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ECO A00Flank opening

Amar Opening

A knight on the rim, and a joke that costs a pawn

  • Offbeat

1.Nh3 sends the knight straight to the edge of the board, where it controls almost nothing. The idea is to follow with g3 and f4 and reach an odd position the opponent may not know. But White neither takes the centre nor gains time, so the opening is thought to be dubious and is played mostly for surprise.

Interactive Opening Board

5.O-O

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Black
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White
5.O-O
Speed:

Moves

(9 plies • 5 moves)
5.O-OTabiya
  1. 1–5moves
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  6. 5.

Defining move

1.Nh3 — the knight to the rim

The move that defines it

The knight on h3 watches f4 and g5 but has no say in the centre. After 1…d5 Black gets the centre without a fight. On top of that the c8 bishop can take the knight on h3, and White has to wreck his own pawns.

Tabiya

The Paris Gambit: a pawn for development

White has played g3 and f4, Black took the knight on h3 and then the pawn on f4. White has castled and hopes that quick development and some pressure will make up for the loss. But White is a pawn down and the kingside is weakened. Black simply develops and does not fear an attack that White does not really have.

White’s plan

  • Play g3 and f4 and hope for an unusual position.
  • Develop the bishop to g2 or h3 and castle.
  • Rely on the opponent not knowing the opening.

Black’s plan

  • Take the centre with …d5 and …e5.
  • Capture the knight with the bishop on h3 if White plays f4.
  • Develop calmly and not chase pawns at the cost of safety.

History

It is named after Charles Amar, a Paris amateur of the 1930s, and Tartakower helped to spread the name. There is also a joking name, the Ammonia Opening, because Nh3 looks like the formula NH3. Magnus Carlsen has tried it in rapid play.

Notable players

Magnus Carlsen

Games in the Atlas

No games in the Atlas yet

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