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Chess Opening Theory/1. c3

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Saragossa Opening
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black knightc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black bishopg8 black knighth8 black rook8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black pawne7 black pawnf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black kingd6 black kinge6 black kingf6 black kingg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black kingc5 black kingd5 black kinge5 black kingf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black kingc4 black kingd4 black kinge4 black kingf4 black kingg4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 white pawnd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 black kingg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 black kingd2 white pawne2 white pawnf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 white knightc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingf1 white bishopg1 white knighth1 white rook1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)
Moves: 1.c3
ECO code: A00
Parent: Starting position

1. c3 · Saragossa Opening

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A rarely played move as it takes away the Knight's developing square c3. It is likely to transpose into a London System, Torre attack, Colle system, or Macleod Attack where the pawn structure is generally c3, d4, e3, or e5 depending on black's moves. Another possible idea, following the response 1.c3 c5, is to transpose into the Alapin.

Statistics

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Chess.com master database

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The Saragossa Opening was played 494 times in games in the Chess.com master database

Approximate chances

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White win 30%, Draw 26%, Black win 44%.

Next move popularity

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Nf6 28%, d5 19%, e5 11%, c5 10%, f5 6%, g6 4%, b6 3%, d6 2%, e6 2%, other moves 2%

Lichess master database

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The Saragossa Opening was played 289 times in games in the Lichess master database

Approximate chances

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White win 31%, Draw 34%, Black win 34%.

Next move popularity

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Nf6 34%, d5 24%, e5 12%, c5 10%, g6 6%, b6 5%, f5 5%, d6 2%, other moves 2%

Theory table

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1.c3

  1 2  
  c3
Nf6
d4
 
  ...
d5
d4
 
=
  ...
e5
d4
 
See Sicilian Defence (but played by White) ...
...
c4
 
=
Lopez Opening ...
...
e4
 
 

All possible Black's moves

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Quick
Navigation
Na6
a6
a5

b6
b5
Nc6
c6
c5

d6
d5

e6
e5
Nf6
f6
f5

g6
g5
Nh6
h6
h5

References

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  • 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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