Chess Opening Theory/1. a4

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Ware Opening
a b c d e f g h
8 a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h8 8
7 a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 h7 7
6 a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h6 6
5 a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h5 5
4 a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 h4 4
3 a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3 3
2 a2 b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 g2 h2 2
1 a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 h1 1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)
Moves: 1. a4
ECO code: A00
Parent: Starting position

1. a4?! · Ware Opening[edit | edit source]

The Ware Opening, named after the US chess player Preston Ware, is a rare opening starting with the move 1.a4. This opening is nearly useless, as it does nothing to control the center or develop a piece. While it does prepare Ra3, Black can stop this with 1... e5, which is a move that Black probably would have wanted to play anyway. Despite its flaws, the Ware Opening can be used to unsettle the opponent, similarly to other unorthodox openings.

Statistics[edit | edit source]

This opening has no statistics, as it almost never occurs among serious chess players and is a fundamentally unsound opening.

Theory table[edit | edit source]

1 2 3 4
Crab Variation ...
e5
h4
-
Symmetric Variation ...
a5
=
Wing Gambit Accepted ...
b5
axb5
Bb7

Wing Gambit Declined ...
b5
a5
-

Cologne Gambit ...
b6
d4
d5
Nc3
Nd7
=/+
Ware Gambit ...
e5
a5
d5
e3
f5
a6
-
=/+

All possible Black's moves[edit | edit source]

Quick
Navigation
Na6
a6
a5

b6
b5
Nc6
c6
c5

d6
d5

e6
e5
Nf6
f6
f5

g6
g5
Nh6
h6
h5

References[edit | edit source]

Eric Schiller (2002). Unorthodox Chess Openings (Second Edition ed.). Cardoza. ISBN 1-58042-072-9. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help)

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation.

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