Turkish Openings

`A Con`	`F Ank`	`A Smy`	Games	Opening Name
`-Bul`	`-BLA`	`-Con`	111	Player's Guide, Opening 3
`-Bul`	`-Con`	`HOLD`	71	Player's Guide, Opening 2-Variant, Bosphorus Opening, Smyrna Variation
`-Bul`	`-BLA`	`-Arm`	54	Player's Guide, Opening 1, Crimean Crusher
`-Bul`	`-Con`	`-Ank`	39	Player's Guide, Opening 2, Bosphorus Opening
`-Bul`	`-Con`	`-Arm`	10	Bosphorus Opening, Armenia Variation, Sharp's Opening, Soak's Bane
`-Bul`	`HOLD`	`-Con`	2	Boston Strangler
`-Bul`	`-Arm`	`-Con`	2	Ship of the Desert
`HOLD`	`HOLD`	`HOLD`	2	Unnamed
`-Bul`	`-BLA`	`HOLD`	1	Pastiche Opening, FALL=Syrian Opening?
`-Bul`	`-BLA`	`-Ank`	1	Unnamed
`-Bul`	`HOLD`	`HOLD`	1	Unnamed
`-Bul`	`HOLD`	`-Arm`	1	Unnamed
`-Ank`	`-BLA`	`-Arm`	0	Astonishingly Arrogant Ankaran Assault
`HOLD`	`-BLA`	`-Arm`	0	See Russian Frolic (in Austrian Openings)
`-Bul`	`-Any`	`-Syr`	0	Desert Rat

Excerpts from Diplomacy A-Z

ASTONISHINGLY ARROGANT ANKARAN ASSAULT: Bruce Linsey's name for the anti-Russian opening of F Ank-BLA, A Smy-Arm, A Con-Ank.
BOSPHORUS OPENING: Richard Sharp's name for the opening A Con-Bul and F Ank-Con. There are two named variations: A Smy-Arm (The Armenia variation, sometimes called Sharp's Opening or Soak's Bane) and A Smy H (the Smyrna Variation).
BOSTON STRANGLER: Richard Sharp's name for the opening: A Con-Bul, A Smy-Con, F Ank H/misordered.
CRIMEAN CRUSHER or THE SEVASTOPOL SCISSORS: Turkey opening to Bul, BLA, and Arm is an aggressive opening that allows all three pieces to be used against Russia in the fall. Even if the fleet move succeeds, though, if Russia is in Rum, Ukr and Sev, Turkey must still second guess Russia for a second center if Austrian help is unavailable, and may lose BLA in the process.
DESERT RAT VARIATION: Richard Sharp's name for any opening using A Smy-Syr.
PASTICHE OPENING: A Con-Bul, A Smy H, F Ank-BLA. This gives Turkey more flexibility than most openings, as he can claim that A Smy H means that he is neither anti-Russian nor anti-Austrian. However, if he does have F BLA, he still has significant options against either country in F01. If a standoff occurs in BLA, telling Russia that you will order A Bul-Rum may divert his Fleet to Rum permitting you to enter BLA. Even if not, Con will be open for a build in W01, giving you F Ank and F Con. See Syrian opening.
SHIP OF THE DESERT: Richard Sharp's name for the opening A Con-Bul, A Smy-Con, F Ank-Arm.
SYRIAN OPENING: Turkey begins with a standoff in the BLA, then moves to Con. A Smy H (that is, a Pastiche opening), then A Smy-Syr. This permits Turkey to build on either coast, and support himself either to AEG or BLA, send fleets to both AEG and EAS, or go in both directions. Notice how if Turkey does not choose a victim in 1901, his second army actually gets in the way, and must be ditched for full W01 freedom. Extremely rare; used in 1977KJ.

Excerpts from the Player's Guide

GENERAL COMMENT: There is no substitute for A Con-Bul. The orders for the other two units may vary.
OPENING 1: [A Con-Bul; A Smy-Arm; F Ank-BLA]: This opening poses all sorts of problems for Russia. If she has trustingly ordered F Sev-Rum she is in real trouble. Even if she ordered, F Sev-BLA, she is going to have difficulty maintaining her position.
OPENING 2: [A Con-Bul; A Smy H; F Ank-Con]: The intent here is, in the Fall, F Con-AEG, A Smy-Con (or HOLD) for a western push. If Russia treacherously ordered F Sev-BLA, Turkey can still defend. F Con-Ank, A Smy-Ank will hold all her home supply centers and leave Ankara open for the build of a fleet.
OPENING 3: [A Con-Bul; A Smy-Con; F Ank-BLA]: Turkey can employ this opening when she is unsure of Russia but does not want to move to Armenia. It may be that she has at least a neutrality pact with Russia which includes a pre-arranged stand-off in the Black Sea. Among other things, this can be used to deceive players in believing Russia and Turkey are at war, even though they are allied. Without that intent, the opening is weak, but makes the best of an uncertain situation.

Back Go back to index page