Chessy
Anderssen's Opening: e6 — A Quiet Start That Scores
Most opponents expect a kingside or central push on move one, but 1.a3 is a patient opening that keeps them guessing. After 1.a3 e6 2.d4, White has a solid centre and the ball is in Black's court. Stockfish evaluates this position at +0.06 — dead level, neither side has an edge. But the statistics tell a warmer story for White: across over 624,000 games, White wins 50.9% of the time, with only 3.9% draws. That slight overperformance suggests many Black players mishandle the position. Below you'll play the position against a training engine and learn where your edge comes from.
Play the Anderssen's Opening: e6 against the engine
Free, no signup — you play white, the engine adapts to your level.
Try the position against the training engine below and see if you can improve on White's already solid 50.9% score.
Create a free account →What You're Fighting For
After 1.a3 e6 2.d4, you've built a pawn centre without committing your kingside or queenside pieces yet. The modest a3 move does two useful things: it prevents any ...Bb4 pin against your knight if it goes to c3, and it takes away the b4 square from Black's pieces. The engine's best continuation is 2...d5, heading toward a French-like structure where you can follow up with Nf3, Bf4, and normal development. If Black avoids d5, you often get an improved version of whatever they choose — your extra tempo (a3) may prove handy in the long run. Your job is simple: develop naturally, keep your centre, and wait for Black to show their hand.
The Engine's Best Reply and Your Plan
The top computer response is 2...d5, found in over 258,000 games. Against it, the engine suggests 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Bf4. This setup is clean and principled: you develop your king's knight toward the centre, put the bishop outside the pawn chain on f4, and prepare to castle quickly. From here you can choose between c3 to support d4 or e3 to give your dark-squared bishop a retreat square on g3. You're aiming for a solid, slightly flexible French-type position where Black's light-squared bishop is stuck behind its own pawns and your pieces slowly improve. White scores 50.3% in this main line — not overwhelming, but a healthy half-point nearly every game.
The Statistics — Where White Shines
The numbers reveal which Black replies you want to see. Against 2...c5 (88,833 games), White scores 48.5% — a respectable but slightly worse outcome for you. Against 2...Nf6 (59,468 games), White jumps to 51.1%. The real payoff comes against less principled moves: 2...Nc6 sees White scoring an impressive 56.2% across 25,241 games. Why? Because ...Nc6 blocks Black's c-pawn and does nothing to challenge your centre. Similarly, 2...b6 (38,632 games) gives White 49.3%, but the engine flags both ...b6 and ...Nc6 as inaccuracies that lose roughly half a pawn or more compared to 2...d5. If Black plays one of these, you already have a measurable edge.
How to Punish Black's Inaccuracies
When Black plays 2...b6, they're preparing a fianchetto but neglecting the centre. Your best response is simply 3.d5, grabbing space and closing the centre before Black can organise. Black's bishop on b7 will bite on granite against your pawn on d5. Against 2...Nc6, the same idea works: 3.d5 forces the knight to retreat (usually ...Nb8 or ...Na5) and you gain time while securing a spatial advantage. In both cases, you follow up with Nf3, e4, and development. The engine's evaluation loss for Black is roughly 0.5–0.7 pawns — a meaningful edge that translates to the higher win percentages you see in the data.
Results across 624,897 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| d5 | 258,178 | 50.3% |
| c5 | 88,833 | 48.5% |
| Nf6 | 59,468 | 51.1% |
| b6 | 38,632 | 49.3% |
| d6 | 30,753 | 50.4% |
| Nc6 | 25,241 | 56.2% |
Frequently asked questions
Is 1.a3 really a serious opening?
Yes. While it's uncommon at the highest levels, 1.a3 scores 50.9% for White in over 624,000 online games. It's a solid, practical choice that takes opponents out of their preparation without being bad. Stockfish evaluates the resulting position as dead level.
What should I do if Black plays 2...d5?
Follow the engine's plan: 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Bf4. Develop naturally, support your centre with c3 or e3 later, and castle kingside. White scores 50.3% from here, and you'll have a comfortable, fighting position.
Which Black moves should I hope to face?
You want 2...Nc6 or 2...b6. Both are inaccuracies that lose roughly 0.5–0.7 pawns. White's win rate jumps to 56.2% against ...Nc6. Punish them with 3.d5 to grab space and gain time.
How many games feature the Anderssen's Opening: e6?
Over 624K Lichess games have reached the Anderssen's Opening: e6 position. White wins 50.9%, Black wins 45.2%, with 3.9% draws — based on real rated games.