I plan on getting Chessmaster or Fritz sometime soon. I agree that this program wasn't very good. The point of 1...a5 is to let White build a classical center which can then be attacked. Bringing the rook out early is an option; so is a fianchettoed bishop.
I have to wonder if 1...h6 might work better, like a reversed St. George defense.
<Dustwalker> Me thinks there art more fruitful ways of taking upon a "hypermodern" way of opening.
...Middle-ages lesson in english today-sorry. If you want an opening that attacks a classical center, you should try looking up "hypermodern" openings (1. d4 Nf6, 1.d4 g6, etc.) What purpose does the maneuver "a6, Ra6" have in undermining white's center?
If you just want to play it for fun, thats fine, but don't expect it to be taken seriously.
I'm facing the same response from black in this game. Black to move, what do you think about white's possition so far?
1. Nf3 a5 2. c4 a4 3. a3 c6 4. g3 b5 5. cxb5
*
p.s. i would like to apologize for bringing this back.
Okay. I noticed that everyone else has just shouted about how the opening is bad, so I will give some constructive criticism.
First of all, the move 1... a5 has no point to it. There are no weak points on the queenside to pawn storm, and the rook cannot go to a useful square. White can simply play 2. e4, which cuts off a6, which prevents a rook lift, however premature. Also, even if the rook does get out unharmed, it will not be able to penetrate a solid center, established by d4 and e4. In the time it takes to get the rook out, both White knights will be on optimal squares, and the bishops will be active, leaving no room for a rook to break in.
Second of all, the move 1... a5 is weakening. If ever the c-pawn is prevented from moving to c6, there will be a gaping hole on b5. It will serve as an outpost for an enemy knight, or as a safe haven for a pinning bishop. If the pawn could move to a6, then the pieces could be forced away, but the pawn on a5 prevents any kind of resistance.
Third of all, there are better moves you can make that would help you gain an attack to kill your opponent. Look at Game Explorer and try to find something with which he is not familiar, but is playable.
<duskwalker> The strength of your computer opponent does not help your case; it plays no better than a 1400 player (which may be too generous.) You also failed to show the importance of the moves "a5" and "Ra6" which merely led to a rook exchange at the cost of time. Try the opening out against someone (not a computer) of at least 1600 strength, and you don't even have to win-just show that it does something worthwhile, which most everybody agrees, it doesn't.
Also, 16. Bxb5 leads to 16...Nxe5 17. Nxe5 (Bxd7 Nxd7) Bxb5 which loses a central pawn for a doubled pawn. Why did you play b5 if you did not know the Nxe5 trick?