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Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nh3

< Chess Opening Theory | 1. e4 | 1...e5
Basman Attack
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black knightc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black bishopg8 black knighth8 black rook8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black pawne7 black kingf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black kingd6 black kinge6 black kingf6 black kingg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black kingc5 black kingd5 black kinge5 black pawnf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black kingc4 black kingd4 black kinge4 white pawnf4 black kingg4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 black kingd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 black kingg3 black kingh3 white knight3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 white pawne2 black kingf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 white knightc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingf1 white bishopg1 black kingh1 white rook1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)

rnbqkbnr/pppp1ppp/8/4p3/4P3/7N/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKB1R b

Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nh3
Parent: Open Game

The Basman Attack

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The Basman Attack is an unusual chess opening named after the English International Master Michael John Basman who played the strange 2. Nh3 in a game versus John T Fletcher in 2013.

The Basman Attack is offbeat, but slightly playable for White. It is mainly used to avoid highly theoretical lines such as the Ruy Lopez or the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation. White intends to play f2-f4 soon.

The Basman Attack incurs multiple problems for White. First, it develops a piece towards the outer edge of the board. The problem with developing your knight to h3 instead of f3 is that on h3 it doesn't control the pivotal central squares of e5 and d4. On h3, the only square the knight can move to that it couldn't move to if it was on f3 is f4. The other problem with this opening is that it loses initiative. In e4 e5 openings, White typically controls the opening. Moves like Nf3 put immediate pressure on the opponent, forcing them to defend. The move Nh3 puts none of that pressure and therefore is an almost pointless move.

It is relatively easy for Black to equalise in this opening, for example, 2...Nf6, 2...d5, and 2...Nc6 all equalise, although Black should be careful to avoid an eventual f2-f4.

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