Best Unusual OTB Openings

Because correspondence chess alows the time and ability for extensive research on any given opening, we all usually choose more stable and sound openings.

Out of curiousity, however, I was looking for suggestions for surprising and/or unusual (although still playable) openings for OTB play.

Anyone had any experience with specific unusual OTB openings?

Originally posted by wittywonka
Because correspondence chess alows the time and ability for extensive research on any given opening, we all usually choose more stable and sound openings.

Out of curiousity, however, I was looking for suggestions for surprising and/or unusual (although still playable) openings for OTB play.

Anyone had any experience with specific unusual OTB openings?

1. b3 or 1. g3 are surprising enough often.

then you have the grob...

1. a3 works...

Originally posted by wittywonka
Because correspondence chess alows the time and ability for extensive research on any given opening, we all usually choose more stable and sound openings.

Out of curiousity, however, I was looking for suggestions for surprising and/or unusual (although still playable) openings for OTB play.

Anyone had any experience with specific unusual OTB openings?

The hammerschlag dominates 😀😛

I'm looking for openings that are still playable but unusual. I never though of opening with a fianchetto; that might work. But I don't want it to completely waste a tempo like 1. a3 would.

Hammerschlag really, really disgusts me 🙂. I can't even stand analysing it.

there are 1.d3 or 1.e3, which could transpose into a sound opening but still has the effect of a surprise.

Originally posted by wittywonka
Because correspondence chess alows the time and ability for extensive research on any given opening, we all usually choose more stable and sound openings.

Out of curiousity, however, I was looking for suggestions for surprising and/or unusual (although still playable) openings for OTB play.

Anyone had any experience with specific unusual OTB openings?

You know its gotta be 1. g4!!

"The snake" if you want somthing good and unusual. 1.d4 c5 2.d5 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 Bd6!? ...Bc7 ...Ba5 (my favorite, now you understand where the name comes from). Might work even better against lines with Nf3. Check it out. Sicilian Löwenthal, Kalashnikov, O'Kelly Variation. Semi-slav, KID, Kings gambit, evans-gamit, is also good (tactical).

The Wing Gambit isn't seen that often in OTB play - 1.e4 c5 2.b4.

A friend of mine plays a strange variation - 1.e4 c5 2.a3 and gets positions which are almost playable some of the time.

albin counter gambit, I've had fantastic results with it OTB... due to my many failures in CC.

me too. from the white side! (albin counterg.)

Fried Liver Attack - Traxler Gambit. They both are sharp attacks tough to defend from, esp. in otb.

2 knights tango against 1. d4 and Alekhine's defense against 1. e4.

Modern Benoni.

The Portuguese and Icelandic Gambits in the Scandi.

The Dragon Sicilian.

The Scotch, Evans (and other GP openings like Moeller etc) and King's Gambits. In CC usually you have to play 3 Bc4 because the Knight's Gambit is badish with best play in like two or three lines special lines no one is going to know OTB.

The Worall Attack. Schiemann Gambit. I could go on...

Originally posted by pwnguin
Modern Benoni.

The Portuguese and Icelandic Gambits in the Scandi.

The Dragon Sicilian.

The Scotch, Evans (and other GP openings like Moeller etc) and King's Gambits. In CC usually you have to play 3 Bc4 because the Knight's Gambit is badish with best play in like two or three lines special lines no one is going to know OTB.

The Worall Attack. Schiemann Gambit. I could go on...

half of those aren't uncommon at all?

They'd be uncommon in CC, I'd imagine.