Durkin Opening
chess opening 1. Na3
The Durkin Opening, also known as the Durkin Attack or the Sodium Attack, is a rarely-played chess opening that consists of the following move:
1. Na3
The Durkin Opening is named for Robert T. Durkin (1923–2014) of New Jersey. The name "Sodium Attack" comes from the algebraic notation 1.Na3, as Na is the chemical symbol for the element sodium. Similarly, the Amar Opening (1.Nh3) is sometimes referred to as the "Ammonia Opening". White may follow up by playing c4, e.g. 1...d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nxc4.
Assessment
This development of the queen's knight does little to utilize White's advantage of the first move. On a3, the knight does not control central squares, and White would have to move this knight again (e.g., to c2 or c4) for it to follow common opening principles, such as controlling the center. In addition, the knight on a3 runs the risk of being captured by black's dark squared bishop on f8, which could cause doubled pawns in some positions, a weakness for white, especially in the endgame. Angus Dunnington suggests that combining this move with a gradual central expansion should give White a reasonable position.
The public source identifies “Durkin Opening” as chess opening 1. Na3. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Durkin, Opening and chess.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Durkin Opening”, the useful work is to connect “chess opening 1. Na3” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 18, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1528515. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1923 and 2014.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Durkin Opening”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Durkin Opening primary sources, Durkin Opening archive and Durkin research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Durkin Opening”?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Durkin Opening” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.