Marshall Defense 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6 — transpositions

Question

I know that the theoretical refutation of 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6?! is supposed to be 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.Nf3.

Perhaps Black doesn't fear the refutation because he intends a gambit such as 3.cxd5 c6?! or 3.cxd5 c5?!.

My question is not about the refutation or the gambits. My question is, what if White declines to capture on d5, and plays 3.Nf3 or 3.Nc3? Does the game simply transpose into a normal line?

In that case, has Black gained or lost anything because of his funny move order?

If White is not going to play 3.cxd5, does 2...Nf6 have any advantage over normal moves like 2...dxc4 or 2...e6 or 2...c6 or 2...c5?

Answer 1

If you don't take on d5, I think the only advantage black has gained is flexibility. That means he can choose his opening according to your move. But you can be almost 100% sure that the opening will be transposed into some traditional line so white can't be worse, for example:

• Slav Defence:

  [FEN ""]
  1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6?! 3. Nc3 (3. Nf3 c6) c6 {with the possibility of both Semi-Slav and Classical Slav Defence}
  

• Queen's Gambit:

  [FEN ""]
  1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6?! 3. Nc3 (3. Nf3 e6 (3... dxc4 {Queen's Gambit Accepted})) e6 (3... dxc4 {Queen's Gambit Accepted})
  

• Grünfeld Defence:

  [FEN ""]
  1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6?! 3. Nc3 g6
  

and there are probably many other transpositions...

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In my opinion you have no reason not to play 3. cxd5. The position after 3... Nxd5 4. e4 (I think this is logical and even better than 4. Nf3) is very comfortable for white. You have a great center and black has to lose time again...

Answer 2

Another possible transposition after 3. Nc3:

After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 we arrive at a variation of the Chigorin Defense.

A particularly tricky line is the following.

[FEN ""]
[Title "Chigorin Defense"]
[Startply "6"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 e5

Answer 3

Playing 2...Nf6 requires black's willingness to play 3.cxd5 c6 lines, because black really needs a pawn recapture on d5. If he is ok with that and is prepared schematically for the lines arising after white declines playing cxd5, then sure, why not. Chess, like life, sometimes does not have absolute answers, especially at sub-Master levels. It is more important to feel comfortable with the kinds of positions you get than to have an absolute answer. Chances are, you or your opponent will play sub-optimal very soon, so the hand-wringing comes without cause.