Novelty on move 1?

[Hans Jung]

Is it still possible to have a novelty on move one or have all the various moves been played in tournament chess? It is a genuine question. (I noticed Waynes thread started below about a novelty on move two)

[Ken Craft]

Re: Novelty on move 1?

Move 1 for white or for black?

[Hans Jung]

Re: Novelty on move 1?

Im curious about either White or Black Ken. Im just wondering if all the various moves have been played in tournament chess. I know 1.f3 and 1...f6 have been played and Im wondering about the others.

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Novelty on move 1?

Im curious about either White or Black Ken. Im just wondering if all the various moves have been played in tournament chess. I know 1.f3 and 1...f6 have been played and Im wondering about the others.

Wasn't 1....a6 played by someone against Karpov??

Bob A

[Steve Douglas]

Re: Novelty on move 1?

Wasn't 1....a6 played by someone against Karpov??

Bob A

It was played by Miles who won the game. He later jokingly referred to it as the "Birmingham Defence".

IIRC it has other names and was once played against either Zukertort or Steinitz.

Steve

[Louis Morin]

Re : Novelty on move 1?

Is it still possible to have a novelty on move one or have all the various moves been played in tournament chess? It is a genuine question. (I noticed Waynes thread started below about a novelty on move two)

It seems obvious to me that against some rare 1st White moves, not all Black moves have been tried.

For example, 1.a4 has probably been played in tournament chess, but what about 1.a4 g5, or 1.a4 h5, or 1.a4 b5 etc. So yes, numerous novelties at move 1 are still possible, especially with Black.

[Garland Best]

Re: Novelty on move 1?

Guys, whichever of you have Megabase look it up. There are only 20 legal first moves for white and 20 legal replies for black. That's 400 possible opening moves. If someone has not played 1 f3 Na6 then it's a novelty.

[Hans Jung]

Re: Novelty on move 1?

I checked and all possible white move alternatives have been played on move 1. Black has also played all alternative moves on move 1 but as you say not against all the various white moves. So novelties are still possible on move 1 for black. In a humorous side note I noticed a game from this year Carlsen - Dreev which opened 1.Nh3 Nh6. Seems like grandmasters are recently willing to try almost any "odd" opening to get out of book or try for a novelty.

[Adam Cormier]

Re: Novelty on move 1?

Is it still possible to have a novelty on move one or have all the various moves been played in tournament chess? It is a genuine question. (I noticed Waynes thread started below about a novelty on move two)

I played 1.c3 in a game against GM Razvan Proetu because someone gave me some money to play it, I actually got a good game out of it, slight edge at one point, but then the standard result occurred.

I doubt I was the first person to play this move though,

[Erik Malmsten]

Re: Novelty on move 1?

I played 1.c3 in a game against GM Razvan Proetu because someone gave me some money to play it, I actually got a good game out of it, slight edge at one point, but then the standard result occurred.

I doubt I was the first person to play this move though,

Saragossa Opening from Spain, 100 years ago, but maybe you can name a variation?

If created today I would call it the C3PO.