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Durkin Opening

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Chess opening
Durkin Opening
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8a8 black rookb8 black knightc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black bishopg8 black knighth8 black rooka7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black pawne7 black pawnf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawna3 white knighta2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 white pawne2 white pawnf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawna1 white rookc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingf1 white bishopg1 white knighth1 white rook8
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Moves1.Na3
ECOA00
Named afterRobert T. Durkin
Synonym(s)Durkin Attack
Sodium Attack

The Durkin Opening (also known as the Durkin Attack or the Sodium Attack) is a rarely played chess opening that consists of the following move:

1. Na3

The Durkin Opening is named for Robert T. Durkin (1923–2014) of New Jersey. The name "Sodium Attack" comes from the algebraic notation 1.Na3, as Na is the chemical symbol for the element sodium. Similarly, the Amar Opening (1.Nh3) is sometimes referred to as the "Ammonia Opening". White may follow up by playing c4, e.g. 1...d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nxc4.

This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

Assessment

This development of the queen's knight does little to utilize White's advantage of the first move. On a3 the knight does not control central squares, and White would have to move this knight again (e.g., to c2 or c4) for it to follow common rules such as controlling the center. Angus Dunnington suggests that combining this with a gradual central expansion should give White a reasonable position.

Variations

  • Durkin Gambit (1.Na3 e5 2.Nc4 Nc6 3. e4 f5)

See also

References

  1. Kasparov & Keene 1982, p. 3.
  2. Dunnington 2000, p. 139.

Bibliography


White's twenty opening moves in chess
1.a4:
Ware
1.b4:
Sokolsky
1.c4:
English
1.d4:
Queen's Pawn
1.e4:
King's Pawn
1.f4:
Bird
1.g4:
Grob
1.h4:
Despréz

1.Na3: Durkin
1.a3: Anderssen

1.b3:
Nimzowitsch-Larsen

1.Nc3: Dunst
1.c3: Saragossa

1.d3:
Mieses

1.e3:
Van 't Kruijs

1.Nf3: Zukertort
1.f3: Barnes

1.g3:
Benko

1.Nh3: Amar
1.h3: Clemenz

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