Like 1.a4, the Ware Opening, 1.h4 does nothing in the fight over central space and does very little in the way of development.

For these reasons, 1.h4 is among the rarest of the twenty possible first moves for White.

The response 1...g6, intending to fianchetto the Black's bishop on g7, is rare, because White can undermine Black's pawn structure with 2.h5, making 1.h4 seem logical.

Grandmaster David Bronstein once remarked that he knew of a Russian player who always opened with 1.h4 and always won.

1.Na3: Durkin 1.a3: Anderssen 1.b3: Nimzowitsch-Larsen 1.Nc3: Dunst 1.c3: Saragossa 1.d3: Mieses 1.e3: Van 't Kruijs 1.Nf3: Zukertort 1.f3: Barnes 1.g3: Benko 1.Nh3: Amar 1.h3: Clemenz