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Flank Opening (Durkin Opening)

Chess Opening Theory/1. Na3

Durkin opening
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Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)
Moves: 1. Na3
ECO code: A00
Parent: Starting position
Synonym(s): Sodium attack

1. Na3?! · Durkin Opening

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White develops their knight to the edge of the board, where it has little influence on the board. This is a poor move that does little to develop White's position, at best passing the turn for Black to decide how to play. Black doesn't have to be as polite as White in eschewing the centre and can play 1...e5 or 1...d5.

After 1...e5, White may choose 2. Nc4 to put pressure on the e5-pawn.

History

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The Oxford Companion to Chess says of 1. Na3, "played in over-the-board and correspondence games by Robert Durkin (1923- ) of New Jersey, but rarely by anyone else."[1]

Eric Schiller gave 1. Na3 the name Sodium Attack, as "Na" is the chemical symbol for sodium.[2]

References

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  1. Hooper, David; Whyld, Kenneth (1984). The Oxford Companion to Chess. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 98. ISBN 0-19-217540-8.
  2. Schiller, Eric (1998). Unorthodox Chess Openings. New York: Cardoza Publishing. p. 420. ISBN 0-940685-73-6.

See also

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v · t · e
Chess Opening Theory
1. e4 e5
Open games
3. Bb5
Spanish
3. Bc4
Italian
3. Nc3
Three knights
Other
2...Nf6
Russian
2...d6
Philidor
Other
2. f4
King's gambit
2. Nc3
Vienna
Other
1. e4 c5
Sicilian
1. e4 e6
French
1. e4 c6
Caro-Kann
1. e4 other
1. d4 d5
Closed games
1. d4 Nf6
Indian
1. d4 f5
Dutch
1. d4 ...other:
Flank
Unorthodox