user3855: One of my opponents keep playing 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 h6!? against me. Thus avoiding the main lines of the Queen's Gambit Declined that start after the normal 3) ..Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Nc3 etc.
Is there any disadvantage of the move 3) ..h6 that White may try to exploit? And if 3) ..h6 was a playable move for Black then why it is so seldom played?
I had a look at my database and I found a meager 32 games starting with 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 h6, those are played by the lower rated players only. For the part of comparison, the Albin-Counter Gambit I have found are 100x games. Surely there must be a reason why it is so seldom played?
I understand that Black should try to develop the pieces in the opening firstly and 3) ..h6 doesn't look so terrible active, but on the other hand, the position is quite closed and after e.g. 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bf4 (I do not want to shut the Bishop with 5. e3) 5 .. Bd6!?, now the Black catches up in development and has a very solid position. What would you play instead?


[FEN ""]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 h6!?



user7500: There is no instant refutation to 3...h6?!. Your PV with 5...Bd6 gives white his usual opening advantage, as the "bad" c1-bishop has traded for black's "good" one, so there is no reason to reject that line - 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 h6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bf4 Bd6 6.Bxd6 Qxd6 +/=. If you are intent on proving ...h6 to be a waste, however, you might try 4.g3, where ...h6 is worthless in the Catalan. But then 4...Bd6 and the c1-bishop is looking cramped in.
As for the positional disadvantages of ...h6, it weakens black's kingside and does not develop.
Also, just because a move is not a book move does not mean it is bad. It could be playable, but just inaccurate.

user7560: I suspect that a good try for white here is to go into Colle-Zukertort system: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colle_System#Colle.E2.80.93Zukertort_System
Then 3...h6 is not only a tempo loss, but also a unpleasant weakness of the king side.

3855: <p>One of my opponents keep playing <code>1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 h6!?</code> against me. Thus avoiding the main lines of the Queen's Gambit Declined that start after the normal <code>3) ..Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Nc3</code> etc.</p>

<p>Is there any disadvantage of the move <code>3) ..h6</code> that White may try to exploit? And if <code>3) ..h6</code> was a playable move for Black then why it is so seldom played?</p>

<p>I had a look at my database and I found a meager 32 games starting with <code>1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 h6</code>, those are played by the lower rated players only. For the part of comparison, the Albin-Counter Gambit I have found are 100x games. Surely there must be a reason why it is so seldom played?</p>

<p>I understand that Black should try to develop the pieces in the opening firstly and <code>3) ..h6</code> doesn't look so terrible active, but on the other hand, the position is quite closed and after e.g. <code>4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bf4 (I do not want to shut the Bishop with 5. e3) 5 .. Bd6!?</code>, now the Black catches up in development and has a very solid position. What would you play instead?</p>

<pre>
<code>
[FEN ""]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 h6!?
</code>
</pre>
 7500: <p>There is no instant refutation to 3...h6?!. Your PV with 5...Bd6 gives white his usual opening advantage, as the "bad" c1-bishop has traded for black's "good" one, so there is no reason to reject that line - 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 h6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bf4 Bd6 6.Bxd6 Qxd6 +/=. If you are intent on proving ...h6 to be a waste, however, you might try 4.g3, where ...h6 is worthless in the Catalan. But then 4...Bd6 and the c1-bishop is looking cramped in.</p>

<p>As for the positional disadvantages of ...h6, it weakens black's kingside and does not develop.</p>

<p>Also, just because a move is not a book move does not mean it is bad. It could be playable, but just inaccurate.</p>
 7560: <p>I suspect that a good try for white here is to go into Colle-Zukertort system: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colle_System#Colle.E2.80.93Zukertort_System" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colle_System#Colle.E2.80.93Zukertort_System</a></p>

<p>Then 3...h6 is not only a tempo loss, but also a unpleasant weakness of the king side.</p>
