Chess Opening Theory/1. c4/1...f6

English Opening A10 English Opening English Opening 1...f6?! A rare and less conventional response to the English Opening. Black plays in similar fashion to the Barnes Defence, weakening the king and stripping the kingside knight of its most natural developing square, though not quite as weak as 1. e4 f6 or 1. d4 f6 as White doesn't have an immediate way of exploiting the weakness and prepares e5 without any tactical pitfalls (e.g. 1. e4 f6? 2. d4 e5 3. dxe5 fxe5?? 4. Qh5+!). White can choose from a variety of responses, such as: 2. d4, taking part of the center for free 2. Nc3, developing the queenside knight 2. Nf3, developing the kingside knight 2. g3, preparing to fianchetto the f1 bishop 2. b3, preparing to fianchetto the c1 bishop References