Goldsmith Defense: what should White play?

Arising from the Goldsmith Defense (ECO B00), this position features an idiosyncratic flank advance by Black that neglects central control. The optimal response for White is d4, directly occupying the center with a second pawn while opening avenues for piece development. By staking a claim to central space, White immediately establishes a commanding posture against Black's unconventional setup.

The case for central occupation

The primary recommendation is d4, which is White's most prevalent choice, appearing in 45.8% of the 2,443,050 games recorded at this position. This continuation yields an engine evaluation of +1.16, with White scoring 56.0% across 1.12M recorded games. Placing a pawn on the d4 square capitalizes on Black's lack of central pressure, allowing White to construct an ideal classical pawn duo on d4 and e4.

Strategic follow-ups and development

An illustrative continuation following the primary choice is d4 c6 Nc3 d5 Bd3 Bg4, demonstrating how White develops comfortably behind the central barrier. Rather than being provoked by the advance of the h-pawn, White simply mobilizes minor pieces toward harmonious squares. The resulting structures give White superior spatial control and clear development paths for both bishops.

Viable alternatives

White can also maintain an edge through straightforward piece development. The second most common choice is Nf3, selected in 38.3% of recorded games (936K recorded) with an evaluation of +0.96 and a 54.6% White score, often continuing with Nf3 c5 c3 d5 exd5 Qxd5. Additional possibilities include developing the queenside knight via Nc3 (played in 12.0% of games, evaluating at +0.64) or modest options such as Be2 (2.5% of games, +0.73) and h3 (1.3% of games, +0.64). Nevertheless, seizing the center immediately with d4 remains the most ambitious approach.