The missing c and e-pawns have been in other pawn structures but not with the white knight on c3. What are some of your thoughts on this and do you think there's any hope for white here? Thanks
lichess.org/study/x3uRwhHP/4E4OFEC9#8i think center pawns are better than wing ones
You probably don't want an answer from someone lower rated I can't get technical as a better player could. However I know it's 100 percent playable and when I think pawn structure it's perfectly fine, just as good or better. Alas I'm a fool in your world though. I was at least hopeful I had more games played to give my post some merit but I'm down 1000 so, yeah.
I would not prefer this pawn structure, because I never know what to do effectively. Black's main plans in positions like this usually involve a queenside minority attack, specifically against white's b or c pawns to undermine white's d pawn and thereby center control. White, having a majority on the queenside seems like the preferred choice because this positions tends toward a queenside battle, but I think white is slow to get those pawns rolling with the knight already on c3. One of white's problems with a queenside expansion is black's strong d pawn, which does a decent job of controlling an expansion. After black plays Bf5 and e6 the d5 pawn becomes almost permanent. I'd like to hear your opinion, but mine is that this pawn structure always makes me play passive as white, not being able to attack on the queenside or kingside effectively, but merely trying to defend against black's queenside minority attack.
The big problem is the knight on C3. It would take at least 2 moves to get in c4, while e5 is already open for black. I don't think its vrery nice. There are certainly better openings.
I think black has equalized the position. The thing I dislike about this position most of all is that the white c pawn is blocked by it's knight for the moment and can not guard the d pawn. If the knight was developed on f3 instead of c3 it would be an improvement because you have the options to play c3 or c4 plus the knight defends the pawn and slows down a e5 break from black. Maybe the knight wants to go to d2 to maneuver?
So... No the pawn structure is not bad about this white position, but the wrong knight was developed first so black has at least equality.
e5 or c4 is not good, both leave an isolated pawn and it will only be advantageous in very specific positions and there will always be risks involved. c3 and e6 will be played sooner or later (justifying b5-b4 and f4-f5 plan).
The semi-open files (c and e) indicate that black will try to place a spiece in c4-outpost (since b3 is not good in many postions) and white a piece on e5 (since f6 is not good in many positions).
like we can see, the plans are symmetrical and in that case the most skilled player win.
Finally, the knightin c3 is a dynamic, therefore temporary, imbalance. The advantage is that it allows a fast Ne2-g3 supporting f4-f5! The disadvantage is that it prevents rapid c3, temporarily weakening b2 and d4 (Db6-like moves, for example).
At the end, this postion is good because the more skilled player win... but objectively speaking, it does not seem to offer advantage for white...
Black cannot take advantage of center pawns because this is possible when there is a pawn in c-file, as in nimzovitch defense positions where white has a c3 pawn and plays the plan with f3-e4 conquering the ideal center. with the support of pawn 'c' which protects d4.
I think black has equalized, the knight on c3 blocks the c4 pawn from pushing which is the only useful break in these structures, after c4 is played, you should be looking for plans to create weaknesses on the queenside, you have wasted a tempo, so so I think it should be even.
Asking if theres any hope for white makes the situation seem so bleak. In my opinion, white still has the advantage in this position.
What is black supposed to do in this position to consolidate his control of the center? E5 isn't great; if 5... Exd5, then 6. Dxe5 Nxe5. And Black has isolated his own d pawn and has three pawn islands to white's two. White and black are point equal and white's losses are cleaner. F6 first supporting a move to E5 weakens black's kingside castle, in a position where black definitely doesn't want to castle queenside. The best thing black can do to fight for center is probably to fianchetto the dark squared bishop. And that's two turns for an extra force on the d pawn that white can meet with one very natural move, Nf3.
White can't take the center. And black can't take the center without weakening his position. The center is gridlocked.
And that's okay! Theres plenty of other spaces on the board.
White has easy avenues for both bishops to enter the game, immediately. Black's dark squared bishop is still being held back by pawns. So, white's gonna find himself up a tempo on black with more peices activated. White can also arrange to castle kingside before black can. In my opinion this board is very much "white's game to lose".
I'd probably be looking at 5.Bf4, threating 6.Nb5, 7.Nc7. Not because I'd expect my opponent to let me get away with it, but because it activates some pieces while demanding your opponent respond to you. Truthfully, black is a little more uncomfortable with this congested center than white is. And if white keeps activating peices and taking moves with positional play in mind, eventually black is gonna have trouble keeping up.
That's my two cents anyway.
Unless you are trolling, there is no valid reason for white to play such an inefficient opening (inefficient means allowing black to develop pieces without difficulty)
