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Hello and welcome to the page that details the Strand position on a chessboard.
This position is fairly uncommon and difficult to achieve, but may offer substantial
rewards if it is achieved. Do not go out of your way to achieve this position. However,
sometimes the opportunity presents itself, and then you could possibly attain a similar
position to this one. |
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Advantages
- A quick setup enables White to possibly begin the attack while Black is still finishing
its opening.
- Both Knights are interlocked for stability, and are able to substitute if the other is
exchanged for.
- The "Strand" is so named because of the similarity to the jumbled structure of the DNA
strand, with the minor pieces all meshed together in the center of the
board.
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Disadvantages
- The tight setup means that White should play for a closed game to allow for time to
maneuver.
- The Bishops are limited until the center pawns are moved away to clear diagonals for them
to begin operations.
- The weak pawn at b2 is best placed at b4, since b3 creates too many niches for opposing
pieces to hide in.
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Move Sequence
- d4. Queen's Pawn Opening.
- e3. Passive, but strengthens the center.
- Bd3. A good vantage point behind the pawns.
- Ne2. Able to fend off the pin by f3.
- Nc3. Interlocking both Knights for stability.
- Bd2. The only spot for this piece.
- 0-0. Castling to safety quickly
- A quick and simple setup, with the only obvious disadvantage being the immobile Bd3
which is susceptible to attacks from enemy pawns.
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Pitfalls
Throughout the entire opening sequence, black can give white trouble with these moves:
- c4 or e4 can win the Bishop, and there is much to do before the piece is safe
- Ng4 during the middle game looks to strike at the weak h2 pawn
- Bb4 places a pin on the Knight, which doesn't have many places to evade the
attack
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Similar Openings
1. d4 d5 2. e3 Nf6 is the Queen's Pawn Game.
3. Bd3 is the Stonewall Attack of the
Queen's Pawn Game. |
Strand