The Dark Knight System 1...Nc6

I have the book The Dark Knight System by James Schuyler. It's recently released and it's about 1...Nc6. This book is very different from the previous 1...Nc6 book written by Christoph Wisnewski. Wisnewski's book was about ...d5, this book is about ...e5. I'm having a bit of trouble deciding whether to play The Dark Knight System or not, though I'm leaning towards it at this time. If I take up playing it I'm going to play only it so that I don't have to bother with other defenses. If you have the book what is your opinion?

Yeah...say, I wonder where Schuyler got the idea for that catchy and clever title.

Hmmm, have you seen the cover of the book? 

If his next book on 1...Nc6 is called The Dark Knight Rises I think we'll know for sure. 

You are my best friend if you play 1..nc6 against my 1.nf3 (2.d4)

James Schuyler. That name sounds familiar. I think I played him once.

1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 e5 is a very original opening!

I agree with Expertise87, but surely the book does not recomend playing the open game via a 1...Nc6 move order. The table of contents only has 22 pages devoted to 1. e4 Nc6 2. Nf3. Although the back cover blurb mentions the scotch.

Well, anything else would give White some noticeable advantage, which is why 1...Nc6 is not generally recommended.

Black doesn't always play ...e5 in the book, and if black does it can vary as to when it's played. Amazon has two previews, Book and Kindle (don't have to have a Kindle to see the Kindle preview) - the Book preview is somewhat different from the Kindle preview pertaining to what's shown inside. Also, at the Everyman Chess website there is a pdf preview and if I recall correctly it's sorta different from the previews at Amazon. Plus, there is a video preview at Everyman Chess. When I was trying to decide whether to get the book over days I just happened to notice the differences in previews and was rather surprised that they would be different. 

Whether e4 or d4 is used, white gets a better game than if other openings are used. It does have the advantage of unfamiliarity somewhat, making the opponent use more time. I recommend the Sicilian, KID, or Pirc.

Amazon's peek inside preview failed to impress. Against the English we have 1. c4 Nc6 2. Nc3 e5 3. g3 f5. This does not move order White out of his normal opening, there does not appear to be an advantage over playing 1...Nc6 over 1...e5, and it hardly involves a "system" that revolves around the c6 knight.  Also, 22 pages on the Spanish, Scotch, Italian and Four Knights is definitely inadequate.

I would probably spend about 22 pages covering those openings as well, if my book were targeted at players under 2000...

A possibility is to use both 1...Nc6 books, cherry picking the best from each book. 

Unfortunately, there is no way to reliably stop someone from playing the English opening short of gluing the c-pawn to the board.  However, some players play 1.c4 Nc6 2.d4.  This is how I reached a Dark Knight position against Jesse Kraai many years ago.  As I mention in the book though, you can play the DKS against everything else and then play anything you want against the English, if that suits your fancy.

It is too much to expect black to construct a *sound* repertoire that always leaves the beaten paths.

I have to agree here. I will have my knife and fork out. The BBQ pit will be primed and ready with the BBQ sause marinating with all it seasonings. Hey lets get the music started and have a party.

After 1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3, the recommendation is 2...d6, transposing to a Pirc where white can no longer use f4 or f3-systems (by far the most effective statistically).

The only open game that can be reached is the Scotch via 1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 e5 3.Nf3.

The book has a combination between non-theory, low-theory, and medium-theory position.  For white to enter one of the more theoretical positions normally requires him to give up valuable options.

That sounds like a lot of fun, but then there's a chess game that needs to be played.  The system recommendation is 2...d6 here as well.  If you have a question about a position, I'll be happy to answer it.

Well i not a genuis but i know some theory. That Knight move kills the Queen Rook. And in the d4 openings it really hurts not sure on sure how it hurts in e4 but i know it is bad in d4 openings.

Correction The Dark Knight Rises To Get Beat Down or The Dark Knight Falls( this will be how to beat 1.... Nc6, lol.)

I have a question. After 1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d6, how do you get any kind of normal Pirc position? The Knight is normally not committed to c6 this early, if at all. I played 3.Bb5 in my recent tournament game against this variation and had a winning position after eight moves against my 2100-rated opponent, although this was helped by his bad play in moves four through eight.

Also what do you play against 1.e4 Nc6 2.c3, for example? If you play 2...e5 you're back in an Open Game (Ponziani after 3.Nf3 or White can play 3.d4) and 2...d5 seems inconsistent with the rest of your repertoire, although perhaps justified here due to the White Knight's inability to use the c3-Square to harass the Queen...