your opponent who studied just a couple responses and doesn't play a dozen different openings.  As you progress higher you have to pay attention to the books, the main lines are main because they are the strongest.

  I would suggest setting up 1. d4 d6  2. d5 on a computer and see how it plays the positon to see why it may not be so good.  A computer is never surprised (no emotional reaction) and thus good for this kind of sparring.  Then play it as black and see how the computer uses d5 against black to get some ideas on how to properly exploit the cramping effect.

In the end I still think its an inferior move that will bite you.  It doesn't have the same effect as e5 in the French or CaroKann but in the meantime you can have fun with it.

I think it is probably better just to avoid this as Black can immediaely attack the d5 pawn and leave it vulnerable.