Opening · ECO A00
Uncommon First Moves games
These first moves are rare at club level. They avoid well-known theory but give the opponent free rein in the centre, so games often turn on who uses the extra tempo better in the first ten moves.
The Uncommon First Moves in the replay library
The library holds 29 games that began with the Uncommon First Moves. White won 19, Black won 10 and 0 were drawn. 25 ended in checkmate, and the games lasted 26 moves on average.
Variations seen so far:
- Van Geet Opening (A00): 15 games
- Mieses Opening (A00): 5 games
- Kádas Opening (A00): 5 games
- Anderssen's Opening (A00): 1 game
- Amar Opening (A00): 1 game
- Clemenz Opening (A00): 1 game
- Grob Opening (A00): 1 game
Replays
Mieses Opening: White mates in 16 moves
Mieses Opening (A00) · White won by checkmate
- Moves
- 16
- Clock
- 43 + 0
- Played
Zukertort Opening: White mates in 23 moves
Zukertort Opening: Reversed Mexican Defense (A06) · White won by checkmate
- Moves
- 23
- Clock
- 41 + 0
- Played
Zukertort Opening: White mates in 28 moves (Challenging)
Zukertort Opening: Reversed Mexican Defense (A06) · White won by checkmate
- Moves
- 28
- Clock
- 10 + 0
- Played
Kádas Opening: Black mates in 38 moves (Beginner), 12 Sep 2026
Kádas Opening (A00) · Black won by checkmate
- Moves
- 38
- Clock
- No clock
- Played
Van Geet Opening: Black resigns after 42 moves
Van Geet Opening (A00) · White won by resignation
- Moves
- 42
- Clock
- 3 + 2
- Played
Van Geet Opening: White mates in 29 moves
Van Geet Opening: Reversed Nimzowitsch (A00) · White won by checkmate
- Moves
- 29
- Clock
- 10 + 0
- Played
Kádas Opening: Black mates in 18 moves
Kádas Opening (A00) · Black won by checkmate
- Moves
- 18
- Clock
- No clock
- Played
Mieses Opening: White mates in 18 moves
Mieses Opening (A00) · White won by checkmate
- Moves
- 18
- Clock
- No clock
- Played
Kádas Opening: Black mates in 38 moves (Beginner), 2 Sep 2026
Kádas Opening (A00) · Black won by checkmate
- Moves
- 38
- Clock
- No clock
- Played
Anderssen's Opening: Black mates in 11 moves
Anderssen's Opening (A00) · Black won by checkmate
- Moves
- 11
- Clock
- No clock
- Played
Van Geet Opening: Black mates in 22 moves
Van Geet Opening (A00) · Black won by checkmate
- Moves
- 22
- Clock
- No clock
- Played
Van Geet Opening: White mates in 31 moves
Van Geet Opening: Reversed Nimzowitsch (A00) · White won by checkmate
- Moves
- 31
- Clock
- No clock
- Played
Zukertort Opening: Black mates in 33 moves
Zukertort Opening (A05) · Black won by checkmate
- Moves
- 33
- Clock
- No clock
- Played
Amar Opening: Black resigns after 32 moves
Amar Opening (A00) · White won by resignation
- Moves
- 32
- Clock
- No clock
- Played
Zukertort Opening: White mates in 57 moves
Zukertort Opening (A05) · White won by checkmate
- Moves
- 57
- Clock
- No clock
- Played
Clemenz Opening: White resigns after 11 moves
Clemenz Opening (A00) · Black won by resignation
- Moves
- 11
- Clock
- 10 + 0
- Played
Van Geet Opening: White mates in 13 moves
Van Geet Opening (A00) · White won by checkmate
- Moves
- 13
- Clock
- No clock
- Played
Zukertort Opening: Black resigns after 40 moves
Zukertort Opening (A05) · White won by resignation
- Moves
- 40
- Clock
- 10 + 0
- Played
Zukertort Opening: White mates in 28 moves (Casual)
Zukertort Opening: Old Indian Attack (A06) · White won by checkmate
- Moves
- 28
- Clock
- No clock
- Played
Van Geet Opening: White mates in 16 moves
Van Geet Opening (A00) · White won by checkmate
- Moves
- 16
- Clock
- 10 + 0
- Played
Van Geet Opening: White mates in 11 moves
Van Geet Opening (A00) · White won by checkmate
- Moves
- 11
- Clock
- No clock
- Played
Van Geet Opening: White mates in 42 moves
Van Geet Opening: Reversed Nimzowitsch (A00) · White won by checkmate
- Moves
- 42
- Clock
- No clock
- Played
Mieses Opening: White mates in 15 moves
Mieses Opening (A00) · White won by checkmate
- Moves
- 15
- Clock
- No clock
- Played
Kádas Opening: Black mates in 29 moves
Kádas Opening (A00) · Black won by checkmate
- Moves
- 29
- Clock
- 10 + 0
- Played
Zukertort Opening: White mates in 22 moves
Zukertort Opening (A05) · White won by checkmate
- Moves
- 22
- Clock
- 10 + 0
- Played
Kádas Opening: Black mates in 30 moves
Kádas Opening (A00) · Black won by checkmate
- Moves
- 30
- Clock
- 10 + 0
- Played
Zukertort Opening: White mates in 24 moves
Zukertort Opening (A05) · White won by checkmate
- Moves
- 24
- Clock
- No clock
- Played
Zukertort Opening: White mates in 16 moves (Challenging)
Zukertort Opening: Old Indian Attack (A06) · White won by checkmate
- Moves
- 16
- Clock
- No clock
- Played
Grob Opening: Black mates in 27 moves
Grob Opening (A00) · Black won by checkmate
- Moves
- 27
- Clock
- 10 + 0
- Played
Try it yourself
Play the Uncommon First Moves against the computer at any of four levels, or invite a friend to a private game.