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Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Qf3

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Napoleon 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 kingf7 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 pawnf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black kingc4 black kingd4 black kinge4 white pawnf4 black kingg4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 black kingd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 white queeng3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 white pawne2 black kingf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 white knightc1 white bishopd1 black kinge1 white kingf1 white bishopg1 white knighth1 white rook1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)

rnbqkbnr/pppp1ppp/8/4p3/4P3/5Q2/PPPP1PPP/RNB1KBNR b

Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Qf3

Napoleon Opening or Queen's Attack

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2. Qf3?!

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The Napoleon Attack, or Napoleon Opening, is weaker than it sounds. Not only does it develop the queen too early, but it blocks the King's Knight from developing to f3, its best square.

As with the similar 2. Qh5, White hopes for the scholar's mate: 2.Qf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5?? 4.Qxf7#. In both cases, Black can easily avoid the trap. However, the Parham Attack is more forcing and stronger—first requiring Black to defend his e-pawn (usually with 2...Nc6), then after 3.Bc4 forcing Black to play a sub-optimal move (3...g6 virtually committing Black to a fianchetto rather than a more aggressive placement of the bishop; 3...Qe7 blocking the bishop; or 3...Qf6 taking away the knight's best square). 2.Qf3 places no such impediments on Black's development.

Among serious chess players this opening is very rare, but beginners occasionally play it to troll or surprise the opponent. Black has no problems equalizing this game.

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Wikipedia has related information at Napoleon Opening

References

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  • Nunn's Chess Openings. 1999. John Nunn (Editor), Graham Burgess, John Emms, Joe Gallagher. ISBN 1-8574-4221-0.
  • Modern Chess Openings: MCO-14. 1999. Nick de Firmian, Walter Korn. ISBN 0-8129-3084-3.
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