Amar Opening, 1 Nh3 and 1...d5
Amar Opening (1. Nh3)
Definition
The Amar Opening is an uncommon chess opening that begins with the move 1. Nh3. Instead of occupying or controlling the center directly, White develops the king-side knight to the h-file, an edge square. In the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO) it is classified under code A00, a catch-all category for irregular first moves by White.
Typical Usage & Strategic Ideas
- Surprise weapon: Because 1. Nh3 appears so rarely in tournament play, it can shock an unprepared opponent and drag the game away from well-trodden theoretical paths.
- Hyper-modern flavor: The knight on h3 may later re-route to f4 (or g5) to attack e6, d5, or h7, indirectly questioning Black’s center rather than occupying it immediately.
- Flexibility vs. loss of tempo: White keeps all central pawns untouched, so can still choose between c-, d-, or e-pawn breaks later. The downside is that Nh3 does little for central control and may have to be re-deployed, effectively conceding a tempo.
- Psychological effect: At club level, such an off-beat first move can lure Black into over-aggressive play, creating tactical chances for White.
Strategic & Historical Significance
The name “Amar” comes from the French amateur Charles Amar, who played it in the 1930s. Savielly Tartakower, famous for his wit and fondness for experimental openings, occasionally adopted it; he jokingly dubbed it the “Drunken Knight Opening.” Although never embraced by elite grandmasters in serious events, it still appears in blitz and bullet, where surprise value is magnified and concrete tactics outrank long-term positional concessions.
Illustrative Examples
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Common transposition:
1. Nh3 d5 2. g3 e5 3. f4!? leads to a reversed Dutch-style setup in which White fianchettos the bishop on g2 and eyes the e5-pawn. -
Famous miniature – Tartakower vs. Maroczy, Vienna 1923 (casual):
Black exploited the weakened king-side to deliver an eight-move checkmate, underscoring the opening’s risks.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- The knight move to the rim gives rise to the pun “Amar, Amare, Amarras” (“to love, you love, moor the knight!”), coined by Spanish commentators.
- Computer engines evaluate 1. Nh3 at roughly –0.40 (Stockfish 16, depth 30), meaning Black is already marginally better with best play, yet the practical score in blitz databases hovers around 48% for White—evidence that surprise matters.
- Magnus Carlsen employed 1. Nh3 in online bullet in 2021 under the username “DrDrunkenstein,” an homage to Tartakower’s epithet.
1…d5 (Black’s Counter to 1. d4)
Definition
The move 1…d5 is Black’s most direct and classical reply to White’s queen-pawn opening 1. d4. By advancing the d-pawn two squares, Black stakes an immediate claim in the center, opens lines for the queen and dark-squared bishop, and creates the potential for symmetrical structures. This single move is not an “opening” by itself; rather, it is the doorway leading to a family of openings collectively known as the “Closed Games” or “Double Queen-Pawn Openings.”
Main Openings Arising After 1…d5
- Queen’s Gambit Declined (QGD): 2. c4 e6
Solid, classical; Black defends d5 and prepares …Nf6, …Be7, and …0-0. - Queen’s Gambit Accepted (QGA): 2. c4 dxc4
Black grabs the c4-pawn and aims to hold it or return it later for piece activity. - Slav Defense: 2. c4 c6
Strengthens d5 with a pawn rather than a piece; famous for rock-solid structures and clear-cut plans. - Albin Counter-Gambit: 2. c4 e5!?
An aggressive attempt to unbalance the game at once. - If White plays 2. Nf3, Black can steer toward the Colle, Catalan, or Torre systems by flexible development.
Strategic Meaning & Plans
By occupying the center pawn square d5, Black:
- Seeks central equality rather than the dynamic counterplay often associated with 1…Nf6 (Indian Defenses).
- Controls the important e4-square, delaying or discouraging White’s immediate central expansion with e2–e4.
- Maintains structural balance; pawn exchanges often lead to an open c-file and half-open e-file, giving both sides clear plans.
Historical Significance
The oldest recorded use of 1…d5 dates back to the 16th century matches of Gioachino Greco. It became the standard reply to 1. d4 throughout the 19th century. Wilhelm Steinitz and Emanuel Lasker refined the Queen’s Gambit Declined in world-championship play, while later titans like Capablanca, Botvinnik, and Karpov demonstrated the enduring solidity of d5-based defenses. Even in the modern engine era, 1…d5 remains a principal weapon at elite level.
Illustrative Example Game
Kasparov vs. Karpov, World Championship Match (Game 16), 1985
Opening sequence: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5
Be7 5. e3 0-0 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bh4 b6
Karpov’s reliable QGD setup neutralized Kasparov’s initiative, eventually
steering the game to a draw after 42 moves. Their epic rivalry showcased
how deeply the 1…d5 structures can be understood and exploited.
Theory Snapshot
Modern engines evaluate the position after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 at ≈0.20 (Stockfish 16, depth 40), confirming that Black achieves near-equality with precise play. In databases of top-level classical games (2000-2023), the main continuations break down as:
- QGD: ≈40% frequency
- Slav/Semi-Slav: ≈35%
- QGA: ≈10%
- Albin & others: ≈15%
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- In the famous “Immortal Draw” (Aron Nimzowitsch vs. Sämisch, Copenhagen 1923), the game began 1. d4 d5 and evolved into a spectacular king walk and perpetual check sequence.
- When IBM’s Deep Blue defeated Garry Kasparov in 1997, the critical Game 6 started with 1. e4, but in Game 3, Kasparov’s 1. d4 d5 2. c4 led to a Slav Defense that the computer held comfortably, highlighting 1…d5’s computer-proof solidity.
- Some coaches recommend that juniors learn 1…d5 before delving into the more theory-heavy King’s Indian, because the pawn structures teach classical concepts of minority attack, isolated queen’s pawn, and hanging pawns.