Ware Opening
Encyclopedia
The Ware Opening or Meadow Hay Opening, is an uncommon chess opening
in which White opens with
It is named after U.S.
chess player Preston Ware
, who often played uncommon openings. It is considered an irregular opening, so it is classified under the A00 code in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings
.
The Ware opening attacks the b5 square and threatens to bring the a1 rook to the game. The b5 square is non-essential and if Black plays 1...e5, the f8 bishop prevents developing the white rook for the moment. The reply 1...e5 also gains space for Black in the center, something that openings are supposed to do but Ware Opening fails in. Noting all this, the Ware Opening is something one may only expect to see from players completely new to chess.
Usually, an experienced player using the Ware Opening will meet a response of 1... d5 or 1... e5 with 2. d4 or 2. e4, respectively, as a reversed Scandinavian
or Englund Gambit
would be unsound here. At some later point the move a5 will be made, followed by Ra4 (as Ra3?? invites ...Bxa3 Nxa3 with a definite advantage for Black).
Chess opening
A chess opening is the group of initial moves of a chess game. Recognized sequences of opening moves are referred to as openings as initiated by White or defenses, as created in reply by Black. There are many dozens of different openings, and hundreds of named variants. The Oxford Companion to...
in which White opens with
- 1. a4
It is named after U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
chess player Preston Ware
Preston Ware
Preston Ware Jr. was a U.S. chess player. He is best known today for playing unorthodox chess openings.Ware was born in Wrentham, Massachusetts, and died in Boston, Massachusetts.-Boston Mardarins:...
, who often played uncommon openings. It is considered an irregular opening, so it is classified under the A00 code in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings
Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings
The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings is a classification system for the opening moves in a game of chess. It is presented as a five volume book collection describing chess openings...
.
The Ware opening attacks the b5 square and threatens to bring the a1 rook to the game. The b5 square is non-essential and if Black plays 1...e5, the f8 bishop prevents developing the white rook for the moment. The reply 1...e5 also gains space for Black in the center, something that openings are supposed to do but Ware Opening fails in. Noting all this, the Ware Opening is something one may only expect to see from players completely new to chess.
Usually, an experienced player using the Ware Opening will meet a response of 1... d5 or 1... e5 with 2. d4 or 2. e4, respectively, as a reversed Scandinavian
Scandinavian Defense
The Scandinavian Defense is a chess opening characterized by the moves:The Center Counter Defense is one of the oldest recorded openings, first recorded as being played between Francesco di Castellvi and Narciso Vinyoles in Valencia in 1475 in what may be the first recorded game of modern chess,...
or Englund Gambit
Englund Gambit
The Englund Gambit is a rarely played chess opening that starts with the moves:Black's idea is to avoid the traditional closed queen's pawn games and create an open game with tactical chances, but at the cost of a pawn. The gambit is considered weak; Boris Avrukh writes that 1...e5 "seems to me...
would be unsound here. At some later point the move a5 will be made, followed by Ra4 (as Ra3?? invites ...Bxa3 Nxa3 with a definite advantage for Black).
Named variations
There are several named variations in the Ware Opening. The best known of these is the- Crab Variation, which continues 1... e5 2. h4. This does nothing to help White, but instead weakens his position even more.
- The Wing Gambit of the Ware Opening is characterized by 1... b5 2. axb5 Bb7.
- The Cologne Gambit continues 1... b6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nd7, and
- The Ware Gambit continues 1... e5 2. a5 d5 3. e3 f5 4. a6.
- The rarely seen Symmetric Variation continues 1... a5.
See also
- Corn Stalk Defense (Sometimes known as the Ware Defense.)
- Preston WarePreston WarePreston Ware Jr. was a U.S. chess player. He is best known today for playing unorthodox chess openings.Ware was born in Wrentham, Massachusetts, and died in Boston, Massachusetts.-Boston Mardarins:...
- List of chess openings
- List of chess openings named after people