How should I continue after 1. Na3 (Sodium Attack) ?

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RussSonLeYT

How should I continue after 1. Na3? Becuz I have no IDEA

accountclosed99

 ... e5

accountclosed99

this should be under chess openings not general chess discussion

RomyGer

It is called the Durkin Opening after Robert Durkin from New Jersey, born 1923.   ( btw it is not an "Attack" ).  What about just d5 or e5, as if you were white ?

sree64

Well, my brother used to play this, and i knew how to defend him.

Don't allow the knight to go to either c4 or c2 (after 2.c3).

RussSonLeYT
RomyGer wrote:

It is called the Durkin Opening after Robert Durkin from New Jersey, born 1923.   ( btw it is not an "Attack" ).  What about just d5 or e5, as if you were white ?

According to chess.com, it is called the Sodium Attack.

darkunorthodox88
RomyGer wrote:

It is called the Durkin Opening after Robert Durkin from New Jersey, born 1923.   ( btw it is not an "Attack" ).  What about just d5 or e5, as if you were white ?

i think the "attack" part comes from 1.na3 e5 2.nc4

Hadron
darkunorthodox88 wrote:
RomyGer wrote:

It is called the Durkin Opening after Robert Durkin from New Jersey, born 1923.   ( btw it is not an "Attack" ).  What about just d5 or e5, as if you were white ?

i think the "attack" part comes from 1.na3 e5 2.nc4

Even "The Oxford Companion to Chess" refers to 1.Na3 as Durkin's Opening.

But then again is it an attack or even an opening? It was Hugh Myers in MOB Vol 3 No 1 who  mooted "one move, it doesn't constitute an opening".

He rightly further contended that for 1.Na3 to consider an "opening" that should be a specific strategy behind that opening and that Durkin himself did not have one preferring to recommend a series of moves 1.Na3 e5 being 2.e3, 2.g3, 2.b3 and 2.c4 (and that 2.d4 should be playable) (Source MOB Vol 3 No 1).

Bearing this in mind Durkin also played 2.Nc4. Personally the only reason I do not like 2.Nc4 is 2...e4. (I usually have little problem with 2...Nc6 practically) intending 3...d5 and White has serious issues in hiding the wayward N on c4

Durkin's whatever you want to call it is a fun move to play first up but do NOT expect to get anything out of it more than a equal position to a very very slight edge to white

 

darkunorthodox88
this should at least be equal for black. 
 
i just dont see how the extra na3 move in this advanced caro kahn is any good for white.
Hadron

You might want to check out Karpov's "Caro Kann Defence Advance Variation and other systems" where he discusses the merits of Na6...

 

Christopher_Parsons

I have experimented with this opening a bit and as it has been stated, playing for control of the center, piece development and coordination, the ability to castle, etc, should be priority, just like any other chess opening. One of the things to consider, since white doesn't make an immediate attempt to control the center would be to, make the best reaction to black's attempts at controlling the center. Another thing to consider is whether or not to try to use the classical approach at central control or the hyper-modern approach. My intuition says to me to try the hyper-modern approach, since you would be playing behind a tempo. 

Here are a few games I played against an engine, experimenting with it. There is an added caveat though. I was joking with a friend about wanting to play like Mikhail Tal and he said that Tal could play 1. Na3 2. Rb1 and still kick everyone's butt. So I decided that I would try that as an opening and started playing an engine at various levels, just to see what the engine would do to take advantage of the bad start by white. 

 

 
 
 
SirParrot
AlFiziro wrote:

 

What is that supposed to mean?

Christopher_Parsons

My advice, https://chesstempo.com/game-database.html

see what some GM's, or IM's played against it. It also helps to understand opening principles, to help you pick your moves, especially to try countering your opponent's likely attempts to grab the center. I recommend some sort of hyper-modern type of strategy, or else you are likely to fail. 

Clver_Cat
accountclosed99 wrote:

this should be under chess openings not general chess discussion

Do u just have an obsession with going around forums to correct where people categorise comments? nervous.png

incorrectname

Do you have an obsession with bumping threads?nervous.png

Clver_Cat
incorrectname wrote:

Do you have an obsession with bumping threads?

🙄 really?