Would You Play This???

When you play 1)a3 you essentially let Black choose whatever opening they want to play - there goes your surprise element and there goes your initiative. At that point you are pretty much trying to equalize and hoping that a3 may at some point fit thus "justifying" it.

In certain positions a3 may be strong, but as the first move it serves no purpose. Why not play something that is not a waste of a tempo?

The one opening I can think of where a3 might come in handy early in the game is a reversed Sicilian where Black often plays a6. Unfortunately, your opponent knows that and does not need to play e5...

Dude, you are right!  I can't believe for a second 1 a3 isn't the first move in every game played at the grandmaster level.  They clearly are all missing out.

So am I.  I'll stick with 1 d4 or 1 e4.

I know some people that like the position reached after 1.a3 e5 2.c4, which is basically a reverse sicilian, but it would be more logical to play 1.c4 and then play a3 later on. For the most part white is just going to end up playing a reverse opening, and hope that black plays a line where a3 is usefully

1...d5 seems to be the move that would be best here. 

1.d4 a6 is a pretty useless move as black because white almost never puts a piece on b5 in 1.d4 openings.  So in reverse it cannot be good for white.

OK, to set the record straight:

1.a3 is a perfectly playable move if you like to play black more than you want to play white.

To those people who say that 1.a3 loses the initiative, well, duh... the whole point of 1.a3 is to play black with the white pieces.

To the above post stating that instead of 1.a3 e5 2.c4 reaching a type of reversed Sicilian Najdorf with an extra move, it would be more logical to play 1.c4 e5 2.a3.

However, playing 1.c4 allows black to play 1...c5, 1...Nf6, 1...f5 etc. Sure, after 1.a3, black can play these moves as well, white do not need to learn all the theory in the English Opening, and may, for example, after 1...c5, follow up with 2.Nf3 or 2.e4!?.

After 2.Nf3, the game transposes into some sort of English Opening reversed with the move a3 threw in. Whether the move is useful or not I cannot say, as I personally do not play this system. However, after 2.e4!?, it a different story entirely. I believe that 1.e4 c5 2.a3 is a recent idea, where white intends the Wing Gambit without losing a pawn.

Another post stated that 1...d5 would be the best move against 1.a3, since that a3 is usually not required in most 1.d4 openings. However,  I believe that in some variations of the KID, black plays ...a6, ...Rb8 and so on. Again, I do not play the KID, but I have seen this idea many times in practice, and I am pretty sure that it is indeed a line in the KID.

Perhaps, white could even try a Benko 'Gambit' after 1.a3 d5. For example, 1.a3 d5 2.Nf3 c5 3.c4 d4 4.b4!?

I am not claiming 1.a3 is a useful move, or even a good move. I am just saying that perhaps 1.a3 is a way for players to learn only black openings.

i think that it gives black the first move to establish center

Well, you can win games as Black too, and this is basically switching the colours.

Thanks for all of the comments,

but I think some of you are missing the point of this opening

If you want to get the idea, here is a common sample from my games.

Hey,

Is there anyone out there who wants to face 1.a3!?

If so, I will post the game in this forum, win or lose.

Any challengers,

If so, go to live chess and wait for me, I am ready

@southpawsam

regarding post #59

Why do you assume that Black would want to lose his big centre with 4 .... dxc4 (badly numbered, should be 5 .... dxc4), and develop White's pieces to boot? I think instead of dxc4 I would play c6 to prop up my big centre and to keep some tension.

Then I would respond, happily, I should say, with c5. Your Black squared bishop is horrible and it will be an easy task to kill your queenside.

P.S.That is the usual move you will see. Actually, in my opinion (Which everyone happens to disagree with), Black should respond d4!!, with a reversed Benoni

 I don't play "bad openings". I play weird or interesting moves that have some positional merit to them.

I am still putting out a challenge to beat anybody with 1.a3!? Leave a note and if I respond (it being thanksgiving and all) We will play. And I will post the game (If i get the computer to work) win or lose.

So who is up to the challenge

Sorry, challenge off for now

I have got to go.

But do we have any more comments about the Andersson?

So 1.a3 is not bad? Strange that it's not used by the good players...

I have played it myself, but just for fun, I don't take chess to serious. And then sometimes, your opponents don't take you serious either, then the trick works.

-It could be a good blitz opening, just play a lot of "weak" moves to get ahead on the clock.

If you really want to test the opening, start a computer match with it.

Fritz 12 vs Rybka, the result will tell you more than this topic.

"Then I would respond, happily, I should say, with c5. Your Black squared bishop is horrible and it will be an easy task to kill your queenside."

Incorrect in my opinion, the Bishop goes back to c7 (a great square) and Black's big centre becomes even more of a monster.

p.s. There is no mechanism to challenge you on LiveChess2 (player's list is absent) unless the opponent is a "Friend" of yours.

You are in effect playing a Game as Black with a6 already played. If your opponent plays as White and avoids systems that a6 is goodfor the black side you're much worse.

Okay I am back, and up to the challenge

Who dares to face 1.a3!?

Leave a note and we will play a game of live blitz chess.

P.S. I am posting the game on the forum win or lose.

 Hey, I am still giving out this challenge

Any challengers

So are all of you guys scared???

Com'n, come play against 1.a3!?