That’s a strong GMs opinion and who is going to argue with him? Even we amateurs know it’s a bad move. Still, there is no direct refutation to this stupid looking defense and, for what it’s worth, it will take your opponent out of any preparation he might have. One thing I have discovered is that sometimes it morphs into a pattern that resembles a ‘real’ opening.
The thing is, even though we amateurs know it’s a bad move, we aren’t likely to know how to utilize whatever opening advantage we get.
Most everybody knows the opening guidelines: control the center. develop your pieces, etc., but lesser understood seems to be a basic understanding of what to do with things like a lead in development, center control, a space advantage and the initiative.
Note that after 1...a5 white does not have a license to violate sound opening principles and attack like a wild man, often playing unsound sacrifices, just because 1...a5 is a very poor first move.
When I first started studying middlegame books most all of them pounded it into our heads that you had to control the center by occupying it, etc, etc.
When it came to openings they discussed the value of a tempo...lose a move and your opponent has an advantage. Lose two and you were on the verge of defeat. Lose three and you might as well resign. You'd read about one side having the initiative, but it was never explained exactly what the initiative was.
When speaking of the initiative, in his book Technique in Chess Gerald Abrahams noted that what is important is that the attacker have a “feeling” that he has some advantage of tempo, a greater degree of mobility than his opponent. He also observed that awareness cannot be taught; it’s experience that makes us more sensitive to the possibilities in a position. Pattern recognition is also very important. Read a post on it HERE.
The point is simply that while 1...a5 may be a horrible move to strong masters and Grand master, at the level at which most of us play the loss of a tempo and the fact that the move contributes nothing to anything doesn’t matter a whole lot because most of us don’t know how to take advantage of it. So. 1...a5 is probably as good as anything.
Of course, if you’re serious about chess and still trying to improve then, of course, 1...a5 should be avoided. However, if the improvement ship has sailed and you are just looking to have some fun, why not give it a try?
In this game the victory, as it usually does, went to the stronger player and the opening didn’t matter.
C. Dommisse–Mark Van Schaardenburg22950–1B00NED-ch sfEnschede1996Komodo Dragon 3
B00: Cornstalk Defense 1.e4 a5 2.d4 e6 3.f3 b6 4.d3 b7 5.0-0 5.e2 c6 6.c3 ce7?! 7.g5 h6 8.h4 g5 White is better. Sihite,C (2245)
-Brodowski,P (2451) chess.com INT 2022 5...h6 5...e7 6.h3 6.e2 g6 7.c3 f6 8.d2 e7 9.fe1 0-0 White is better. Pahlevanzadeh,M-Bancod,R (2171)
ICC INT 2009 6...g6 7.c3 e7 8.h2 c5 Whte is better. Buleandra,
L-Bancod,R (2171) ICC INT 2009 6.c4 g6 7.c3 g7 8.f4 White is clearly
better. g5 9.e3 c6 10.e5 d6 11.exd6 xd6 12.d5 b4 13.d4 13.c5
This tactical shot is even better than the text. bxc5 14.b5+ f8 14...c6
loses quickly... 15.dxc6 wins a piece. 15.dxe6 White's advantage should
prove decisive. 13...xd4 14.xd4 0-0-0 14...exd5 might work better. 15.cb5 d8 16.f4 but even here black's position is on the verge of
crumbling. 15.a3 xd3 16.xd3 exd5 17.cxd5 With this questionable move
white loses most pf his advantage. 17.cb5 d7 18.ac1 leaves black
feeling some serious pressure. dxc4 19.xc4 c5 20.b4 with a game winning
attack. 17...e7 18.ac1 White does not have time to make further
preparations. He has now allowed black to get back to equality. 18.cb5
Though not quite as strong as before this was still the correct move. xd5 19.g3 d7 20.ac1 leaves black under pressure, but white cannot claim to have
a winning advantage. Black has a number of reasonable moves here: 20...Kb8, 20.
..Nc6, 20...Bc6 and 20...Qxg7+ 18...b8 18...xd5 was even better. 19.db5 e7 20.fe1 f4 21.xe7 xd3 22.xc7+ b8 23.d1 with complete
equality. 19.db5 Finally, but it's the wrong N. The other N opens the
c-file and attacks c7. d7 20.fd1 xd5 21.xd5 It's seems nearly
impossible to tell, but this is the losing move! Black coming piece activity
is going to be the deciding factor. 21.f1 was necessary. f5 22.xd5 xd5 23.xd5 xd5 Black has the advantage. 21...xd5-+ 22.xd5 xd5 22...xd5 is difficult to see, but it is much better. 23.xc7 c4 24.c1 xb5 25.xf7 c8 and black should win. 23.xd5 xd5 24.xc7 The ending looks pretty drawish. d8 25.f1 It's
perfectly logical to bring the K towards the center and at the same time
eliminate a mate threat on the firt rank, but this seemingly logical move is
actually where white loses the fame. The undefended N which is guarding the
attacked R is going to be white's undoing. 25.f3 xf3 26.xf7 26.gxf3 d1+ 27.g2 d2+ 28.g3 xb2 29.c6 xb5 30.xh6 a7 31.f6 a4 32.xf7+ a6 This ending is won for black. 26...c6 27.f6 d1+ 28.f2 d2+ 29.e1 xb2 30.xc6 xb5 31.xh6 This ending, unlike the one where white
played 26.gxf3 should be drawn. 25...b3 26.c6 He could gave put up a
stiffer fight with 26.Rc1 26.c1 d5 27.c3 d2 28.b1 c4+ 29.g1 29.e1 c2 and white is running out of moves. Still, the road to victory is
going to require care on black's part. 29...c2 30.g3 d3 31.d1 d2 32.c1 e2 33.c3 xb2 34.xe2 xe2 35.c3 a2 36.h4 b7 37.f3 f5 38.h5 a4 39.g2 g4 40.xf5 xa3 41.f6 b5 42.xh6 c3 42...b4 would lose! 43.g6 b3 44.xg4 Black has trapped his own R! 43.h7+ b6 44.h8 c7 45.h6 a7 46.h7 a5 and wuns 26...b7 27.c7+ a6 28.c3 d2 29.e4 xb2
Black is clearly winning. 30.d6 a2 31.c8 31.xf7 xf7 32.xf7 xa3
Black has a win ending. 31...d5 This prevents Ra8+ and so white resigned. 0–1
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