Crab Opening-Meadow hay opening

 

1.a4....

 

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A crab generally moves along the side paths. Similar to a crab’s movements in this opening the action occurs in the sides of the chess board. The game is preferred by players who like to create the flank attack or an attack at the edges of the board.

 

1.Wing Gambit:

 

1.a4 b5

 

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Wing gambit is a dubious sacrifice of a pawn in the opening. Eventhough the rook is getting an open file, black banks on the activity of the black bishop on b7 square forcing the b8 knight to be developed on the d7 square. At some point of the game if black does not wish to play the knight to d7, sometimes even the a7 pawn can be sacrificed for further developing the knight to a6 and getting an advance in the development.

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2.Cologne Gambit:

 

1.a4 b6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nd7

 

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In the cologne gambit, black is sacrificing the d5 pawn for a lead in development. Once the pawn is captured then the black pieces position themselves in the attacking position and push the pieces back gaining a lot of tempi as a compensation to the pawn lost by black.

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3.Ware Gambit:

 

1.a4 e5 2.a5 d5 3.e3 f5 4. a6

 

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In the Ware Gambit, white sacrificed a pawn by pushing it to a6 though has allowed black to centralize all his pawns tends to create a weakness on the queen side with the sacrificed pawn which is just given for a short span of time after which white is able to retrieve it back. But accurate play is required to stabilize the position.

 

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Ideas for both black and white in the Crab Opening!

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Now with the crab opening, white has an idea to strategize the attack on the black’s queen side or the kingside with a rook pawn storm. But black should try to convert the pawn push to his strengths into an opening which might compromise the white’s rook pawn storm.

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 In the wing  gambit, black sacrifices a pawn to fianchetto the bishop and black further can exchange the b pawn for the c pawn and the open files on the b file and the c file might give a chance for black to capitalize on. Overall this seems to be a novel idea which can be used by those who prioritize activity over central pawn advances. Almost in a similar manner in the cologne gambit black prioritizes activity against a4 pawn opening and if the gambit is accepted by white creates a strong attack for black. This kind of seems to work for black much better.

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Ware Gambit is better for those players who actively play just on one side of the board rather than center play. In this opening black has to be the one to decide on the way of attack on the white king and mostly white may castle on kingside or remain in the center as no action is taken by white in the center and a safe place can be the center. While white’s game can be on the black’s queen side as the a pawn is pushed down the board.