Wayward Queen Attack

Parham's attack is an irregular and very rarely played chess opening. It belongs to the so-called open games and is characterized by the following sequence of moves:

1 e2- e4 e7 - e5 2 Dd1 - h5

This opening is named after the American chess player Bernard Parham. However, it is largely unknown under that name, and has no own ECO code, but comes with some other openings under the code C20 - out ( 1 e2- e4 e7 - e5 Rare trains). This variant was first mentioned in 1905 in the American Chess Bulletin likely under the name Danvers Opening. Parham promoted an early development of the lady in the other opening variations, such as the train 2 Dd1 - h5 in response to the Sicilian Defence 1 e2- e4 c7 - c5.

Assessment

The train is generally regarded as a violation of common opening principles, since the development of the lady widely regarded occurs too early, and consequently from the target of attacks. In addition, stands for a later necessary under certain circumstances retreat of the lady on the field f3 the knight on g1 its usual development opportunity is no longer available. However, the train Black is under pressure because he likes to see at first forced to defend the e-pawn ( the gambit 2 ... but Ng8 - f6 comes quite into account, see below). The cover is normally done with 2 ... Sb8 - c6. After 3 Lf1 - c4 blackness is then either

• 3 ... g7- g6, which makes a later development of the black king bishop on g7 the field likely
• 3 ... Qd8 - e7, whereby the development of the black king rotor is blocked over the white queenside,
• 3 ... Qd8 - f6, whereby the black knight on g8 loses its usual development course.

During the Dutch grandmaster Hans Ree 2 Dd1 - h5 referred to as a " provocative, but thoughtful train ", this train from almost all other experts will continue to be classified as weak. One potential advantage for White is awarded only because of its element of surprise, especially in blitz games this variant. Parham himself plays this train for several decades in every open race, with black if possible, the appropriate counterpart 2 ... Qd8 - h4. However, apart from winning the championship of the U.S. state of Indiana in 1967, he can point to no significant success, his current rating of is classified as mediocre. He holds the rank of National Master in the USA.

An established on Grandmaster level opening, in which the development of the lady is similar to earlier, namely by Black in the second train, the Scandinavian defense.

Use

Despite the controversial assessment and learner liable appearance this opening variation was occasionally played by grandmasters, probably for the first time on 13 April 1973 by Heikki Westerinen in a match against Jon Kristinsson in Oslo. The game ended after 37 moves in a draw, Westerinen not repeated this experiment, however.

On 22 April 2005, the 17 years old USA GM Hikaru Nakamura champion caused a stir when he played this version with white against the Indian Grandmaster Krishnan Sasikiran at the 13th Sigeman tournament in Copenhagen and Malmö. Nakamura reached out of the opening a decent position, but lost the match due to an error in the later stages. In a review of the game on the internet, he wrote that he considered second Dd1 - h5 for a playable train, and that he had a good position with a chance of winning up to his mistake in the 23 train ("... I do believe did 2 QH5 is a playable move, in fact I had a very good position in the game ... "). Sasikiran finished the tournament with a shared first place with Grandmaster Jan Timman, Nakamura reached half a point less than the top two.

A month later, Nakamura played the same opening against Grandmaster Nikola Mitkov the HB Global Chess Challenge tournament in Minneapolis. This game ended after 55 moves in a draw.

More frequently than in grandmaster games you can see this opening in games of amateurs who hope for a quick shepherd mate in four moves. The American actor Woody Harrelson played this version, for example in an exhibition match against Garry Kasparov in 1999 in Prague. He achieved a draw after he received support from several present Grand Master. A year later, this opening was played again in an exhibition match against Kasparov, by the tennis player Boris Becker in New York. The game ended after 17 moves with a win by Kasparov.

Possible continuations

Since the second variant Dd1 - h5 is very rarely played in lots of master level, it has only been investigated inadequately in the opening theory as to the best continuation variants. In beginners lots of that train is often answered with the error ... g7- g6 2, then black to Dh5xe5 3 in the following train loses a tower.

A possible continuation for Black

2 ... Sb8 - c6

This is the most common and by far the traditional games and the most successful variant. Black defends the pawn on e5 against the white lady and prepares ... to answer g7- g6 3 c4 - Lf1 with 3 ... Qd8 - e7 or 3. This version was played by black in both the two mentioned grandmaster games and both exhibition battles with Garry Kasparov.

Another possibility

2 ... Ng8 - f6

This rather unusual train is preferred by some computer chess programs like Shredder Version 9. After 3 Dh5xe5 Bf8 - e7 4 Nb1 - c3 - c4 0-0 5 Lf1 Sb8 - c6 Black has on the one hand a residue of a farmer, but on the other hand, an increased speed obtained with the prospect of further advantages due to the open position of the white lady.

A coarse, however improbable, error

2 ... Ke8 - e7?

After which White checkmates with 3 Dh5xe5 #. This is one of the shortest games: White can checkmate the earliest in the third train, Black in the second, see Matt fools.