Answers.Body: <p><code>c5</code> is a weird move, not only is it allowing white to potentially take control of the <code>d4</code>, <code>g4</code> and <code>f5</code> squares, which are perfect squares for the white knight or bishop. Additionally, the <code>e4</code> is weak and developing the black knight to <code>f6</code> just leads to <code>e5</code>, and potentially <code>f4</code> next, leaving white with a extremely strong control of the center and king side.</p>
  <p>I would usually recommend <code>Nc6</code>, preventing the queen from being annoying on the <code>e5</code> square, plus your kicking white's queen away</p>
  <pre><code>[FEN &quot;rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR&quot;]
  [Title &quot;Center Game Accepted&quot;]
  [StartFlipped &quot;1&quot;]
  [StartPly &quot;7&quot;]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qe3 d6
  </code></pre>
  <p>Here is an example, I have not analysed this yet, but this seems like a easily playable game for black, rather than black playing <code>c5</code></p>
  <p>Example game if <code>c5</code> is played to be added in edit later</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2022-04-01T01:51:20.630Z
Answers.Text: You are basically right, but White will normally play 4.Qe3 instead of retreating all the way back to d1.
Answers.UserDisplayName: bof
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2022-04-01T01:56:09.343Z
Answers.Text: thx, will black respond with b6? or what @bof
Answers.UserDisplayName: DialFrost
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2022-04-01T02:04:36.017Z
Answers.Text: Don't ask me, I'm no expert on the Center Game (or anything, really). I guess 4...d6 and 4...b6 are moves, but I seem to recall that 4...Nf6 is the most usual.
Answers.UserDisplayName: bof
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Answers.LastEditDate: 2022-04-01T01:55:42.710Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: DialFrost
Answers.Body: <p>3...<code>c5</code> gets two question marks deservedly, not because it loses material, but because it is extremely antipositional and a strong player would win as White on autopilot. The <code>c5</code> pawn is weak itself, it blocks the <code>Bf8</code>
  , it can no longer protect the squares <code>d5</code>, <code>b5</code> and <code>d6</code>. Any compensating &quot;grip&quot; on <code>d4</code> is an illusion. It does surprise me a bit that the machine gives an advantage as great as +2.0 but I would really hate to have the Black position against a strong opponent. ..<code>c5</code> is not a tactical blunder but a positional blunder.</p>
  <p>An advantage of 2.0 does NOT mean that you can immediately win two pawns. White could easily give the advantage away, but with correct play Blacks position will gradually collapse under the weight of its own defects. I would start with 6.<code>Nc3</code>, eyeing the weak squares at <code>d5</code> and <code>b5</code>. These are not so serious at the moment because if the Knight actually goes to either square Black can retreat <code>Bd8</code>, but later on it might be annoying. And if Black makes the natural reply 6..Nf6, White has 7.e5. So to prepare that move Black might try 6...<code>d6</code>, but then 7.<code>Bf4</code> to be followed by <code>0-0-0</code>.</p>
  <p>Rather than attempt to analyse this position I suggest you try taking Black against your computer. Allow yourself as many takebacks as you like. I predict that you will be squashed. You will not be able to find anything constructive to do. Take note of how the machine exploits the weaknesses that I have mentioned.</p>
  <p>Now give yourself the White pieces and see if you can give the computer a dose of its own medicine. Again give yourself any number of takebacks. I predict that the thrill of victory will be yours. I predict also, and certainly hope, that you gain a better understanding of what it means to hold a positional advantage.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2022-03-31T20:35:46.607Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2022-03-31T23:55:33.763Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2022-03-31T23:55:33.763Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Philip Roe
Body: <pre><code>[FEN &quot;rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR&quot;]
  [Title &quot;Center Game Accepted&quot;]
  [StartFlipped &quot;1&quot;]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 c5??
  </code></pre>
  <p>Stockfish says that <strong>3…c5</strong> was a blunder and recommends <strong>3…Nc6</strong> instead.</p>
  <p>The advantage goes from <code>0</code> to around <code>+2.0</code>.</p>
  <p>Stockfish provides the following continuation:</p>
  <pre><code>[FEN &quot;rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR&quot;]
  [Title &quot;Center Game Accepted&quot;]
  [StartFlipped &quot;1&quot;]
  [StartPly &quot;7&quot;]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 c5?? 4. Qe5+ Qe7 5. Qxe7+ Bxe7
  </code></pre>
  <p>The advantage is still around <code>+2.0</code>.</p>
  <p>The resulting position looks equal to me. Why is it better for White?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2022-03-31T20:09:56.323Z
Comments.Text: White will be able to get a firm grip on the d5 square, since black made a big hole there. One would have to go into far more detail to explain why it's +2.0 according to SF, but the weakness on d5 is by itself reason enough to claim that white is ahead. White will be able to set up with Nc3, Bc4 (and maybe a4 as well if black gets uppity) and Bf4 with excellent control over the position, and although I'm surprised to see that SF claims that white is winning I'm not at all surprised that SF claims that white is better.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Scounged
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2022-04-02T01:26:48.423Z
Comments.Text: A similar position is covered in [this instructional video](https://youtu.be/dKUG7qm4ZkM?t=3507) by a NM.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Edward
Tags: <opening><analysis><beginner><center>
Title: Why is 3...c5 a blunder in the Center Game Accepted?
ThreadText: # Why is 3...c5 a blunder in the Center Game Accepted?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2022-03-31)
  
  ```
  [FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR"]
  [Title "Center Game Accepted"]
  [StartFlipped "1"]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 c5??
  
  ```
  
  Stockfish says that **3…c5** was a blunder and recommends **3…Nc6** instead.
  
  The advantage goes from `0` to around `+2.0`.
  
  Stockfish provides the following continuation:
  
  ```
  [FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR"]
  [Title "Center Game Accepted"]
  [StartFlipped "1"]
  [StartPly "7"]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 c5?? 4. Qe5+ Qe7 5. Qxe7+ Bxe7
  
  ```
  
  The advantage is still around `+2.0`.
  
  The resulting position looks equal to me. Why is it better for White?
  
  **Tags:** opening, analysis, beginner, center
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: White will be able to get a firm grip on the d5 square, since black made a big hole there. One would have to go into far more detail to explain why it's +2.0 according to SF, but the weakness on d5 is by itself reason enough to claim that white is ahead. White will be able to set up with Nc3, Bc4 (and maybe a4 as well if black gets uppity) and Bf4 with excellent control over the position, and although I'm surprised to see that SF claims that white is winning I'm not at all surprised that SF claims that white is better.  
  > **username_2**: A similar position is covered in [this instructional video](https://youtu.be/dKUG7qm4ZkM?t=3507) by a NM.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2022-03-31. Score: 16 | Accepted answer
  
  3...`c5` gets two question marks deservedly, not because it loses material, but because it is extremely antipositional and a strong player would win as White on autopilot. The `c5` pawn is weak itself, it blocks the `Bf8`
  , it can no longer protect the squares `d5`, `b5` and `d6`. Any compensating "grip" on `d4` is an illusion. It does surprise me a bit that the machine gives an advantage as great as +2.0 but I would really hate to have the Black position against a strong opponent. ..`c5` is not a tactical blunder but a positional blunder.
  
  An advantage of 2.0 does NOT mean that you can immediately win two pawns. White could easily give the advantage away, but with correct play Blacks position will gradually collapse under the weight of its own defects. I would start with 6.`Nc3`, eyeing the weak squares at `d5` and `b5`. These are not so serious at the moment because if the Knight actually goes to either square Black can retreat `Bd8`, but later on it might be annoying. And if Black makes the natural reply 6..Nf6, White has 7.e5. So to prepare that move Black might try 6...`d6`, but then 7.`Bf4` to be followed by `0-0-0`.
  
  Rather than attempt to analyse this position I suggest you try taking Black against your computer. Allow yourself as many takebacks as you like. I predict that you will be squashed. You will not be able to find anything constructive to do. Take note of how the machine exploits the weaknesses that I have mentioned.
  
  Now give yourself the White pieces and see if you can give the computer a dose of its own medicine. Again give yourself any number of takebacks. I predict that the thrill of victory will be yours. I predict also, and certainly hope, that you gain a better understanding of what it means to hold a positional advantage.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2022-04-01. Score: 0
  
  `c5` is a weird move, not only is it allowing white to potentially take control of the `d4`, `g4` and `f5` squares, which are perfect squares for the white knight or bishop. Additionally, the `e4` is weak and developing the black knight to `f6` just leads to `e5`, and potentially `f4` next, leaving white with a extremely strong control of the center and king side.
  
  I would usually recommend `Nc6`, preventing the queen from being annoying on the `e5` square, plus your kicking white's queen away
  
  ```
  [FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR"]
  [Title "Center Game Accepted"]
  [StartFlipped "1"]
  [StartPly "7"]
  
  1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qe3 d6
  
  ```
  
  Here is an example, I have not analysed this yet, but this seems like a easily playable game for black, rather than black playing `c5`
  
  Example game if `c5` is played to be added in edit later
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_4**: You are basically right, but White will normally play 4.Qe3 instead of retreating all the way back to d1.  
  > **username_3**: thx, will black respond with b6? or what @username_4  
  > **username_4**: Don't ask me, I'm no expert on the Center Game (or anything, really). I guess 4...d6 and 4...b6 are moves, but I seem to recall that 4...Nf6 is the most usual.  
  
  ---
  
  