after e4 c5, what is white's best move?

What is white's best path when after e4 black plays c5?

grit

2. resign and have a pint.

2.d4

Originally posted by Squelchbelch
2.d4

[pgn]
[Event "April 2007 Threesomes II"]
[Site "http://www.playtheimmortalgame.com"]
[Date "2008.03.16"]
[EndDate "2008.03.18"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Squelchbelch"]
[Black "rchillcott"]
[WhiteRating "1715"]
[BlackRating "2082"]
[WhiteELO "1715"]
[BlackELO "2082"]
[Result "1-0"]
[GameId "4747353"]

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. N ...[text shortened]... e8xf7 10. Qd1d5 e6 11. Qd5xe5 Qd8f6
12. Qe5c7 a6 13. Nc3e4 1-0[/pgn]

Just play Nf3 and play the open sicilian, it's a good learning school if you want to practice your tactics. The closed doesn't really give you the open game you want when playing e4 plus it takes a lot more positional skill to play it well.

Originally posted by moteutsch
I once asked a similair question (interesting gambit's for white in the sicilian) and got the same answer from you. Unfortunately, as I soon discovered, after 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 Black can play 3...Nf6 leading to largely boring play. I therefore not preffer the Fischer-Sozin Attack. Amazing stuff, where the only way of getting out of it, is the Timanov and the Sveshnikov/Kalashnikov.

Originally posted by Squelchbelch
The 2.c3 transpositions can be a bit dull sometimes I suppose.
The main line
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bc4 Nb6 7.Bb3 d5 8.exd6 Qxd6 9.0-0
is perfectly playable for both I think with perhaps a very modest advantage for White
[fen]r1b1kb1r/pp2pppp/1nnq4/8/3p4/1BP2N2/PP3PPP/RNBQ1RK1 w - - 0 1[/fen]

I'd also like to add that probably around 75% of the time the gambit is accepted anyway & you don't have to worry about the 2.c3 lines.
🙂

Hi

Gave up the Morra when a few bods played 3...d3.
Then the c3 pawn just gets in the way.

2.b4 (the Wing Gambit) has been scoring very well in OTB play in Scotland.

A few of the guys play 2.a3 then 3.b4 you get a Povah Gambit in
the English a tempo up. It upsets the Sicilian book players.

2. Nc3 followed by 3. f4...gives a good center control and king side attacking chances

Would you play Nc3 rather than Nf3?

grit

How about being bold and experiment a little with the "Wing Gambit"?
That is...White plays 2. b4. It could throw a lot of Sicilian players off balance, with the exception of the top players.

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Hi

Gave up the Morra when a few bods played 3...d3.
Then the c3 pawn just gets in the way.

2.b4 (the Wing Gambit) has been scoring very well in OTB play in Scotland.

A few of the guys play 2.a3 then 3.b4 you get a Povah Gambit in
the English a tempo up. It upsets the Sicilian book players.

Originally posted by Aumonde
...with the exception of the top players.

Originally posted by moteutsch
Can you show some games? I haven't found any success with it...