Chessy
Anderssen's Opening: c5 – How to Play as White
You've played 1.a3, and Black answered with 1...c5. Now you push 2.e4 — and you've reached the key position of Anderssen's Opening: c5. It's Black's turn, and Stockfish evaluates the position at -0.14, a tiny edge for Black. That means you are essentially equal out of the opening. Based on over 1.3 million Lichess games, White wins 47.6% of the time, Black 48.9%, with 3.5% draws — so this is a balanced, playable start. Let's see what happens next and how you can steer the game in your favour.
Play the Anderssen's Opening: c5 against the engine
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By playing 1.a3 and then 2.e4, you've avoided mainline theory and kept the game on your own terms. The pawn on a3 prevents Black from putting a piece on b4 and can be useful later for a queenside expansion with b4. Your centre pawn on e4 fights for space, and you're ready to develop naturally. The position is dead level — neither side has a significant edge — so the outcome will depend on who plays more accurately in the next dozen moves. Your task is to get your pieces out quickly, keep an eye on the d4 square, and decide whether to challenge Black's c5-pawn with d4 or build up slowly.
How Black Usually Answers
Black has several popular replies in this position, and knowing them helps you prepare. The most common is Nc6 (played in 589,026 games), where Black develops a knight and eyes the centre. Here you can continue with Nf3, Bb5, or even d4 — all reasonable. The engine's top choice is d6 (298,769 games), which prepares Nf6 and a solid setup; the best continuation is d6 Nf3 Nf6 Bb5+, pinning the knight and creating pressure. Other frequent moves are e6 (198,597 games, aiming for a French-like structure), g6 (72,854 games, fianchetto), and a6 (36,650 games, a waiting move). White scores between 45% and 48.8% against these — close to even.
The One Move to Avoid (For Now)
The statistics flag d5 as a known inaccuracy for Black in this position — it loses about 0.6 pawns of advantage, and the engine says Black should have played g6 instead. After 2...d5, you can take with 3.exd5, and Black will have to recapture with the queen (Qxd5) because Nf6 would drop a pawn. That gives you a tempo to develop with Nc3, chasing the queen and building a lead in development. So if your opponent plays d5, you're the one who comes out ahead — just don't miss the capture.
Typical Middlegame Aims
The Anderssen's Opening: c5 tends to produce open or semi-open positions where piece play matters more than deep theory. Your plan often includes: developing the kingside quickly (Nf3, Bc4 or Be2, castles), keeping the option of d4 to challenge Black's centre, and using the a3-pawn to support a later b4 push for space on the queenside. Black's most solid setup involves ...d6, ...Nf6, and ...g6, leading to a King's Indian-style battle. In the most-played line (d6 Nf3 Nf6 Bb5+), you get the bishop pair and a slight initiative — exactly the kind of position where your understanding of the game, not your memory of theory, decides the result.
Results across 1,311,808 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Nc6 | 589,026 | 48.8% |
| d6 | 298,769 | 46.4% |
| e6 | 198,597 | 46.5% |
| g6 | 72,854 | 45.1% |
| a6 | 36,650 | 48.0% |
| d5 | 34,477 | 47.2% |
Frequently asked questions
Is Anderssen's Opening: c5 a good surprise weapon for White?
Yes — it's rare enough that many Black players won't be familiar with it, but statistically it's very sound. From 1.a3 c5 2.e4, White scores 47.6% and Black 48.9%, essentially equal. You avoid deep opening theory while reaching a playable middlegame.
What is the best move for Black after 1.a3 c5 2.e4?
The engine recommends 2...d6, continuing with d6 Nf3 Nf6 Bb5+. That leads to a solid, slightly passive setup for Black. The most popular human reply is 2...Nc6, which has been played over 589,000 times on Lichess.
Should I be worried about the -0.14 evaluation as White?
Not at all. An evaluation of -0.14 means Black has a tiny, negligible edge that won't matter for practical play. Among over 1.3 million games, the win rates are almost perfectly balanced — your skill will decide the result, not the opening.
What is the biggest mistake Black can make in this position?
The biggest mistake listed is 2...d5, which loses about 0.6 pawns of advantage. After 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.Nc3, you develop with tempo and leave Black's queen exposed. The engine says Black should have played 2...g6 instead.
How many games feature the Anderssen's Opening: c5?
Over 1 million Lichess games have reached the Anderssen's Opening: c5 position. White wins 47.6%, Black wins 48.9%, with 3.5% draws — based on real rated games.