1. ...e5 is the most popular move among amateurs and the second most popular move at all levels. All world champions have had 1...e5 in their repertoires.

I agree with blake

g5? I normally see 1...e5 or 1...c5, less common are 1...e6, 1...d5, 1...c6, 1...d6 and 1...g6, but I have never faced 1...g5.

I often play 1. ...e6

It won't become a Giuoco Piano or Ruyh Lopez, because that can only happen after the king's pawn game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4/Bb5).

2.Nc3 is definitely better than this move actually.

After 2.Nf3, 2...d6 is the proper continuation (though 2...Nf6 is also possible). Here I would also play 2...Nc6 because White has just weakened the d4 square and this plans to take advantage of that. 2...Nf6?! can be met by 3.e5 and if 3...Ne4? then 4.Qe2 wins a piece.

I have no problems with this move

I agree with binblaster, this IS correct as the other Knight is chased away and Black loses a tempo! After this, THEN 3...d6 becomes proper. That's how it's done. If 2...d6?!, Black has to deal with annoying Queenside threats for the rest of the game!

@l-d-j well, after 2.Nf3 d6 isn't nessasarily the "proper" continuation, but I agree that I prefer Nc6 instead of Nf6.

3. ...Nf6 was also possible

Now, 4...Bd7 followed by Kingside developement.

Maybe jkarp is right here, 4...Nf6 keeps options open. But I also think this move is OK.

@jkarp if 5. ...cxd4 6. Nxd4 Nxd4 then 7. Qxd4 looks fine to me. Although white gets his queen out early, it is difficult to attack and also doesn't get in the way of the white pieces.

Binblaster is right again. 5...cxd4 is an absolute mistake. After 6.Nxd4 Nxd4 7.Qxd4, chances of losing the Kingside Rook is high!

I don't agree with chesskingdom that 5...cxd4 is a mistake. However, after 6.Nxd4 Nxd4? is. After 7.Qxd4 Nf6 followed by 8...Bg7 black won't lose his h8 rook as chesskingdom says, but the queen is nicely placed and White has a lead in development, a space advantage and more center control.

@jkarp: no, 5...cxd4 6.Nxd4 Nxd4 and now White can take 7.Qxd4. Still I think 5...cxd4 was better and I don't like this move.

5. ...cxd4 6. Nxd4 Bg7! was the best continuation for black

Good move but not the best I think. 6. d5! hits the knight and sets up a strong cramping pawn on d5. Black's best move would probably be 6. ...Nd4 when 7. Nxd4 cxd4 8. Qxd4 wins a pawn but now white's pawn structure is a little better than in the game.

@jkarp what would you suggest instead? I don't think black has another move here that isn't without drawbacks. For example 6. ...dxc5 7. Qxd8+ Kxd8 8. Be3 b6 and black is likely to run into problems on the d file.

@Jkarp black has to get out his pieces or he will also run into development issues.

This is not a problem to Black too much, but it can be a bit irritating. First off, White cannot take the d6 pawn; it loses points. Second, by playing this move, White is also getting into trouble. That means that this is an equal game.

Bad news: 3 pawn islands.

Both moves have equal advantages, jkarp. Both sides don't look too good and White is a pawn up after 9...Bxd6. After this, White MUST play either Nd2, Ke2, Bd3 or Be2. If else, then 10...Bb4+!. That's my concern about this move. If 10.c5, then Qe7+.

I disagree. You are down in material and exchanging is usually good for the side who's up in material. Furthermore, I think stronger players generally show their strength in the endgame, as they are much more experienced in endgames because games at that level generally are more even and tend to last longer into an endgame (at lower levels, you don't get to an endgame because someone already has a decisive advantage before the endgame).

@jkarp he is still 1 pawn behind. Pawns were exchanged on d6 but white was already 1 pawn up. I agree that there is an incentive to exchange queens in that it makes the extra pawn more valuable but I see no reason to help black develop in the process. Therefore I would recommend 10. Be3 which concedes nothing to black.

Bad bad bad. Blocks in your light squared bishop and allows black to develop with 10. ...Be7. This move also makes it harder for you to get your king out of the center so black may end up getting counterplay along the central files.

@jkarp black is a pawn down. This bad move by black seemingly justifies 10. Qe2 when if black had played 10. ...Be7 (even 10. ...Kf7 would have been better than 10. ...Qe7?!) then black at least maintains good chances for counterplay against the misplaced white king.

@jkarp the queen is pinned so 11. ...Qxc5 is illegal although you are on the right lines. Black now equalizes with 11. ...Qxe2 12. Bxe2 Bxc5 winning back the pawn.