Something's wonky right now with the Game Explorer. a3 is suggested as a white move in many cases, and it seems that a5 for black is suggested in many positions. Just go to the Game Explorer and do 1. e4 - according to the Explorer right now, the next most common move is 1... a5, which is false.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.a3 first oprion?????
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Game Explorer is broken. It constantly suggests moves such as 3...a5, and shows that such moves have been played 500k+ times, and have a 100% win rate for white.
pfren wrote:
coon74 wrote:
Even in the other lines like 5. Bc4, since the d-sq bishop is developed to g7, no piece is going to jump to b4 or c5, which renders a3 useless.
Oh, really? Wow! I'm impressed...
I think the previous poster was commenting that white's move of a3 was useless in those specific scenarios. Clearly there are some games in which a6 is a valid defense for black.
The key issue though is that the Game Explorer (http://www.chess.com/explorer/) is temporarily broken and suggesting some odd moves at the moment, for example, suggesting that the most common continuation after 1. e4 is 1...a5.
I first saw the 3. a3 line on a Chessexplained video. CE had black pieces and even got into trouble out of the opening. I don't remembet how it ended though.
CE is an IM if anyone here isn't aware.
I don't really think moves like a3 and other "wasted moves" count until the player are really strong masters, or there is a huge rating gap. A 1900 vs a 1900 game can start 1.a3 2. h3 and the game will be decided somewhere else entirely
I don't really understand the suggestion of 4...g6: in that case a2-a3 is very useful after 5.Bc4, and 5.Nxe5!?- a much improved Haloween gambit, since ...g6 does not allow a Black knight jumping there - is also very interesting
The Halloween Gambit doesn't need to be accepted - Black can just develop the bishop to g7 right away, declining the gambit, or give a knight back (5... Nxe5 6. d4 Nc6 7. d5 Bg7 8. dxc6 bxc6) and get a decent position as White wastes time on taking the knight.
Far not all players making the move 3(4). a3 know such opening intricacies as the Halloween Gambit.
Even in the other lines like 5. Bc4, since the d-sq bishop is developed to g7, no piece is going to jump to b4 or c5, which renders a3 useless.
I'm not saying that 5... d5 or 5... Bc5 are bad, they're both natural and playable, just I don't like open games and went for a hypermodern approach