after e4 c5, what is white's best move?

If we're looking at less common lines or at the very least anti-book lines, what are people's thoughts on 2. Na3!? A friend of mine swears by it. At the very least he gains a time advantage OTB.

Originally posted by moteutsch
Can you show some games? I haven't found any success with it...

I'll dig out a few next time I'm on my computer that has all my chess stuff on it.

This was played recently on here by me in the one day/three day league.
It's a delayed Wing gambit. 2...e6 avoids all my Bb5 nonsense
which I started playing 30 years ago so I employ the wing gambit
because it goes into one of my anti-French lines.

But it can come about with 1.e4 c5 2.b4 cxb4 3.Nf3 e6.


Anti French: 1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e5 c5 4.b4 and I have whole bucket load
of wins OTB with that line.

White Me - Black headsy Game 5986139

Originally posted by heinzkat
Could you be a little bit more specific?

I was referring to the high rated and strong players like the Grandmaster, etc.

Originally posted by grit
What is white's best path when after e4 black plays c5?

grit

It's almost certain that, if there is in fact a "best" move after 1 e4 c5, it is 2 Nf3. It's also the move that requires the most study, unless you transpose into the King's Indian Attack (e.g., 2...d6 3 g3 Nf6 4 d3 Nc6 5 Bg2 e6 6 O-O).

If you enjoy having the initiative early on AND you don't mind sacrificing a pawn, then the Smith-Morra Gambit suggested earlier in this thread is probably the way to go.

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Hi

Gave up the Morra when a few bods played 3...d3.
Then the c3 pawn just gets in the way.

I sometimes play the Smith-Morra Gambit, but I think I'd play it every game against the Sicilian if I knew in advance that Black would play 3...d3. True, White doesn't get to play his gambit, but after 4 Bxd3 it seems to me that White is +=. Not terrible for Black obviously, but if I knew that I was guaranteed to get a += position every time I played against the Sicilian, I'd jump at the opportunity to do so.