King's Pawn Game: Mengarini's Opening

King's Pawn Game: Mengarini's Opening

Definition

The King’s Pawn Game: Mengarini’s Opening arises after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. a3. White follows the central thrust 1.e4 with the seemingly quiet flank move 2.a3, preparing the advance b2–b4 and staking out space on the queenside at a very early stage. The ECO classification is C20.

How It Is Used in Play

Instead of developing a piece or reinforcing the centre with 2.Nf3 or 2.d4, White spends a tempo to:

• Prevent …Bb4 pin ideas in some future Sicilian-like structures after b2–b4.
• Prepare the Wing Gambit idea b4, either immediately or after a preparatory move such as 3.Nf3 or 3.c4.
• Puzzle the opponent, forcing them to make independent decisions outside well-trodden theory.

Black enjoys several sound replies. The most natural are:

• 2…Nf6 – continuing normal development and hitting e4.
• 2…d5 – striking in the centre while White’s last move did nothing for central control.
• 2…c6 or 2…c5 – establishing a Caro-Kann or Sicilian-like structure where …Bb4 is no longer possible but Black still seizes space.

Strategic Themes

• Queenside space: After 3.b4 (sometimes gambitted with 3…Bxb4), White hopes for long-term pressure down the a- and b-files.
• Tempo cost vs. surprise value: White’s early pawn move concedes time in the opening, so rapid development and central counterplay are Black’s main strategic aims.
• Transpositional freedom: The game can transpose to a Wing Gambit versus the Sicilian (after …c5), an Advance French (after …e6 & …d5), or unusual King’s Gambit-style positions if White later plays f2–f4.

Historical Notes

The line is named after Giuseppe Mengarini (1876-1940), an Italian-born mathematician and linguistics professor who was both a problem composer and an over-the-board enthusiast. Mengarini liked off-beat gambits and reportedly used 2.a3 successfully in New York coffee-house play in the early 1900s, catching opponents unprepared in an era dominated by classical principles.

Because masters quickly realised that Black can equalise comfortably, the opening never entered mainstream tournament practice, but it survives in casual, blitz and correspondence play where surprise is at a premium.

Illustrative Mini-Game

The following 15-move skirmish shows typical ideas for both sides:

[[Pgn| 1.e4|e5| 2.a3|Nf6| 3.Nc3|c6| 4.d4|exd4| 5.Qxd4|d5| 6.exd5|cxd5| 7.Bg5|Be7| 8.O-O-O|O-O| 9.Nf3|Nc6| 10.Qd2|Be6| 11.Bd3|Qa5| 12.Rhe1|Rac8| 13.Kb1|Rfd8| 14.Ne2|Qb6| 15.Ned4|Nxd4 |arrows|a2a3 b2b4 d2d4|squares|a3;b4;d4]]

White achieved the desired queenside space and rapid castling opposite to Black, but Black’s central breaks (…d5, …c6) neutralised the pawn sacrifice and yielded good piece activity.

Typical Continuations

1. 2…Nf6 3.Nc3 d5
   Black attacks the centre immediately, often leading to French-like positions after …d5–d4.
2. 2…d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.Nc3
   A Scandinavian-style queen chase where White gains development but still lacks the Wing Gambit.
3. 2…c5 3.b4!? cxb4 4.axb4
   Mengarini’s pet Wing Gambit, sacrificing a pawn for open lines on the queenside.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• Hikaru Nakamura once used 2.a3 in an online bullet game, following up with h4 and a fierce king-side attack—proof that off-beat openings can thrive in fast time controls.
• Chess writer Tim Harding dubbed 2.a3 “the short-stop move” because it seems to do little but can field stray enemy bishops later on.
• Because the a-pawn moves two squares in its first two tempi (a2–a3 and then a3–a4 in many lines), some jokingly call the opening “Mengarini’s Two-Step.”

Practical Advice

For tournament players considering Mengarini’s Opening:

• Use it as a surprise weapon in rapid or blitz games rather than classical events.
• Study the Wing Gambit motifs versus both …c5 and …e5 structures; they are your primary source of compensation.
• Be prepared for flexible transpositions—your opponent may steer into a French, Caro-Kann, or even King’s Indian Attack–style setup.