1. d2d4  1... g8f6  2. b1c3  2... d7d5  3. c1f4 This is another Queen's Pawn sideline that's very popular in online blitz games. I have faced it countless times. What makes it so popular $2 This system leads to sharp positions where White dictates the character of the play. It quickly brings the game to positions where most players have never cared to study. Just look at my case: as I wrote, I have faced this many times online. Even so, I never studied a single line of theory here, always playing the position as Black \"by ear.\" It's a kind of prejudice: I never took this system seriously. Maybe it's time to study it and start improving my play against it in the next Titled Tuesday. 3... c7c5  4. e2e3  4... c5d4  5. e3d4  5... a7a6 Avoiding the annoying Nc3-b5 once and for all. 6. g1f3  6... b8c6  7. f3e5  7... c8d7 This position is well-known for both players. 8. g2g3 When I was young, my first teacher told me never to play g3 when I had a bishop on f4. Chess has advanced, and childhood memories are in the distant past. 8... e7e6  9. f1g2  9... c6e5 Not afraid of the pawn capture. 10. d4e5  10... f6g8 How can this position be playable for Black when on the 10th move nearly all of his pieces are in the initial position $2 I hear the curious reader ask. Always look at the pawn structure; it will usually give you all the answers for life's existence. There are no meaningful pawn breaks, and the center is closed, so Black is in time to develop the pieces without suffering major injuries. 11. e1g1  11... g8e7  12. f1e1  12... e7g6  13. f4e3  13... d8c7 Of course, taking on e5 can't even be considered with that rook on e1. But 14. h2h4 [%c_effect h4;square;h4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] A good move to disturb the knight. 14... f8c5  15. e3c5  15... c7c5  16. d1g4  16... g6e7 [%c_effect e7;square;e7;type;Interesting;persistent;true] Clever play. The pawn on g7 cannot be captured. 17. a1d1  17... d7c6  18. h4h5  18... h7h6 After many adventures, we get a French-like pawn structure, something that is always somewhat scary for the player with the black pieces. 19. d1d2  19... e8g8  20. a2a3 