ECO A00 · Anderssen's Opening

Anderssen's Opening: Polish Gambit

1. a3 a5 2. b4

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Black to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

2… axb4−1.03

Black is clearly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Anderssen's Opening: Polish Gambit (A00), reached after 1. a3 a5 2. b4, Stockfish 18 recommends 2… axb4 for Black. Black is clearly better (−1.03).

Top engine moves

  1. −1.032… axb4 3. Bb2 Nc6 4. e3 e6 5. axb4 Rxa1 6. Bxa1 Nxb4 7. Nf3
  2. −0.232… d5 3. Bb2 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. b5 Nd7 6. e3 Ngf6 7. Be2
  3. −0.202… e5 3. Bb2 e4 4. b5 d5 5. c4 dxc4 6. Qc2 Bf5 7. e3

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Anderssen's Opening: Polish Gambit?
After 1. a3 a5 2. b4, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 2… axb4 for Black, continuing 3. Bb2 Nc6 4. e3 e6 5. axb4 Rxa1 6. Bxa1 Nxb4 7. Nf3. Black is clearly better (−1.03). The next best moves are 2… d5 (−0.23) and 2… e5 (−0.20).
Is the Anderssen's Opening: Polish Gambit a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at −1.03: black is clearly better. Evaluations this early in the game are small, so practical results depend far more on knowing the plans and typical structures than on the engine's number.
What is the ECO code of the Anderssen's Opening: Polish Gambit?
A00. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; A is the volume for flank openings.

Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).