Van ’t Kruijs Opening 1.e3
Van ’t Kruijs Opening
Definition
The Van ’t Kruijs Opening is defined by the single move
- 1. e3
Because it does not immediately stake out the centre with a pawn on the fourth rank, the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO) assigns it to the catch-all code “A00: Uncommon First Moves.” The name honours the 19th-century Dutch master Maarten van ’t Kruijs (1813-1885), who employed the move with success in local tournaments.
How the Opening Is Used
At heart, 1. e3 is a flexible, slightly waiting move. By advancing the e-pawn only one square, White
- frees the f1-bishop,
- keeps the central pawn structure fluid,
- retains the option to transpose into many mainstream systems.
Common transpositions include:
- French Defence, Exchange style: 1. e3 e6 (or 1…e5 2.d4 e6) leading to structures after d4, c4 and Nf3.
- Queen’s Pawn Games: 1. e3 d5 2.d4.
- Réti/English set-ups: 1. e3 c5 2.c4 or 2.Nf3 followed by g3 and Bg2.
- Colle & Stonewall systems: 1. e3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.f4 or 3.Nf3 followed by Bd3, Nbd2.
The opening is therefore appealing to players who value flexibility and wish to steer opponents out of theoretical main lines.
Strategic Ideas
Because the first move is modest, White accepts a slight concession in space, intending to repay it with piece activity and surprise value. Strategic themes include:
- Delayed central tension: White may wait to play d4 or c4 until Black reveals his own set-up.
- Light-square pressure: The king-side bishop often goes to b5, d3, or g2, exerting pressure on the e-file or the long diagonal.
- Queenside fianchetto: Plans with b3 and Bb2 are common, especially versus …d5 systems.
- Early castling: Because no major central clashes have occurred, White can safely castle short as early as move four or five, keeping the position pliable.
Historical Significance
Maarten van ’t Kruijs was considered one of the strongest Dutch players of his era; Steinitz reportedly ranked him among the top ten players in the world in the 1860s. Although 1. e3 never found favour as a mainstream opening, it has periodically been revived as a surprise weapon:
- Paul Keres essayed it against Fridrik Olafsson at Reykjavik 1960, winning a fine positional game.
- Anatoly Karpov used it several times in speed chess, notably vs. Ljubojević (Bugojno Blitz 1978).
- Magnus Carlsen has employed 1. e3 in online rapid and blitz events, e.g. vs. Jeffery Xiong, St Louis Blitz 2019.
Typical Move Order
An illustrative “pure” Van ’t Kruijs structure might run:
1. e3 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. b3 e6 4. Bb2 Be7 5. c4 O-O 6. Nc3 c5
Here both sides have developed harmoniously; White plans Rc1, cxd5 or Qb1-Qa1 to pressure the long diagonal.
Illustrative Game
The following rapid game shows the opening’s transpositional power and attacking chances:
[[Pgn| 1.e3 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.b3 c5 5.Bb2 Nc6 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Bb5 Bd6 8.O-O O-O 9.d4 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Ng4 11.h3 Qh4 12.Nf3 Qh5 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.Be2 Bxh3 15.gxh3 Qxh3 16.Nxd5 Ng4 17.Nf4 Bxf4 18.exf4 Rad8 19.Qc2 Rd6 20.Qe4 Rh6 21.Ng5 Qh2#|fen|r2q1rk1/pp3ppp/2n1b3/1B1p4/3N1P1q/1P2P2P/PB1Q2P1/R4RK1 b - - 0 21]]White’s seemingly quiet first move turned into a wild attacking game after the centre opened.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Because 1. e3 can transpose almost anywhere, some elite players use it in banter blitz sessions to test an opponent’s flexibility or simply to “play chess” without memorised lines.
- In 2015 the computer engine Stockfish, given a small time handicap in testing, chose 1. e3 as one of its most common “human-confusing” first moves.
- Despite its rarity, the opening appears in problem composer Sam Loyd’s 19th-century Excelsior studies, demonstrating early ideas of concealed diagonals.
When to Choose the Van ’t Kruijs
Consider 1. e3 if you:
- Enjoy steering the game into uncharted or less-analysed territory.
- Prefer to decide on d-pawn or c-pawn advances only after Black commits.
- Want a universal repertoire piece usable against any reply.
Further Study
Recommended resources inside your database:
- Opening Explorer filter: “A00: 1.e3” for statistical trends.
- Model Games: Keres-Olafsson 1960, Carlsen-Xiong 2019, Van ’t Kruijs-De Ruyter 1861.
- Engine drill: Create a theme position after 1…d5 2.c4 with 30-second increments and practise against your favourite engine.