What if someone's first move is a3

That's partly why I put a smiley. The hypermodern school advocates initially controlling the center from the flank, which is why 1. b3 2. Bb2 and 1. g3 2. Bg2 are hypermodern. Even flank pawn moves that control the center like 1. c4 and 1. f4 are considered hypermodern. Saying that 1. a3 or 1. h3 are hypermodern is really pushing it, since their influence on the center is very indirect, though after 1. a3 b4 and 1. h3 2. g4 they do influence the center. I was exaggerating.

Try www.365chess.com Opening Explorer.

Anderssen,s 

Play 1... a6 In fact, here is the punctuation: 1 a3! 1... a6!!

Personnally, i think 1.a3 is a good move.

And really, i am not joking...

Those thinking 1.a3 is bad should think a bit but 1.a3 is a transpositionnal move where the better player can easily outplay the opponent in the opening.

It is difficult to see a move for black where 1.a3 is useless.

Maybe 1...g6 is the only real try to get an advantage for black.

1. ... a6.

Yeah, just play 1. ...a6 and offer a draw.

But, seriously, I would probably play 1. ...d6

I have been trying out a3 and h3 as opening moves at lichess anonymous blitz(5 min +8 sec). And so far, I have a pretty good winning rate with it(80-90%). I haven't had the guts to try this at chess.com yet. Maybe one of these days...

PS: I would call a3 or h3 as post-modern

😉

Just as when an opponent plays any opening you don't know stick to basic opening principles. Play slowly, play safely and play actively. Avoid being overconfident and too avoid being fearful of the unknown. Get to a playable middle game, once you have done that you have succeeded in making it through any of the opening traps your opponent was hoping for. Don't use to much time and don't over think, simply play simple straight forward chess: control the center, develop your pieces actively and safely, keep your king safe. Then KICK BUTT !!! 

I also think 1.a3 is a good move. White simply wants to play some reversed opening with an extra tempo, which might, or might not prove useful.

I was recently looking at the Gunsberg variation of the Four Knights: 1e4 e5 2Nf3 Nc6 3Nc3 Nf6 4a3 (!). A white game of Hebden's transposed into this from1a3. I'll post it if I can find it.

I suppose white is saying to black, 'I believe in my black repertoire. Prove to me that a3 is a weakness rather than an asset.'

I have heard it said that 1...g6 is the best answer, in that it makes 1a3 redundant. I don't know, but not every black player has the Modern in their repertoire.

Perhaps 1a3 is the future of chess ? It will only take Carlsen to play it once and players will say 'I knew it was good all along !'

I also think a3 is a good move. My friends (who is 2200) play 1.)  a3 in blitz and deeply analyzed it. We also chatted with a 2630 player and he says it's playable but not too ambitious. There was an IM though who said it can quite easily be refuted which isn't true.

To solve the problem of a3 it's important to understand the idea.

I got carried away a bit with the idea of 1.a3. Sorry for that, I just thought that although many IMs in this chat have justified that a3 is good, there are no concrete lines showing it.

Now for how to play against it. I advise you figure it out. Look through openings and try to find faults and places where a3 could be useless, then try to transpose into that position. I'd just like to point out that this is probably best with queen's pawn systems as they all easily transpose to each other. I'll give some examples:

I hope this helped a bit although there is tons of stuff you can figure out on your own. At the level of chess which you are at, all this complex move order stuff doesn't need to matter to you. You can just develop your pieces and play normally however this may be interesting to stronger players

ok but there is no point to go for a grunfeld reverse where a3 is useless.

U have to find a way to get a variation where control of b4 can be important. For example, someone talked about Benko gambit reversed...

1. a3 is fine. Whether u play it or ur opponent does. Under 2000 chess losing teensie-tempos early ?....really doesn't mean anything, since most games, slow or fast, are settled w/ a one-move tactic or piece-hung zinger or humdinger or eye-popping blinger....later on.

Ok. Selfie this. Do u feel that AK bolted up rite after AM played it against him ?....of course not. AK probably just kinda giggled & moved on. It didn't throw him off. He's too much the professional to have gotten jiggy & off the beam.

I've heard old skool teachers say that this is a big No-No to their young students. No it isn't. It's just dubious & kinda doesn't do anything right away. 1. a3 may be turn out to be a huge move that u don't need to make later on 'cuz u already did !....right ?

I say play it if u have a exploring heart. Then play it again if it felt good the first time. I mean, that's why some ppl need a rib cage, right ?

Oh pleez ! You're playing patzer chess just like me. Black isn't any better. It's way too early to tell at our level.

White chased off the bishop w/ it & now it has Q-side expansion. So it's not all for not. 

I suggest to just control the center.

What do you guys think of this setup: a3, h3, b4, g4, Bb2, Bg2, Nf3, Nc3

I tried this at lichess anonymous blitz (5 min +8 sec) with lot of success.

Well it depends on what the other player does. Chess is like a conversation - to borrow a sentiment from the game of 'GO'.

That was me. As stated, I actually used to play 1.a3 occasionally in OTB tournament games (and also 1. Nc3 occasionally). My idea was to derail my opponent's opening prep and to transpose into a decent reversed opening such as Sicilian reversed or Benko reversed.