King's Head Opening

The King's Head Opening, 1. e4 e5 2. f3, defends the e4-pawn with a pawn rather than a piece. The support comes at a high price. The f-pawn no longer shields the king, which leaves the a7-g1 and e1-h4 diagonals exposed, and the g1-knight loses its natural square on f3. Both 2. Nc3 and 2. d3 protect e4 with fewer drawbacks. The engine rates the position as a slight edge for Black, an unusual verdict after White's second move.

Black has several good replies. The engine's top choice is 2...d5, opening the center while White's kingside is loose. It also likes 2...Bc5, which aims straight down the weakened diagonal toward g1, and the natural 2...Nc6. In practice 2...Nc6 is by far the most common answer, ahead of 2...Nf6 and 2...d6. The line turns up often in online play, but Black outscores White in it, with few draws.