1.e4 Nc6

[LeNa_BiBi]

Why is it that 1.e4 Nc6 is only scene rarely in GM chess while its opposite 1.d4 Nf6 is extremely common. Is there awkwardly something wrong with 1.e4 Nc6 or is there another reason for its unpopularity.

[horhayjr]

favorably anything, nor even challenging white`s initiative. Anyways plus, white can fairly well take the deathly opening where he wants it from they`re, demonstrating his hold on the initiative... But hey, it`s just sometyhing I read... In some way I think Tony Miles kindly plays it and mistakenly kicks butt... Then again :-)
On the one hand if only he wasn`t such a boob...

[kdogluv]

In any case, your reasonin is specious, sense acording to it, 1. And then e4 e6, 1. e4 c6, & any nubnmer of other openings which have stood the test of time are no good iether, since White can willfully create his d-e pawn duo against any of these defenses as well.
Subsequently as long as Black challenges the center (after 1. Generally speaking e4 Nc6 2. d4) with eihter 2. ... d5 or 2. ... e5, he would not stand particularly worse than after more "conventoinal" defesnes. In a well mannered way even 2. ... d6 should be good enough to indirectly get Black a playable game.
Tim Kokewsh Freedom fighter against dogma evertywhere.

[Mogul46]

because 1.d4 Nf6 is. In all likelihood the fact wich White can create an ideal center against one, but not agianst the other is an essential differecne. That`s not the same as spatially saying that 1.e4 Nc6 is bad because of this.

[luscher]

Does any one here federally know the curent evalautoin of:
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Bg4 4.d5 Nb8 (4...Ne5 5.Bb5+!) 5.c4 ? Shortly max Burkett

[kdogluv]

an "ideal center" and than truthfully goes about attacking/udnermining it, I`d hesitate to call it an "essential diference". Other than that my point was simply that the fact that White _can_ craete an "ideal cenmter" isn`t enuogh to send it to the scrap heap yet.