Opening Focus 4

IN round four at Menorca I had black against a 1488.
The game can be seen at M4 but here I want to focus in detail on the opening, which as a general rule I take to last until one side has connected rooks.

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4

The New London, which involves playing Bf4 before Nf3, has soared in popularity over the last few years, especially at club level, although it is still a long way behind 2.Nf3 and especially 2.c4 in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database.

2...e6!?

This may look passive but the idea, at least the way I play it, is to get in a quick ...Bd6 to challenge White's active bishop.

3.e3

There is nothing wrong with 3.Nf3 but the text preserves the option of meeting ...Bd6 aggressively on the kingside.

3...Bd6 4.Qg4!?

4.Bg3 is the main line, while 4.Bxd6 and 4.Nf3!? are also quite popular.

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

4...g6!?

This looks weakening but the instinctive 4...Nf6 is problematic after 5.Qxg7 Rg8 6.Qh6 Rg6 7.Qh4 Rg4 8.Qh3 Bxf4 9.exf4 Rxf4 10.Ne2 Rg4, when Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1 continue 11.f3!? Rg8 12.Nbc3, claiming White is slightly better (Komodo12.1.1) or even on top (Stockfish14.1).

Probably bad is 4...Bxf4?! 5.Qxg7 Qf6 6.Qxf6 Nxf6 7.exf4, when Black has very little for a pawn.

After the text Black threatens to win a piece with ...e5.

5.Qf3

Most popular in Mega22. albeit from a small sample, is 5.Bxd6, when the engines give 5...cxd6 as being equal.

5...Nc6!?

5...Qf6 slightly favours White after 6.Ne2, according to the engines. The text, which may be a novelty, aims at a quick ...e5.

In the game White played the slow 6.a3?!, presumably defending against ....Nb4, after which 6...e5 7.dxe5 Nxe5 left Black at least equal, according to the engines.

Almost certainly better is 6.Nc3, meeting 6...Nb4 with 7.0-0-0, when White has the upper hand, according to the engines. Instead Stockfish14.1 gives 6...a6!?, preferring White after 7.h4 or 7.0-0-0. Komdodo12.1.1 gives 6...f5!? 7.0-0-0 a6, also preferring White.

The engines reckon Black should probably deviate earlier with 5...Nf6 or 5...Nd7, with roughly equal chances.