Chess Opening Theory/1. d4/1...Na6

1...Na6?! is a rare and dubious reply to 1. d4.

This is not a good developing move, as knights are not so effective on the rim of the board, however it keeps the c6 square available so that 2. e4 can be met with 2...c6, transposing into the De Bruycker sideline of the Caro-Kann. In this variation the knight routes from a6 to c7.

Although, after 2. c4 c6, Black can't exactly play a Caro-Kann, so they might wish they have played the move order 1. d4 c6, where 2. e4 can still be met with 2...Na6 (if they really want to) but against 2. c4 Black retains the option of a Slav defence 2...d5.

The earliest Australian connection with this move appears to be a game in the 1993-4 Australian Championship, Kagan v Wohl,^[1] which continued 2. Nf3 d6 3. e4 c6. Alexander Wohl played this line frequently in the '90s.

Magnus Carlsen played 1...Na6 against Aleksander Indjic in a Titled Tuesday blitz game in 2025.^[2] He continued in the manner of an Englund gambit with 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 d6.