Saragossa theory

[Site "Chess.com"] [Result "*"] 1. c3 e5 2. d4 e4 3. d5 Nf6 4. c4 c6 5. Nc3 (5. e3 Bd6 6. Nc3 O-O) 5... Bb4 6. e3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 cxd5 8. cxd5 *

Chess.com

[Site "Chess.com"] [Result "*"] 1. c3 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Nf3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 *

As 1 e4 c6 is sound, 1 c3 is OK too. I would recapture: 1 c3 e5 2 d4 exd4 3 cxd4. After 3...d5 it transposes the the Queen's Gambit Declined, Exchange Variation: 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 cxd5 exd5.

One of my most memorable games was against the Saragossa as Black. I took the e5-Nf6 setup, didn't have a good grasp on any theory or traps so I used basic opening principals. I developed more quickly than my opponent by bullying a misplaced bishop, and later on converted the game (although higher rated players here will likely call it sloppy). Posting the relevant opening moves here.

Just play it like a reverse caro against e5 and against d5, play d4 and go for queens pawn

[Event "TarzanFrFr vs. Deoxys7860"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2024-06-07"] [White "TarzanFrFr"] [Black "Deoxys7860"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "1260"] [BlackElo "1173"] [TimeControl "600"] [Termination "TarzanFrFr won by checkmate"] 1. c3 c5 2. d4 Nc6 3. d5 Na5 4. Nd2 b5 5. e4 Nf6 6. Bxb5 Qb6 7. c4 Ba6 8. Qa4 Rb8 9. Bxa6 Qxa6 10. Ngf3 Rb4 11. Qa3 e5 12. Nxe5 Bd6 13. Nef3 O-O 14. e5 Re8 15. O-O Bxe5 16. Nxe5 Rxe5 17. b3 Ne8 18. Qb2 f6 19. Nf3 Re7 20. Bd2 Rb6 21. Bxa5 Qxa5 22. Rfe1 Rxe1+ 23. Rxe1 Nd6 24. Re7 Nf5 25. Rxd7 Nh4 26. Qb1 Nxf3+ 27. gxf3 Rb8 28. Kg2 Re8 29. d6 Qd2 30. Re7 Kf8 31. Rxe8+ Kxe8 32. Qe4+ Kf7 33. Qe7+ Kg6 34. d7 Qg5+ 35. Kh1 Qc1+ 36. Kg2 Qg5+ 37. Kf1 Qc1+ 38. Qe1 Qc2 39. d8=Q Qxa2 40. Qd3+ f5 41. Qe6+ Kg5 42. Qdxf5+ Kh4 43. Qee4# 1-0 fun game

[Site "Chess.com"] [Result "*"] 1. c3 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Nf3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nf6 5. e4 *. I call this the Australian gambit. Quickly develops pieces and isn't even that bad for white.

[Site "Chess.com"] [Result "*"] 1. c3 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Bf5 4. g3 Nc6 5. Bg2 h6 6. O-O *. A fun easy system. I prefer it over the London.

[Site "Chess.com"] [Result "*"] 1. c3 e5 2. d4 e4 3. c4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. e3 O-O 6. Ne2 d5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Bd2 Nxc3 9. Bxc3 Bxc3+ 10. bxc3 Nd7 11. Ng3 *. Interesting variation after e5.

[Site "Chess.com"] [Result "*"] 1. c3 d5 2. f4 Bf5 3. d4 (3. Nf3 Nd7 4. d4 Ngf6 5. Nbd2 e6 6. e3 Bd6 7. Bd3 (7. Be2 O-O 8. O-O) ) *. A reverse Dutch that quickly develops in the centre while enforcing the D pawn.

[Event "TarzanFrFr vs. transportsbaro"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2024-09-02"] [White "TarzanFrFr"] [Black "transportsbaro"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "1324"] [BlackElo "1294"] [TimeControl "600"] [Termination "TarzanFrFr won by resignation"] 1. c3 d5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nc6 5. Nbd2 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Be2 h6 8. Bh4 Ne4 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. Qc2 Nxd2 11. Nxd2 e5 12. O-O e4 13. f3 Bf5 14. fxe4 Bxe4 15. Nxe4 Qxe4 16. Bd3 Qg4 17. Qf2 Rae8 18. Rae1 Re6 19. Bf5 Rf6 20. Bxg4 Rxf2 21. Rxf2 1-0. Started off closed then opened up on the kings side

So far 1.c3 still works well for me at 1300 elo trying to push to 1400 next.

Oh my god