06 Dec '05 08:12>1 edit
I was looking through this chess database: http://www.gensunasumus.com and found a lot of really unorthodox moves, like starting with a2-a3 being played by 2200+ rated players. For example:
[Event "Asian-ch U20"]
[Site "Bikaner"]
[Date "2004.12.27"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Filippov, Anton"]
[Black "Nikhelesh, Kumar K"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A00"]
[WhiteElo "2475"]
[BlackElo "2240"]
[PlyCount "58"]
[EventDate "2004.12.22"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "IND"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2005.03.03"]
1. a3 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. b4 Bg7 4. Bb2 O-O 5. c4 c5 6. bxc5 Qa5 7. e3 Qxc5 8. d4
Qa5+ 9. Qd2 Qxd2+ 10. Nfxd2 d6 11. Nc3 Bd7 12. a4 b6 13. Ba3 Nc6 14. Nb3 Rfd8
15. Be2 Be8 16. O-O Rac8 17. Rfc1 Bf8 18. g4 h6 19. h4 e5 20. d5 Nb8 21. a5
Nfd7 22. Nb5 Nc5 23. Bxc5 bxc5 24. Nxa7 Rc7 25. Nb5 Re7 26. a6 Bxb5 27. cxb5
Nd7 28. Na5 Nf6 29. Bf1 Ra8 1-0
So are these strange openings solid or just meant to confuse the opponent by bringing him into unexplored territory?
[Event "Asian-ch U20"]
[Site "Bikaner"]
[Date "2004.12.27"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Filippov, Anton"]
[Black "Nikhelesh, Kumar K"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A00"]
[WhiteElo "2475"]
[BlackElo "2240"]
[PlyCount "58"]
[EventDate "2004.12.22"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "IND"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2005.03.03"]
1. a3 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. b4 Bg7 4. Bb2 O-O 5. c4 c5 6. bxc5 Qa5 7. e3 Qxc5 8. d4
Qa5+ 9. Qd2 Qxd2+ 10. Nfxd2 d6 11. Nc3 Bd7 12. a4 b6 13. Ba3 Nc6 14. Nb3 Rfd8
15. Be2 Be8 16. O-O Rac8 17. Rfc1 Bf8 18. g4 h6 19. h4 e5 20. d5 Nb8 21. a5
Nfd7 22. Nb5 Nc5 23. Bxc5 bxc5 24. Nxa7 Rc7 25. Nb5 Re7 26. a6 Bxb5 27. cxb5
Nd7 28. Na5 Nf6 29. Bf1 Ra8 1-0
So are these strange openings solid or just meant to confuse the opponent by bringing him into unexplored territory?