What is the best way to attack the Hippopotamus Defense??

The defense is surprisingly difficult to crack and was even played in a World Chess Championship.  It is even more difficult to crack in blitz, though doable.  What are your recommendations against this system?

I go for a c4/d4/e4 pawn centre. Monitoring black's pawn breaks, while planning a central push , attending to black's central pawn thrusts according to circumstances. The other thing of course is patience ...

I ALWAYS get c4 in when playing against any Hippo setup-- otherwise, most hippo players or going to get their (most of the time) c5/f5 breaks in, and an e4/d4 center is not enough to create play if your opponent  is trying to keep the position closed in the typical hippo fashion. 

It's interesting that Roman suggested an f4 set up against the Hippo, then in an "arms race type" thing Andrew Martin suggested a b6 move order for the Hippo in his video ,which I think is OK against f4 systems....

I keep meaning to venture the Hippo myself against e4 players because out-and-out e4 players hate playing an early c4 in the opening...

Me and you are like mind readers right now. I do the exact same thing.

Saemich type of position usually played against the KID

or

150 Attack type of position usually played against the Pirc

I once had a Hippo Player play me 1 time.

It only happened once. I believe the other hippo players got the message.

So what does f3 do when black has no knight on f6? It's not a developing move. 

defends e4, prepares g4 in some cases.

e4 is not in danger. And if he wanted to overprotect it he should have moved Bd3 instead of it going to c4 so it can do precisely zilch until it gets attacked by black's pawns in front of his castled king, black could also just move d5 straightaway. 

The e4 pawn is being hit by the bishop on b7 it has the potiental to be in danger.

f3 is a multi-purpose move

Helps support the e4 pawn and helps allow g4 pawn throw's.

When white does this set up black is forced to castle queen side for him to castle kingside would result in a slaugther.

The bishop is still not good on c4, look at the other two game fragments you posted where they both put it on d3. Bc4 only works in specific variations of the sicilian because white has a kingside pawn majority, more control of the centre and most importantly black can't just play d5 and destroy the attack, and even then Bc4 has fallen out of favour in most lines. Obviously Bd3 isn't such a great idea with a pawn on e4.   

And people wonder how I know you're full of crap... 

The only person full of crap is you.

I gave my opinion on what they can play against a Hippo Defence and you have yet to say your option.

I also showed them 2 game Fragments showing them how the line's could go. It doesn't mean the bishop will go on d3 always as if its some absolute law.

Ever chess position in chess is different you actually have to look at what your opponent is doing.

I felt my bishop belongs better on c4 in that position discouraging a d5 pawn push by him and also help supporting a d5 pawn push by me. Now you can call it a terrible piece on c4 but what do you call blacks bishops on b7 or g7 after 13...e5? Joys of sunshine?

I might have 1 bad piece but he has 2 and he is uncastled. Do you really think it matter's that my 1 bad piece is doing so terrible when I have alot of other pluses in this position?

This is how Aronian kills hippopotamus!

X_PLAYER_J, I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but you don't know anything about chess. Really, you don't know anything. Now I'm not saying this to fight you, or to insult you or anything like that, I'm just saying it because it's true. You come on here acting like you are great at analyzing games and can talk about chess, you can't! Give it up, "discouraging a d5 push" because then your bishop would be completely blocked, some joke. And recommending that black has to castle into his queenside while playing the hippopotamous moves a6/b6/c6 and if he doesn't he will be soon checkmated "would result in a slaughter" because you played f3 and g4... how ridiculous is that.  

Yes I don't know anything about chess thats why I'm not a title player. Forgive me, I was under the false assumption the bishop on c4, knight on c3 , pawn on e4, and the knight on e2 which can go to f4 was discouraging a d5 pawn push by my opponent. How stupid of me.

If my opponent would of played d5 I would of played exd5 leaving my opponent with his king on an exposed E File. It makes me happy knowing you are a much better chess player than me Uhohspaghettio1.

Please tell KingMagikarp and the rest of the chess community the line you use to face the Hippo Defence with your Grand Master analysis.

An I just want you to know from the bottom of your heart I say this not to be mean. I say this with care and compassion.

edit: oops, accidentally edited over this post trying to post a new one. 

Here is the game

Now tell me in which move are you going to play d5 at?

7. ....d5. I don't see why not. I suppose you've got your computer engine all fired up to the max now trying to trip me up, how pathetic. 

If black likes or if this somehow doesn't work he can just play c6 or Ne7 before d5. I never said that Bc4 was a stupid move, just that it's not at all logical for me in this position and your reason for playing it is totally false. 

lol, I just put it through houdini who says it's a toss-up between d5 and c5 on move 7. When are you going to get it? You do not know anything, about, chess, not except very some very basic stuff and not enough to make "analysis" for other people of. Houdini also wants to castle kingside, despite your claim that it "black will have to castle queenside or it will be a slaughter". queenside... ie. into the a6/b6 side... lol. 

I don't need an engine to tell me that you are wrong. I already know you are wrong becuase I have played a similar system that resembles the Hippo Defence. Called the Pincer Attack

Their pawn breaks are usually c5 or f5. They don't really do pawn moves in the center like that.