user21014: [FEN ""]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3

When white plays 4. c3 and prepares to push d4 to get a massive center, how is it possible to prevent them from doing so, or at least put a lot of pressure on the center with it? I don't have trouble dealing with this in longer time controls because I can find ways attack the center, but how do I deal with this in blitz? When with the black's side I feel like playing against the Evan's gambit without being up a pawn.

user12873: Even though Black is fine in this line (if you know the relevant theory), you can avoid it by playing the 3...Nf6 move order. Then:

4.d3 Bc5 transposes to a quiet Italian where White won't be pushing an early d4.
4.Nc3 Bc5 transposes to the Four Knights.

There are some active moves White can play against 3...Nf6 to avoid transposing into standard systems with ...Bc5, but they aren't that impressive:

4.d4 exd4 5.e5 d5 6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 is balanced.
4.Ng5 is the Fried Liver Attack. After 4...d5 5.exd5 Na5! 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6, Black gets an initiative for the pawn.


user19877: c3 by white is called the Moller Attack. The reason you do not see it at high levels is that the sting has been taken out of it over the years. Basically, it comes down to breaking up the center with Nxe4, or hitting back in the center with d5, before white can finish developing and fortify the center.
There are a few lines you need to know.
 [FEN ""]

 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 (6. e5 d5 7. exf6 dxc4 8. fxg7 Rg8 9. O-O Qf6 10. Re1+ Be6 11. Bg5 Qxg7 12. g3 h6 13. Bh4 Qg4 {and black is quite safe, and much better}) Bb4+ 7. Nc3 (7. Bd2 Bxd2+ 8. Nbxd2 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Qb3 Nce7 11. O-O O-O 12. Rfe1 c6) 7... d5 (7... Nxe4 8. O-O Bxc3 9. d5 Bf6 10. Re1 Ne7 11. Rxe4 d6 12. Bg5 Bxg5 13. Nxg5 h6 14. Qe2 hxg5 15. Re1 Be6 16. dxe6 f6 17. Re3 c6 18. Rh3 Rxh3 19. gxh3 g6 20. Qf3 Qa5 21. Rd1 Qe5) 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. O-O Be6

And you play a standard isolated queen-pawn position.
The main line I gave with 7...d5 is probably not as good at taking on e4, but that line is much more dangerous and has a number of side roads that white can try.

21014: <pre><code>[FEN ""]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3
</code></pre>

<p>When white plays 4. c3 and prepares to push d4 to get a massive center, how is it possible to prevent them from doing so, or at least put a lot of pressure on the center with it? I don't have trouble dealing with this in longer time controls because I can find ways attack the center, but how do I deal with this in blitz? When with the black's side I feel like playing against the Evan's gambit without being up a pawn.</p>
 12873: <p>Even though Black is fine in this line (if you know the relevant theory), you can avoid it by playing the 3...Nf6 move order. Then:</p>

<ul>
<li>4.d3 Bc5 transposes to a quiet Italian where White won't be pushing an early d4.</li>
<li>4.Nc3 Bc5 transposes to the Four Knights.</li>
</ul>

<p>There are some active moves White can play against 3...Nf6 to avoid transposing into standard systems with ...Bc5, but they aren't that impressive:</p>

<ul>
<li>4.d4 exd4 5.e5 d5 6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 is balanced.</li>
<li>4.Ng5 is the Fried Liver Attack. After 4...d5 5.exd5 Na5! 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6, Black gets an initiative for the pawn.</li>
</ul>
 19877: <p>c3 by white is called the Moller Attack. The reason you do not see it at high levels is that the sting has been taken out of it over the years. Basically, it comes down to breaking up the center with Nxe4, or hitting back in the center with d5, before white can finish developing and fortify the center.</p>

<p>There are a few lines you need to know.</p>

<pre><code> [FEN ""]

 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 (6. e5 d5 7. exf6 dxc4 8. fxg7 Rg8 9. O-O Qf6 10. Re1+ Be6 11. Bg5 Qxg7 12. g3 h6 13. Bh4 Qg4 {and black is quite safe, and much better}) Bb4+ 7. Nc3 (7. Bd2 Bxd2+ 8. Nbxd2 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Qb3 Nce7 11. O-O O-O 12. Rfe1 c6) 7... d5 (7... Nxe4 8. O-O Bxc3 9. d5 Bf6 10. Re1 Ne7 11. Rxe4 d6 12. Bg5 Bxg5 13. Nxg5 h6 14. Qe2 hxg5 15. Re1 Be6 16. dxe6 f6 17. Re3 c6 18. Rh3 Rxh3 19. gxh3 g6 20. Qf3 Qa5 21. Rd1 Qe5) 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. O-O Be6
</code></pre>

<p>And you play a standard isolated queen-pawn position.</p>

<p>The main line I gave with 7...d5 is probably not as good at taking on e4, but that line is much more dangerous and has a number of side roads that white can try.</p>
