For those of you who play this OTB, what do you do when your opponents play 2. Nc3?

Do you go for 2. ... e5 and transpose into a Vienna?
or 2. ... d6 and go for a Pirc?
or 2. ... d5 for edgy play?

I'd be interested what you choose and why you choose it.

Thanks ahead of time
B.

Let's see.

2. ... d5 when my nose itches.
2. ... e5 when it it rains.
2. ... d6 when my opponent wears glasses.
When it my nose doesn't itch, it doesn't rain and my opponent has no glasses, I'll just pick one. Lately, 2. ... e5 has my preference in these circumstances..

On a more serious tone. For repeated practice, 2. ... d5 is somewhat lacking for my taste because of the Scandinavian influences. I don't play the Pirc on a regular basis anymore (even though I have great respect for it), the Falkbeer Vienna is in my reportoire by different move order anyway...

For those of you who play this OTB, what do you do when your opponents play 2. Nc3?

Do you go for 2. ... e5 and transpose into a Vienna?
or 2. ... d6 and go for a Pirc?
or 2. ... d5 for edgy play?

I used to play the Alekhine, and against it.
So I went over the games at the time.
What I notice, is not what to play but rather what is comfortable for you to
try.
You have to recognize your own talent or abilities, whether you are a defensive or an attacking player.
In the 60's the Czechs tried a psychological test on chess players.
Chess players known for attacking moved a piece forward.
Defensive players backward.
The test involved a placing knights on a board, almost anywhere.

I would play d5, in case white plays 3.e5 I play 3. ... d4

1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e5 d4 4.exf6 dxc3 5.fxg7 cxd2 6. Qxd2 Qxd2 7.Bxd2 Bg7 8.O-O-O Bg4 9.Be2 Bxe2 10.Ne2 Nc6 = SPASSOV x KIROV, Pernik 1976.

If 6.Bd2 Bg7 7.Qf3 Bxb2 8.Rd1 Qd4 9.Ne2 Qg4 10.Qb3 Bg7 UNCLEAR with idea of 11.Bc3 Nc6 12.Rd3 Bxc3 14.Qc3 Qb4 analysis by BRONSTEIN

If 5.bxc3 exf6 6.Nf3 Bd6 7.d4 O-O 8.Bd3 Re8 9.Be3 c6 10.O-O Bg4 =
CORDEN x WILLIAMS, Cambridge 1970.

I play the Alekhine, and ive tried them all. 2._d6 is my favorite because I used to fell jucied in some way, after all I wanted to play the Alekhine. After 2._d5 or 2._e5 I just felt sad, but after the pirc, happiness abounds, it should be a cool game right?! I can still look forward to pressuring the center with pieces like I wanted to from the start so I can't be happier.

I'm an Alekhine fan myself. Although I'm still fairly new to the opening, I just tried d5 in a gameknot game I'm playing now. It feels funny, much like 'lanced' said, as I feel forced out of my comfort zone. But at least by playing d5, I feel like I am keeping White from getting too smug and comfortable, and I keep the tension in the center.

Against the Alekhine I’ve always played 1.e4 Nf6 2.Bc4. So far nobody has ever played 2…Nxe4 allowing 3.Bxf7+ which looks worse for Black than it actually is. Comments?

2. Bc4 never gave me any scares. If I recall:

1. e4 Nf6 2. Bc4 Nxe4 3. Bxf7+ Kxf7 4. Qh5+ Kg8 5. Qd5+ e6 6. Qxe4 d5

And material is even, black has an advantage.

True. So why hasn't anybody ever played it or have I just been lucky? Or maybe it's just not the kind of game an Alekhine guy likes?

It's not the most comfortable position to play. White has some nice qualities in his position, black has more, white has some disadvantages, black has more. When they're traded off, black is better.

I suspect that they either don't know the line (in which case you shouldn't play the Alekhine) or aren't comfortable with the positions it reaches (in which case you shouldn't play the Alekhine). That may sound a little harsh, but as Alekhine defender, you have to be able to cope with these unusual positions as a matter of principle.

Which ever the case, you've been lucky .