Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c6/2. d4/2...Na6

2...Na6!? is the De Bruycker defence. Black delays playing d5 to first develop their knight.

Having played c6, the usual square for Black's queenside knight is unavailable. Although a6 (being on the rim) is grim, via a6 the knight can reach c7, where it is more active.

Using two tempi to develop the knight this way is an unusual continuation: in the Caro-Kann, Black usually just develops the knight a bit later when they can do so in one move: either to c6 (if it becomes available again, as in the Exchange Caro-Kann) or d7.

White may be tempted to snap the knight off, 3. Bxa6?!, so that after Black recaptures 3...bxa6? they have doubled rook pawns. However this does not work in this instance: Black has the intermezzo 3...Qa5!+ followed by Qxa6. Their pawn structure is unaffected and then they are happy with the bishop pair.

Better is for White is to take advantage of the slow move to grab more space, 3.c4, or to develop their own knight more actively 3. Nf3.

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