The move 2...d5 is sometimes played by very good players. Former World Champion Mikhail Tal used one example in his book Life and Games. Writing about game no. 58 (Tal - Lutikov, 1964), where the move was played, Tal noted, 'I had never previously encountered in tournament practice Black's second move. My first task was to remember the name of the opening. At the board I did not succeed in solving this problem. The second was to recall any games previously played with this variation. With this second problem, I coped more successfully.'
Tal played 3.exd5, when the game continued 3...e4 4.Qe2 f5. Here Tal noted that the move 'does not fit in with Black's basic aims in this variation. More in the spirit of the position is the rapid mobilization of the pieces together with Pawn sacrifices: 4...Nf6 5.d3 Be7 6.dxe4 O-O.'
After 3.exd5, another variation for Black is 3...Qxd5, perhaps followed by 4.Nc3 Qe6 5.Bb5+ Bd7 6.O-O Bxb5 7.Nxb5 Bd6 8.Re1. The premature development of the Black Queen again allows White to develop with a gain in time.
Another possibility for White is 3.Nxe5 3...dxe4 (3...Qe7 is also interesting) 4.Bc4 Qg5. Black throws caution to the wind in return for a counterattack.