What is the most popular opening position in which the best move is not the most popular move?
Obviously "best" can be subjective (an inferior move can range from a slight inaccuracy to a flat out blunder). And of course move popularity changes from database to database among different rating groups. Anyway, I'm sure you get the general gist of the question. Share popular bad moves or popular positions with unpopular best moves.
The first that comes to mind is e4 e5 d4 exd4 *c3*, hoping for dxc3 nxc3. There are other similar speculative early pawn sacrifice lines that are objectively bad that are played in bullet.
Every mainline position of the 3 main Scandinavian Defense variations (Qa5, Qd6, Qd8) has Black worse after move 7. It's up to White to prove it, of course : )
Are you saying that black has a better move than the main lines listed on move 3? Or that the Scandi itself is just an inaccuracy?
Within my level, almost any opening leads to inferior responses. Especially in more positional openings; my French Advance variation games against <1500 rated opponents always come with a check on move 4. Basically, anything that leads to a quick, usually useless check is immediately made without consideration.
King's Gambit, strictly speaking. White struggles to equalize. Just to name one of thousand.
If you legitly ask this of the top level what about the line in the catalan.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4
5. Nf3 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Qc2 a6 where Qxc4 is the most played move historically but is not as good as a4 (the new mainline)
Sicilian defense - Bowdler attack
1.e4 c5 2.Bc4
Like the initial question is forumulated I can't think of any opening lines
@Stickers .
Regarding King's Gambit that would mean 2.f4 is more popular than 2.Sf3 and that is not the case
@Sarg0n .
Of course there are popular inferior lines (all gambits if you want so) but I believe neither of them are the most popular moves. The majority of players play the solid, boring lines and prefer to blunder gradually.
According to Sveshnikov 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4? is an inferior move.
According to Gufeld 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3? is an inferior move
According to Carlsen 1 e4 e6? is an inferior move.
That however are all opinions, as nobody knows anything for sure about openings.
