Chess Opening Theory/1. d4/1...Nc6

A rare move. 1...Nc6 develops a knight and prepares ...e5. Part of the idea is, like a reflection of the Alekhine defence, 1. e4 Nf6, to encourage White to overextend in the centre before counter-attacking.

Original positions can arise if White plays d5, kicking the knight, either immediately, 2. d5, or after a sequence like 2. c4 e5 3. d5. Otherwise the often game transposes into positions more commonly reached by other move orders.

2. Nf3 is most common move, developing and controlling e5. This allows Black to play 2...d5 and the game resumes some sense of normality, although it is unusual in 1. d4 d5 games for Black to play Nc6 so early and deprive themselves of the option to move their c-pawn.

2. c4 d5 transposes into the Chigorin defence to the Queen's gambit, normally seen in the order 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6.

2. e4 transposes into the Nimzowitsch defence, usually seen after 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4.

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation.

1.d4 Nc6

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Wikipedia has related information at Queen's Knight Defence.