Defensive: The Shiller Opening

'The Shiller Opening', named after Grandmaster Eric Shiller, is a defensive strategy focused on securing a safe path for your pawn before engaging the opponent. It prioritizes creating a 'tunnel' on one side of the board with your first few walls, ensuring you always have a guaranteed route to the goal.

How to Play 'The Shiller'

Key Steps

1. Advance Pawn Sideways: On your first turn, move your pawn one step sideways (e.g., e9 to d9).
2. Place the First Wall: On your second turn, place a vertical wall next to your pawn (e.g., at c8). This is the first wall of your tunnel.
3. Complete the Tunnel: On your third turn, place a second vertical wall to complete the basic tunnel (e.g., at e8).

After these three moves, your pawn has a safe, two-column-wide path to advance. Now you can start moving your pawn forward through this protected corridor.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Very Safe: It guarantees you a path that is difficult for the opponent to block without spending many walls.
• Reduces Complexity: It simplifies the early game by giving you a clear, straightforward plan: advance through your tunnel.
• Strong Against Aggression: It is an excellent counter to 'The Rush', as the opponent's pawn will quickly run into your pre-built defensive structure.

Cons

• Slow: It uses the first few turns to build defenses rather than advancing your pawn, making it a slower strategy.
• Wall-Intensive: It requires at least two walls early on, leaving you with fewer walls for the mid and late game.
• Can Be Outmaneuvered: A clever opponent can ignore your tunnel, build their own faster path on the other side of the board, and force you into a race that you are likely to lose due to your slow start.

How to Counter 'The Shiller'

The best way to counter 'The Shiller' is to exploit its slowness.

1. Do Not Attack the Tunnel Directly: Do not waste your walls trying to block their tunnel. They have designed it to be efficient against direct attacks.
2. Create a Faster Path (Race): This is the most effective counter. While they spend 2-3 turns building their tunnel, you should spend those turns advancing your pawn and using your walls to build a shorter, more efficient path for yourself on the opposite side of the board.
3. Force Them Out: Use your walls to block the exit of their tunnel far in advance. This forces their pawn to leave the safety of their corridor and enter the center of the board, where you can engage them on your own terms.