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An unexpected insight on d-pawn pushes/openings

"By preventing Bc4, Qb3 and other types of attacks on the a2-g8 diagonal"

  • This kind of brutal attacks may succeed at lower levels, but are no longer relevant at higher levels.
    The essence is that after 1 e4 e5 white can always follow up with d4 as the queen controls it and black can usually prepare ...d5 to equalize.

On the other hand after 1 d4 d5 white usually cannot follow up with e4 and has to settle for either e3 or g3 to develop Bf1. Likewise black cannot normally play ...e5 and has to settle for either ...e6 or g6 to develop Bf8. e3 shuts in Bc1 and e6 shuts in Bc8. That slows the game down.

"By preventing Bc4, Qb3 and other types of attacks on the a2-g8 diagonal" * This kind of brutal attacks may succeed at lower levels, but are no longer relevant at higher levels. The essence is that after 1 e4 e5 white can always follow up with d4 as the queen controls it and black can usually prepare ...d5 to equalize. On the other hand after 1 d4 d5 white usually cannot follow up with e4 and has to settle for either e3 or g3 to develop Bf1. Likewise black cannot normally play ...e5 and has to settle for either ...e6 or g6 to develop Bf8. e3 shuts in Bc1 and e6 shuts in Bc8. That slows the game down.

Very valuable information to articulate...I know exactly what you are reporting...in Fischer Random Chess/Chess960 this is a very very valuable observation.

Very valuable information to articulate...I know exactly what you are reporting...in Fischer Random Chess/Chess960 this is a very very valuable observation.