Answers.Body: <p>How did you manage to get your pawn to h3?!</p>
  
  <p>I'm assuming the position you're interested in occurs after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5. Now white's best move is considered to be 3. exd5. After 3...e4 4. Qe2 Nf6 5. Nc3, white regains the pawn on e4 leaving black with little to no compensation. Feel free to explore the lines yourself, but that's the gist of it as far as I can tell.</p>
  
  <p>In a more general sense, have a little faith in your position :) You seem to be already worried about defense...but all white has done so far is make the absolute most classical, principled opening moves. Why on earth does black get to make this super-aggressive thrust in the center? White should be looking to go on the offensive and punish this overreach.</p>
  
  <p>For a little inspiration, check out a <a href="http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1139713" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Tal classic</a>.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-03-17T20:43:53.840Z
Answers.Text: Also 3. Nxe5 is possible and better for white. This opening is also called the "Elephant gambit" and considered to be better for white: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_Gambit
Answers.UserDisplayName: user1583209
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-03-17T20:46:39.640Z
Answers.Text: @Nate the pawn to H3 is to avoid bishop coming down to g4 and pinning the knight.  I take it the pawn to h3 is frowned upon?
Answers.UserDisplayName: dagda1
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-03-17T20:48:05.503Z
Answers.Text: Well it looks like white has made three moves and black has made two, yet white is on move. Did black play his pawn to d5 in two moves? That seems odd. As for h3, it's usually not worth spending a tempo on this move so early.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Nate
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-03-17T22:02:22.730Z
Answers.Text: Sorry, I've made moves on an analysis board.  How would you suggest avoiding the knight getting pinned when the bishop comes down
Answers.UserDisplayName: dagda1
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-03-17T23:04:33.777Z
Answers.Text: @dagda1 
  
  1. The knight can only be pinned if the d-pawn has already moved.
  2. It's not as big of a deal as you think. If it gets pinned and you need to be able to move the knight for whatever reason, there's always Be2.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Scounged
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-03-18T01:33:57.643Z
Answers.Text: pawn h3 is usually played as an opening for white, if s/he would 1) rather play as black and 2) get a slight advantage
Answers.UserDisplayName: etymologynerd.com
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-03-17T20:42:42.677Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-03-17T20:42:42.677Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Nate
Body: <p>I've got myself into this position a number of times:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/a5hwZ.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/a5hwZ.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
  <p>I cannot bring the knight up to C3 as he will just drop the pawn down to D4.</p>
  
  <p>Brining my pawn up to d3 could lead to an exchange of pawns followed by an exchange of queens.</p>
  
  <p>What is the best way to defend this poisition?</p>
  
Tags: <opening>
Title: Defence against black pawn threatening E4
ThreadText: # Defence against black pawn threatening E4
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2017-03-17)
  
  I've got myself into this position a number of times:
  
  [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/a5hwZ.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/a5hwZ.png)
  
  I cannot bring the knight up to C3 as he will just drop the pawn down to D4.
  
  Brining my pawn up to d3 could lead to an exchange of pawns followed by an exchange of queens.
  
  What is the best way to defend this poisition?
  
  **Tags:** opening
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2017-03-17. Score: 1 | Accepted answer
  
  How did you manage to get your pawn to h3?!
  
  I'm assuming the position you're interested in occurs after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5. Now white's best move is considered to be 3. exd5. After 3...e4 4. Qe2 Nf6 5. Nc3, white regains the pawn on e4 leaving black with little to no compensation. Feel free to explore the lines yourself, but that's the gist of it as far as I can tell.
  
  In a more general sense, have a little faith in your position :) You seem to be already worried about defense...but all white has done so far is make the absolute most classical, principled opening moves. Why on earth does black get to make this super-aggressive thrust in the center? White should be looking to go on the offensive and punish this overreach.
  
  For a little inspiration, check out a [Tal classic](http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1139713).
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: Also 3. Nxe5 is possible and better for white. This opening is also called the "Elephant gambit" and considered to be better for white: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_Gambit  
  > **username_0**: @username_1 the pawn to H3 is to avoid bishop coming down to g4 and pinning the knight.  I take it the pawn to h3 is frowned upon?  
  > **username_1**: Well it looks like white has made three moves and black has made two, yet white is on move. Did black play his pawn to d5 in two moves? That seems odd. As for h3, it's usually not worth spending a tempo on this move so early.  
  > **username_0**: Sorry, I've made moves on an analysis board.  How would you suggest avoiding the knight getting pinned when the bishop comes down  
  > **username_3**: @username_0   1. The knight can only be pinned if the d-pawn has already moved. 2. It's not as big of a deal as you think. If it gets pinned and you need to be able to move the knight for whatever reason, there's always Be2.  
  > **username_4**: pawn h3 is usually played as an opening for white, if s/he would 1) rather play as black and 2) get a slight advantage  
  
  ---
  
  