Barnes Opening
ECO A00 · Barnes Opening
The Barnes Opening (A00) is a chess opening in the Barnes Opening family, played by White. It arises after the moves 1. f3.
Moves: 1. f3
About this opening
With 1.f3 White plays one of the worst possible first moves: it develops nothing, takes the g1-knight's best square and weakens the e1-h4 diagonal. After 1...e5 White must already avoid 2.g4??, which allows Fool's Mate with 2...Qh4#. Black gets a pleasant game with 1...e5 followed by d5. The Barnes Opening is named after Thomas Wilson Barnes, famous for beating Paul Morphy eight times — with sounder openings.