Italian - The Modern 5.Nc3 • page 2/2 • Community Blog Discussions • lichess.org

In your main line, better seems to be 11...Nb4 which has already been played (also before castling). Instead of releasing the tension, black prepares ...d5 taking back with a knight, which threatens the Ne3 fork.

In most games, white answered 12.Ne2, which is not the only playable move. The game can then continue 12...d5 13.exd5 Nbxd5 14. Rf3 and now black has the temporary pawn sacrifice 14...b5! After 15.axb5 axb5 16.Bxb5 (16.Rxa8 Qxa8 also wins the pawn back on b2 or e3 after Qa5-b6) 16...Qd6! 17.Bc4 Qb6 18.Nf1 Qxb2 19.Rb1 Nc3! 20.Nxc3 Qxc3 21.Bxe6 fxe6 22.e4 c5 and the position is even, because on 23.Nd2 Black has 23...Ra2 and on 23.Ne3 they have 23...c4.

Thanks for sharing this cool and important line! Yes, as Black I would also rather play 11...Nb4 than 11...d5 (though 11...d5 isn't bad or anything). And looking from White's perspective: as you indicated, there are (besides the 12.Ne2 line) other options.

@NHL_1024 said in #10: > In your main line, better seems to be 11...Nb4 which has already been played (also before castling). Instead of releasing the tension, black prepares ...d5 taking back with a knight, which threatens the Ne3 fork. > > In most games, white answered 12.Ne2, which is not the only playable move. The game can then continue 12...d5 13.exd5 Nbxd5 14. Rf3 and now black has the temporary pawn sacrifice 14...b5! After 15.axb5 axb5 16.Bxb5 (16.Rxa8 Qxa8 also wins the pawn back on b2 or e3 after Qa5-b6) 16...Qd6! 17.Bc4 Qb6 18.Nf1 Qxb2 19.Rb1 Nc3! 20.Nxc3 Qxc3 21.Bxe6 fxe6 22.e4 c5 and the position is even, because on 23.Nd2 Black has 23...Ra2 and on 23.Ne3 they have 23...c4. Thanks for sharing this cool and important line! Yes, as Black I would also rather play 11...Nb4 than 11...d5 (though 11...d5 isn't bad or anything). And looking from White's perspective: as you indicated, there are (besides the 12.Ne2 line) other options.

RematchMe

#12

Very hard to read through this on mobile

makingtheory

#13

What's old is new again ;) Cool though. Sincerely, from an Ulvestad player.

LittleSoapBubble edited

#14

@makingtheory said in #13:

What's old is new again ;) Cool though. Sincerely, from an Ulvestad player.

Ah, I think I get the hint. Yes, the Ulvestad also got some attraction when 6...Nxd5 was found. Maybe 6...Nd4 will soon be called the "new" approach ;)
6...Nd4 is fine!

@makingtheory said in #13: > What's old is new again ;) Cool though. Sincerely, from an Ulvestad player. Ah, I think I get the hint. Yes, the Ulvestad also got some attraction when 6...Nxd5 was found. Maybe 6...Nd4 will soon be called the "new" approach ;) 6...Nd4 is fine!