Four-Player Chess/Common openings/1. h3/1...d6/1...h12/1...l9

1...l9 - Modern Sicilian, Kann Variation tright 14 yR yN yB yK yQ yB yN yR 13 yP yP yP yP yP yP yP 12 yP 11 bR bP gP gR 10 bN bP gP gN 9 bB bP gP gB 8 bK bP gP gQ 7 bQ bP gP gK 6 bB bP gP gB 5 bN bP gP gN 4 bR bP gP gR 3 rP 2 rP rP rP rP rP rP rP 1 rR rN rB rQ rK rB rN rR a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Position in FEN4 R-0,0,0,0-1,1,1,1-1,1,1,1-0,0,0,0-4- 3,yR,yN,yB,yK,yQ,yB,yN,yR,3/ 3,yP,yP,yP,yP,1,yP,yP,yP,3/ 7,yP,6/ bR,bP,10,gP,gR/ bN,bP,10,gP,gN/ bB,bP,9,gP,1,gB/ bK,bP,10,gP,gQ/ bQ,bP,10,gP,gK/ bB,2,bP,8,gP,gB/ bN,bP,10,gP,gN/ bR,bP,10,gP,gR/ 7,rP,6/ 3,rP,rP,rP,rP,1,rP,rP,rP,3/ 3,rR,rN,rB,rQ,rK,rB,rN,rR,3 Common moves: 2.e3 2.d4 2.g4 2.Bg3 Kann Variation, 1...l9 Green blocks the g14-n7 diagonal and prepares to play k8 to block the e14-n5 diagonal to defend the weak m6 square. Red's responses Red would like to develop the queen, but then the f2 pawn is hanging. Therefore, Red should address this issue first. The two main moves for Red to consider are e3 and d4 to block Blue's queen. An alternative move is g4, with the idea to develop the bishop to g2. Sometimes the move Bg3 is also played, but that is generally considered dubious. Fianchetto Line, 2.e3 2.d4 2.g4 2.Bg3