4 Knights Symm... what's sound and what's bes...

Originally posted by scandium
My preferred 1. e4 e5 opening is the Vienna Gambit, but it sometimes leads to this depending on black's move order and my own preference at the time (ie: after 1.e4 e5 2. Nc3 Bc5 3. Bc4 (I don't like 3. f4 in this position) d6 4. d3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nc6 and our thematic quiet Italian position has been reached with no center fork trick playable.

Personally I'm ...[text shortened]... opening bad. Merely quiet, with only slight advantage that requires patience to nurture.

Fair enough. I've just never cared for the position and actively seek to avoid it. IN fact I don't much care for symmetric positions at all. I think that might be why I despise the French exchange so much.

Originally posted by scandium
My preferred 1. e4 e5 opening is the Vienna Gambit, but it sometimes leads to this depending on black's move order and my own preference at the time (ie: after 1.e4 e5 2. Nc3 Bc5 3. Bc4 (I don't like 3. f4 in this position) d6 4. d3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nc6 and our thematic quiet Italian position has been reached with no center fork trick playable.

Personally I'm ...[text shortened]... opening bad. Merely quiet, with only slight advantage that requires patience to nurture.

Most players play 2...Nc6 or Nf6 after 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3