Basman Defense

The Basman Defense meets the Zukertort Opening with 1...h6, a rook-pawn move that contributes nothing to the fight for e4 and d4. Its purpose is to prepare ...g5, gaining space on the kingside and potentially harassing the knight on f3 or supporting a fianchetto with ...Bg7. Unlike 1...d5 or 1...Nf6, the main replies to 1. Nf3, it does nothing to prevent 2. e4, so White can build a broad pawn center at once. Reference sources treat the move as dubious, and it appears only occasionally in online play.

White's most common answer is 2. d4, followed by 2. g3, which heads for a King's Indian Attack setup, and 2. e4, which occupies the center with both pawns available. The engine prefers e4, d4 and c4 and gives White a slight edge, essentially the value of an extra central tempo. White scores somewhat better than Black in Lichess games, though Black's results are not far behind, as is common with irregular openings where the opponent is quickly taken out of known territory.