Van Geet Opening: c5 – Seize the Initiative with 1.Nc3

After 1.Nc3 c5 2.e4, you've built a classical centre with pawns on e4 and d4 coming soon. Black's c5-pawn eyes d4, and their most natural plan is to develop the knight to c6, putting immediate pressure on your centre. The engine's best reply is indeed Nc6 (by a wide margin – it appears in over 8.2 million games). From that point the recommended continuation runs: Bb5 Nd4 a4, with your light-squared bishop pinning the knight and the a-pawn advance preparing to chase the invader further. Your small edge comes from better central control and quicker development – but only if you handle Black's counterplay accurately.

Black has several ways to respond, and the statistics show that White's results hold up well in every line – but you must know what each one signals. Here are the top continuations at this position (all from Black's next move):- Nc6 (8.2M games, White scores 47.5%) – The principled developing move. You answer Bb5, pinning the knight and preparing to trade if Black tries Nd4.- d6 (4.6M games, White scores 47.8%) – A flexible Sicilian-style setup. Black prepares to fianchetto or play e5 later. Your best plan is to continue development and push d4, seizing the centre.- e6 (3.3M games, White scores 46.6%) – Solid but passive. Black bolsters d5 and keeps options open. Use the tempo to expand: d4 is your priority.- g6 (946K games, White scores 46.9%) – Black wants a Hyper-Accelerated Dragon setup. Push d4 before Black can castle and counter-attack.- a6 (693K games, White scores 46.9%) – A waiting move or preparation for b5. Don't slow down – build your centre with d4 and expand.Notice that Black's results are slightly better in the most popular lines – that's because club players often fail to follow up correctly. The drill will train you to keep the pressure on.

The facts flag one clear inaccuracy in this position: if Black plays e5, they lose roughly 0.6 pawns of evaluation. Stockfish confirms that Nc6 would have been much better. Why is e5 so wrong? It blocks the dark-squared bishop, commits the e-pawn without preparation, and leaves d5 undefended. Against a club opponent who plays 2...e5 (and it does appear in 355,000 games), White actually scores 51.4% – your best result against any reply. The correct approach is simple: continue developing and prepare d4, breaking open the centre while Black's pieces are still tangled. The engine line shows you exactly how to capitalise, and the drill will let you practise that punishment until it's automatic.

The Van Geet is perfect if you enjoy side-stepping mountains of mainline theory while still getting a playable position. Unlike 1.e4 or 1.d4, your opponent may already be uncomfortable after 1.Nc3 – they face non-standard decisions from move one. The position after 1.Nc3 c5 2.e4 leads to a flexible game where you can transpose into Sicilian structures or carve your own path. If you're patient and comfortable holding a small edge rather than chasing a quick knockout, this opening rewards you with positions that are easier to play than your opponent's. Use the drill below to internalise the key plans and start racking up wins with this underrated weapon.