Saragossa Opening
The Saragossa Opening is a solid and highly transpositional opening for White. An unambitious opening, the Saragossa is not very common at the master level. However, it is still a viable option that fits players of all levels.
Starting Position
The Saragossa Opening starts with the move 1.c3. Unlike the more common 1.e4, 1.d4, 1.Nf3, and 1.c4, this move doesn't immediately claim central control. Although it supports a later d2-d4 push, White could have just played d2-d4 immediately since they have the first move.
Because White doesn't fight for the center immediately, it's fair to say that the Saragossa relinquishes White's first-move advantage.
The move 1.c3 has little independent value, as the game usually transposes quickly to other more traditional openings. White's position can also evolve into reverse versions of reputable Black openings like the Caro-Kann and Slav Defense, with an extra tempo.
Pros
- It's a solid opening, so it's a good fit for players who like to play it safe
- White has simple developing plans
- White can get positions similar to other reputable Black openings like the Caro-Kann Defense and Slav Defense, but a tempo up
- There's not a lot of theory you need to learn to play this opening
Cons
- White gives up their first-move advantage
- It's not an ambitious opening that will give White an advantage in the early stages of the game
Main Variations Of The Saragossa Opening
The Saragossa Opening is not a common opening among top players and is also highly transpositional. Because of this, there is not much theory for this opening. You can learn more about each of Black's four most popular responses below.
1...Nf6
Black's most popular response is 1...Nf6. Black usually continues with ...g6, ...bg7, and ...d5, and in that case, White plays a structure that looks like the Slav.
1...d5
If Black goes for the second-most popular 1...d5, White can continue with the usual plan of d2-d4. Play usually proceeds with White's typical plan of developing the dark-squared bishop to g5, developing the knights, and creating the pawn triangle. Again, White gets a position that's similar to the Slav.
1...e5
If Black plays 1...e5, the third-most popular option, White simply plays d2-d4 and proceeds with a developing scheme similar to Black's Caro-Kann.
1...c5
Black's fourth-most popular reply is 1...c5. This option allows White to transpose to more common openings where they could fight for an advantage. However, White can still play normally with d2-d4, where White will follow up with natural developing moves.