Irregular chess opening

This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

Irregular openings are chess openings with an unusual first move from White. Such openings include:

• 1.a3 Anderssen's Opening
• 1.a4 Ware Opening
• 1.b4 Sokolsky Opening (also known as Polish or Orangutan Opening)
• 1.c3 Saragossa Opening
• 1.d3 Mieses Opening (or Pirc Defense reversed or King's Indian Attack)
• 1.e3 Van 't Kruijs Opening
• 1.f3 Barnes Opening (also known as Gedult's Opening)
• 1.g4 Grob's Attack
• 1.h3 Clemenz Opening (or Basman's Attack)
• 1.h4 Desprez Opening (or Kadas Opening)
• 1.Na3 Durkin Opening (also known as Durkin's Attack)
• 1.Nc3 Dunst Opening
• 1.Nh3 Amar Opening (also known as Paris Opening)

The above openings are all categorized under the ECO code A00. The only other possible openings are:

• 1.e4 (King's Pawn Game)
• 1.d4 (Queen's Pawn Game)
• 1.c4 (English Opening)
• 1.Nf3 (Réti Opening or Zukertort Opening)
• 1.f4 (Bird's Opening)
• 1.g3 (Benko's Opening) and
• 1.b3 (Larsen's Opening).

If White plays a regular opening and Black responds in an unconventional way, the opening is not categorized A00. For instance, 1.e4 a6 is classified as B00 (King's Pawn Opening).

See also

• Open Game (1.e4 e5)
• Semi-Open Game (1.e4 other)
• Closed Game (1.d4 d5)
• Semi-Closed Game (1.d4 other)
• Flank opening (1.c4, 1.Nf3, 1.f4, and others)

References

Because these openings are not popular with chess players, the standard opening references (see chess opening and Chess theory#Opening theory) do not cover them in detail.

• Schiller, Eric (2003). Unorthodox Chess Openings. Cardoza. ISBN 1-58042-072-9. 
• Tamburro, Pete (August 2009), "A Brief Chess Opening Glossary", Chess Life for Kids: 8-9 

Wikibooks has a book on the topic of Chess Opening Theory

External links

• Unusual Openings
• Chess Archaelogy: Openings classified under ECO A00