Chess opening - Citizendia

This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves. Algebraic chess notation is used to record and describe the moves in a game of Chess.

Starting position

In chess the word "opening" has two common meanings, both of which are discussed in the article. Chess is a recreational and competitive Game played between two players. Chessplayers are so familiar with these two meanings that many books and articles never state the distinction and may switch without notice from one meaning to the other. ^[1]

The earliest stage of a game is known as the opening. For several moves players are mainly concerned with transferring their pieces from their starting positions to somewhere more useful.

A chess opening is the group of initial moves of a chess game (the opening moves in the previous sense). Chess is a recreational and competitive Game played between two players. A game is a structured activity, usually undertaken for Enjoyment and sometimes also used as an Educational tool Recognized sequences of opening moves are referred to as openings as initiated by White or defenses, as created in reply by Black. There are many dozens of different openings, and hundreds of named variants. The Oxford Companion to Chess lists 1327 named openings and variants. ^[2] These vary widely in character from quiet positional play (e. This page explains commonly used terms in Chess in alphabetical order g. the Réti Opening and some lines of the Queen's Gambit Declined) to wild tactical play (e. The Réti Opening (also called the Zukertort Opening) is a Chess opening characterized by the opening move 1 The Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD is a Chess opening characterized by the opening moves 1 In Chess, a tactic refers to a short sequence of moves which limits the opponent's options and may result in tangible gain g. the Latvian Gambit and Two Knights Defense, particularly the Traxler Variation). The Latvian Gambit is an aggressive Chess opening, which often leads to wild and tricky positions The Two Knights Defense is a Chess opening that begins 1 e4 e5 2

A sequence of opening moves that is considered standard (often cataloged in a reference work such as the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings) is referred to as "the book moves", or simply "book". The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings ( ECO) is a classification system for the opening moves in a game of chess These reference works often present these move sequences in simple algebraic notation, opening trees, or theory tables. Algebraic chess notation is used to record and describe the moves in a game of Chess. A chess opening theory table or ECO (Encyclopedia Of Chess Openings table presents lines of moves typically (but not always from the starting position When a game begins to deviate from known opening theory, the players are said to be "out of book". In some opening lines, the moves considered best for both sides have been worked out for twenty to twenty-five moves or more. Professional chessplayers spend years studying openings, and continue doing so throughout their careers, as opening theory continues to evolve. In 1913 preeminent Chess historian HJR Murray wrote in his 900-page magnum opus A History of Chess that "The Game possesses a

A new sequence of moves in the opening is referred to as a "theoretical novelty". This page explains commonly used terms in Chess in alphabetical order When kept secret until used in a competitive game it is often known as a "prepared variation", and can be a formidable weapon in top-class competition. ^[3]

For a list of openings as classified by the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, see List of chess openings. This is a list of chess openings, organized by the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO code

1 Aims of the opening
- 1.1 Top-level objectives
- 1.2 Common aims in opening play
2 Opening nomenclature
3 Classification of chess openings
4 See also
5 Notes
6 References
7 Bibliography
8 External links

Aims of the opening

Although a wide variety of moves can be played in the opening, the aims behind them are, broadly speaking, the same. First and foremost, the aim is to avoid being checkmated and avoid losing material, as in other phases of the game.

Top-level objectives

At higher levels of competition, for many years the main objectives of opening play were to obtain the better position when playing as White and to equalize when playing as Black. The idea behind this is that playing first gives White a slight initial advantage; for example, White will be the first to attack if the game opens symmetrically (Black mirrors White's moves). The first-move advantage in chess refers to the inherent advantage of the player (called White) who makes the first move in Chess. ^[1]

Since about the 1950s another objective has gradually become more dominant. According to IM Jeremy Silman, the purpose of the opening is to create dynamic imbalances between the two sides, which will determine the character of the middlegame and the strategic plans chosen by both sides. Jeremy Silman (born August 28 1954) is an American International Master of Chess. ^[4] For example, in the Winawer Variation of the French, White will try to use his bishop pair and space advantage to mount an attack on Black's kingside, while Black will seek simplifying exchanges (in particular, trading off one of White's bishops to blunt this advantage) and counterattack against the weakened pawns on White's queenside; both players accept different combinations of advantages and disadvantages. This page explains commonly used terms in Chess in alphabetical order This page explains commonly used terms in Chess in alphabetical order This idea was a doctrine of the Soviet school of chess, which has dominated the game since about 1945. Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik (mʲixaˈiɫ̺ mʌiˈs̺ʲɛjɛvʲiʧʲ bʌt̺ˈvʲin̺n̻ʲik Михаи́л Моисе́евич Ботви́нник) ( &ndash May

A third objective, which is complementary to the previous ones and has been common since the 19th century, is to lure the opponent into types of position with which the player is more familiar and comfortable than the opponent. This usually done by transpositions, in which a game that apparently starts with one opening can reach a position that is normally produced by a different opening. A transposition in Chess is a sequence of moves that results in a position which may also be reached by another more common sequence of moves ^[5]^[6]

Common aims in opening play

Irrespective of whether they are trying to gain the upper hand as White and equalize as Black or to create dynamic imbalances, players generally devote a lot of attention in the opening stages to:^[1]

Development: One of the main aims of the opening is to mobilize the pieces on useful squares where they will have impact on the game. To this end, knights are usually developed to f3, c3, f6 and c6 (or sometimes e2, d2, e7 or d7), and both player's e- and d-pawns are moved so the bishops can be developed (alternatively, the bishops may be fianchettoed with a manoeuvre such as g3 and Bg2). In Chess the fianchetto (/ˌfiən'kɛto/ Italian "little flanking" is a pattern of development wherein a bishop is developed to the second rank Rapid mobilization is the key. The queen, and to a lesser extent the rooks, are not usually played to a central position until later in the game, when many minor pieces and pawns are no longer present. This page explains commonly used terms in Chess in alphabetical order
Control of the center: At the start of the game, it is not clear on which part of the board the pieces will be needed. Control of the centre is an important positional strategy in Chess and some other board games However, control of the central squares allows pieces to be moved to any part of the board relatively easily, and can also have a cramping effect on the opponent. The classical view is that central control is best effected by placing pawns there, ideally establishing pawns on d4 and e4 (or d5 and e5 for Black). The pawn (♙♟ is the weakest and most numerous piece in the Game of Chess, representing Infantry However, the hypermodern school showed that it was not always necessary or even desirable to occupy the center in this way, and that too broad a pawn front could be attacked and destroyed, leaving its architect vulnerable; an impressive looking pawn center is worth little unless it can be maintained. Hypermodernism is a school of Chess thought which advocates controlling the centre of the board with distant pieces rather than with pawns, thus inviting the opponent The hypermoderns instead advocated controlling the center from a distance with pieces, breaking down one's opponent center, and only taking over the center oneself later in the game. This leads to openings such as Alekhine's Defense - in a line like 1. Alekhine's Defence is a Chess opening beginning with the moves 1 e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. f4 (the Four Pawns Attack), White has a formidable pawn center for the moment, but Black hopes to undermine it later in the game, leaving White's position exposed.
King safety: The king is somewhat exposed in the middle of the board. Measures must be taken to reduce his vulnerability. It is therefore common for both players to either castle in the opening (simultaneously developing one of the rooks) or to otherwise bring the king to the side of the board via artificial castling. In Chess, artificial castling, also known as castling by hand, refers to a maneuver in which a king who has lost the right to castle does
Prevention of pawn weakness: Most openings strive to avoid the creation of pawn weaknesses such as isolated, doubled and backward pawns, pawn islands, etc. In Chess, an isolated pawn is a pawn for which there is no friendly pawn on an adjacent file. In Chess, doubled pawns are two pawns of the same color residing on the same file. In Chess, a backward pawn is a pawn that is behind the pawns of the same color on the adjacent files and that cannot be advanced without loss of material Some openings sacrifice endgame considerations for a quick attack on the opponent's position. In Chess, the endgame (or end game or ending) refers to the stage of the game when there are few pieces left on the board Some unbalanced openings for black, in particular, make use of this idea; such as the Dutch, and the Sicilian. While other openings, such as the Alekhine and the Benoni invite the opponent to overextend and form pawn weaknesses. Certain openings accept pawn weaknesses in exchange for compensation in the form of dynamic play. (See pawn structure. In Chess, the pawn structure (sometimes known as the pawn skeleton) is the configuration of pawns on the Chessboard. )
Piece coordination: As each player mobilizes his or her pieces, each attempts to assure that they are working harmoniously towards the control of key squares.
Create positions in which the player is more comfortable than the opponent: Transposition is one common way of doing this. A transposition in Chess is a sequence of moves that results in a position which may also be reached by another more common sequence of moves ^[5]^[6]

Apart from these ideas, other strategies used in the middlegame may also be carried out in the opening. The middlegame in Chess refers to the portion of the game that happens immediately after the opening (usually the first move after the procession of moves that These include preparing pawn breaks to create counterplay, creating weaknesses in the opponent's pawn structure, seizing control of key squares, making favourable exchanges of minor pieces (e. g. gaining the bishop pair), or gaining a space advantage, whether in the centre or on the flanks.

Opening nomenclature

Major changes in the rules of chess in the late fifteenth century increased the speed of the game, consequently emphasizing the importance of opening study. Thus, early chess books, such as the 1497 text of Luis Ramirez de Lucena presents opening analysis, as does Pedro Damiano (1512), and Ruy López de Segura (1561). Luis Ramirez de Lucena (c 1465 &ndash c1530 was a leading Spanish Chess player Pedro Damiano (in Portuguese, Pedro Damião; Damiano is the Italian form much like the Latin Damianus) was a Portuguese Rodrigo ( Ruy) López de Segura (c 1540 &ndash 1580 was a Spanish priest and later Bishop in Segura whose book Libro de Ruy Lopez's disagreement with Damiano regarding the merits of 2. . . Nc6 led to 3. Bb5 (after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6) being named for him as the Ruy Lopez or Spanish Opening. The Ruy Lopez, called the Spanish Opening or Spanish Game outside English speaking countries, is a Chess opening characterised by the moves ^[7] Opening theory was studied more scientifically from the 1840s on, and many opening variations were discovered and named in this period and later. Opening nomenclature developed haphazardly, and most names are historical accidents not based on systematic principles.

The oldest openings tend to be named for geographic places and people. Many openings are named after nationalities, for example Indian, English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Scotch, Russian, Italian, Scandinavian, and Sicilian. Cities are also used, such as Vienna, Berlin, and Wilkes-Barre. The Catalan System is named after the Catalonia region of Spain. The Catalan is a Chess opening which can be considered to be White adopting a mixture of the Queen's Gambit and Réti Opening: White plays d4 Catalonia (Cataluña Catalunya Aranese: Catalonha) is an Autonomous Community in the northeast part of Spain. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.

Chess players' names are the most common sources of opening names. The name given to an opening is not always that of the first player to adopt it; often an opening is named for the player who was the first to popularize it or to publish analysis of it. Eponymic openings include the Ruy Lopez, Alekhine's Defense, Morphy Defense, and the Réti System. The Ruy Lopez, called the Spanish Opening or Spanish Game outside English speaking countries, is a Chess opening characterised by the moves Alekhine's Defence is a Chess opening beginning with the moves 1 Richard Réti ( 28 May, 1889, Pezinok (now Slovakia) &ndash 6 June, 1929, Prague) was an Austrian Some opening names honor two people, such as with the Caro-Kann. The Caro-Kann Defence is a common Chess opening characterized by the moves 1

A few opening names are descriptive, such as Giuoco Piano (Italian: "quiet game"). The Giuoco Piano is a Chess opening characterized by the moves 1 Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. More prosaic descriptions include Two Knights and Four Knights. Descriptive names are less common than openings named for places and people.

Some openings have been given fanciful names, often names of animals. This practice became more common in the 20th century. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on By then, most of the more common and traditional sequences of opening moves had already been named, so these tend to be unusual or recently developed openings like the Orangutan, Hippopotamus, Elephant, and Hedgehog.

Many terms are used for the opening as well. In addition to Opening, common terms include Game, Defense, Gambit, and Variation; less common terms are System, Attack, Counterattack, Countergambit, Reversed, and Inverted. A gambit is a Chess opening in which the first player risks or sacrifices material usually a pawn, with the hope of achieving a resulting advantageous To make matters more confusing, these terms are used very inconsistently. Consider some of the openings named for nationalities: Scotch Game, English Opening, French Defense, and Russian Game — the Scotch Game and the English Opening are both White openings (White chooses to play), the French is indeed a defense but so is the Russian Game. The Scotch Game is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 In Chess, the English Opening is the opening where White begins 1 The French Defence is a Chess opening. It is characterized by the moves 1 Petrov's Defence, sometimes called Petroff's Defense or the Russian Game, is a Chess opening characterized by the following moves 1 Although these do not have precise definitions, here are some general observations about how they are used.

Game: Used only for some of the oldest openings, for example Scotch Game, Vienna Game, and Four Knights Game. The Scotch Game is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 The Vienna Game is a Chess opening characterised by the moves 1 The Four Knights Game is a Chess opening starting with the moves 1
Opening: Along with Variation, this is the most common term.
Variation: Usually used to describe a line within a more general opening, for example the Exchange Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined. The Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD is a Chess opening characterized by the opening moves 1
Defense: Always refers to an opening chosen by Black, such as Two Knights Defense or King's Indian Defense, unless, of course, it has 'reversed' in front of it, which makes it an opening for white. The Two Knights Defense is a Chess opening that begins 1 e4 e5 2 The King's Indian Defence is a common Chess opening. It arises after the moves 1 The term "defense" does not imply passivity; many defenses are quite aggressive (such as the Nimzo-Indian Defense). The Nimzo-Indian Defence is a Chess opening characterised by the moves 1
Gambit: An opening that involves the sacrifice of material, usually one or more pawns. Gambits can be played by White (e. g. , King's Gambit) or Black (e. The King's Gambit is a Chess opening that begins 1 e4 e5 2 f4 White offers a pawn to divert the Black e-pawn g. , Latvian Gambit). The Latvian Gambit is an aggressive Chess opening, which often leads to wild and tricky positions The full name often includes Accepted or Declined depending on whether the opponent took the offered material, as in the Queen's Gambit Accepted and Queen's Gambit Declined. The Queen's Gambit Accepted, commonly abbreviated to QGA, is a Chess opening characterized by the opening moves 1 The Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD is a Chess opening characterized by the opening moves 1 In some cases, the sacrifice of material is only temporary. The Queen's Gambit is not a true gambit because there is no good way for Black to keep the pawn (Ward 1999:10). In Chess the word " opening " has two common meanings both of which are discussed in this article
Countergambit: Any gambit played by Black; sometimes this will be in response to a White gambit. Examples of this include the Albin Countergambit to the Queen's Gambit, the Falkbeer Countergambit to the King's Gambit, and the Greco Counter Gambit (the former name of the Latvian Gambit). The Albin Countergambit is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 The Queen's Gambit is a Chess opening that starts with the moves 1 The King's Gambit is a Chess opening that begins 1 e4 e5 2 f4 White offers a pawn to divert the Black e-pawn The Latvian Gambit is an aggressive Chess opening, which often leads to wild and tricky positions The Latvian Gambit is an aggressive Chess opening, which often leads to wild and tricky positions
System: A method of development that can be used against many different setups by the opponent. Examples include Colle System, Stonewall Attack, Réti System, Barcza System, and Hedgehog System. The Colle System is a Chess opening strategy for White introduced by Belgian Edgard Colle in the 1920s The Stonewall Attack is a Chess opening; more specifically it is a variation of the Queen's Pawn Game. The Réti Opening (also called the Zukertort Opening) is a Chess opening characterized by the opening move 1 The King's Indian Attack (KIA is a Chess opening system for white most notably used by Bobby Fischer. In Chess, the Hedgehog is a pawn formation usually adopted by Black that can arise from several openings.
Attack: Sometimes used to describe an aggressive or provocative variation such as the Albin-Chatard Attack (or Chatard-Alekhine Attack), the Fried Liver Attack in the Two Knights Defense, and the Grob Attack. The Fried Liver Attack, also called the Fegatello Attack (named for an Italian idiom meaning "dead as a piece of liver" is a Chess opening. Grob's Attack is an unconventional Chess opening where White immediately moves the king knight's pawn two squares ahead 1 In other cases it refers to a defensive system by Black when adopted by White, as in King's Indian Attack. The King's Indian Attack (KIA is a Chess opening system for white most notably used by Bobby Fischer. In still other cases the name seems to be used ironically, as with the fairly inoffensive Durkin's Attack (also called the Durkin Opening). The Durkin Opening, also known as Durkin's Attack, or the Sodium Attack, is a very rarely played Chess opening beginning with the move
Reversed, Inverted: A Black opening played by White, or more rarely a White opening played by Black. Examples include Sicilian Reversed (from the English Opening), and the Inverted Hungarian.

A small minority of openings are prefixed with "Anti-". These are openings intended to avoid a particular line otherwise available to one's opponent, for example the Anti-Marshall (against the Marshall (Counter) Attack in the Ruy Lopez) and the Anti-Meran Gambit (against the Meran Variation of the Semi-Slav Defense).

Classification of chess openings

For a list of openings as classified by the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, see List of chess openings. This is a list of chess openings, organized by the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO code

The beginning chess position offers White twenty possible first moves. Of these, 1. e4, 1. d4, 1. Nf3, and 1. c4 are by far the most popular as these moves do the most to promote rapid development and control of the center. A few other opening moves are considered reasonable but less consistent with opening principles than the four most popular moves. The Dunst Opening, 1. The Dunst Opening is a Chess opening where White opens with the move 1 Nc3, develops a knight to a good square, but is somewhat inflexible because it blocks White's c-pawn; also, after 1. . . d5 the knight is liable to be kicked to an inferior square by . . . d4. (Note that after 1. Nf3 the analogous 1. . . e5? just loses a pawn. ) Bird's Opening, 1. Bird's Opening or the Dutch Attack is a Chess opening characterised by the move 1 f4, addresses center control but not development and weakens the king position slightly. The Sokolsky Opening 1. The Sokolsky Opening (also known as the Orangutan or Polish Opening) is an uncommon Chess opening: 1 b4 and the King's and Queen's fianchettos 1. In Chess the fianchetto (/ˌfiən'kɛto/ Italian "little flanking" is a pattern of development wherein a bishop is developed to the second rank b3 and 1. g3 aid development a bit, but they only address center control peripherally and are slower than the more popular openings. The eleven remaining possibilities are rarely played at the top levels of chess. Of these, the best are merely slow such as 1. c3, 1. d3, and 1. e3. Worse possibilities either ignore the center and development like 1. a3, weaken White's position (for instance, 1. f3 and 1. g4), or place the knights on poor squares (1. Na3 and 1. Nh3).

Black has twenty possible responses to White's opening move. Many of these are mirror images of the most popular first moves for White, but with a tempo less. In Chess, tempo refers to a "turn" or single move When a player achieves a desired result in one fewer moves he "gains a tempo" and conversely when Defenses beginning with 1. . . c6 and 1. . . e6, often followed by the center thrust 2. . . d5, are also popular. Defenses with an early . . . d6 coupled with a kingside fianchetto are also commonly played. This page explains commonly used terms in Chess in alphabetical order In Chess the fianchetto (/ˌfiən'kɛto/ Italian "little flanking" is a pattern of development wherein a bishop is developed to the second rank

The most important scheme of classifying chess openings for serious players is by ECO code, a series of 500 opening codes assigned by the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings. This is a list of chess openings, organized by the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO code The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings ( ECO) is a classification system for the opening moves in a game of chess Although these codes are invaluable for the serious study of the chess opening, they are not very practical for a broad survey of the chess opening as the codes obscure common structural features between related openings.

A simple descriptive categorization of the chess opening is King's Pawn Openings, Queen's Pawn Openings, and Others. The term King's Pawn Game refers to any Chess opening starting with the move 1 In the most general sense the term Queen's Pawn Game can refer to any Chess opening which starts with 1 Since these categories are still individually very large, it is common to divide each of them further. One reasonable way to group the openings is

Double King Pawn or Open Games (1. An Open Game (or Double King Pawn game is a Chess opening which begins with the White moves 1 e4 e5)
Single King Pawn or Semi-Open Games (1. A Semi-Open Game is a Chess opening in which White plays 1e4 and Black breaks symmetry immediately by replying with a move other than 1 e4 other)
Double Queen Pawn or Closed Games (1. A Closed Game, also called a Double Queen Pawn Opening, is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 d4 d5)
Single Queen Pawn or Semi-Closed Games (1. A Semi-Closed Game (or Semi-Closed Opening) is a Chess opening in which White opens with the queen's pawn 1 d4 other)
Flank openings (including 1. A flank opening is a chess opening played by White and typified by play on one or both flanks (the portion of the chess board outside the central d and e files) c4, 1. Nf3, 1. f4, and others)
Unusual first moves for White

The Indian systems (1. Irregular openings are Chess openings with an unusual first move from White Indian defenses are Chess openings characterised by the moves 1 d4 Nf6) are the most important of the Semi-Closed Games, and warrant separate treatment.

Open games (1. e4 e5)

Open Game

Ruy Lopez

Scotch Game

Giuoco Piano

Petrov's Defense

King's Gambit

Main article: Open Game

White starts by playing 1. An Open Game (or Double King Pawn game is a Chess opening which begins with the White moves 1 The Ruy Lopez, called the Spanish Opening or Spanish Game outside English speaking countries, is a Chess opening characterised by the moves The Scotch Game is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 The Giuoco Piano is a Chess opening characterized by the moves 1 Petrov's Defence, sometimes called Petroff's Defense or the Russian Game, is a Chess opening characterized by the following moves 1 The King's Gambit is a Chess opening that begins 1 e4 e5 2 f4 White offers a pawn to divert the Black e-pawn An Open Game (or Double King Pawn game is a Chess opening which begins with the White moves 1 e4 (moving his King's pawn two spaces). This is the most popular opening move and it has many strengths — it immediately works on controlling the center, and it frees two pieces (the queen and a bishop). The oldest openings in chess follow 1. e4. Bobby Fischer rated 1. Robert James "Bobby" Fischer ( March 9 1943 – January 17 2008) was an American -born Chess Grandmaster e4 as "best by test". On the downside, 1. e4 places a pawn on an undefended square and weakens d4 and f4; the Hungarian master Gyula Breyer melodramatically declared that "After 1. Gyula Breyer ( April 30, 1893 – November 9, 1921) was a Hungarian Chess player e4 White's game is in its last throes". If Black mirrors White's move and replies with 1. . . e5, the result is an open game.

The most popular second move for White is 2. Nf3 attacking Black's king pawn, preparing for a kingside castle, and anticipating the advance of the queen pawn to d4. Black's most common reply is 2. . . Nc6, which usually leads to the Ruy Lopez (3. The Ruy Lopez, called the Spanish Opening or Spanish Game outside English speaking countries, is a Chess opening characterised by the moves Bb5), Scotch Game (3. The Scotch Game is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 d4), or Italian Game (3. The Italian Game is a family of chess openings beginning 1 e4 e5 2 Bc4). If Black instead maintains symmetry and counterattacks White's center with 2. . . Nf6 then the Petrov's Defense results. Petrov's Defence, sometimes called Petroff's Defense or the Russian Game, is a Chess opening characterized by the following moves 1 The Philidor Defense (2. The Philidor Defence is a Chess opening characterised by the moves 1 . . d6) is not popular in modern chess because it allows White an easy space advantage while Black's position remains cramped and passive, although solid. Other responses to 2. Nf3 are not seen in master play.

The most popular alternatives to 2. Nf3 are the Vienna Game (2. The Vienna Game is a Chess opening characterised by the moves 1 Nc3), the Bishop's Opening (2. The Bishop's Opening is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 Bc4), and the King's Gambit (2. The King's Gambit is a Chess opening that begins 1 e4 e5 2 f4 White offers a pawn to divert the Black e-pawn f4). These openings have some similarities with each other, in particular the Bishop's Opening frequently transposes to variations of the Vienna Game. The King's Gambit was extremely popular in the 19th century. White sacrifices a pawn for quick development and to pull a black pawn out of the center. The Vienna Game also frequently features attacks on the Black center by means of a f2-f4 pawn advance.

In the Center Game (2. The Center Game is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 d4) White immediately opens the center but if the pawn is to be recovered after 2. . . exd4, White must contend with a slightly premature queen development after 3. Qxd4. An alternative is to sacrifice one or two pawns, for example in the Danish Gambit. The Danish Gambit, known as the de Nordisches Gambit (Nordic Gambit in German and the nl Noors Gambit (Norwegian Gambit in Dutch is a Chess opening

Many other variations after 1. e4 e5 have been studied; see Open Game for details. An Open Game (or Double King Pawn game is a Chess opening which begins with the White moves 1

1. e4 e5 Double King's Pawn Opening or Open Game
1. An Open Game (or Double King Pawn game is a Chess opening which begins with the White moves 1 e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Ruy Lopez
1. The Ruy Lopez, called the Spanish Opening or Spanish Game outside English speaking countries, is a Chess opening characterised by the moves e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 Scotch Game
1. The Scotch Game is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Italian Game
1. The Italian Game is a family of chess openings beginning 1 e4 e5 2 e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 Four Knights Game
1. The Four Knights Game is a Chess opening starting with the moves 1 e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 Petrov's Defense
1. Petrov's Defence, sometimes called Petroff's Defense or the Russian Game, is a Chess opening characterized by the following moves 1 e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 Philidor Defense
1. The Philidor Defence is a Chess opening characterised by the moves 1 e4 e5 2. Nc3 Vienna Game
1. The Vienna Game is a Chess opening characterised by the moves 1 e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bishop's Opening
1. The Bishop's Opening is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 e4 e5 2. f4 King's Gambit
1. The King's Gambit is a Chess opening that begins 1 e4 e5 2 f4 White offers a pawn to divert the Black e-pawn e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Center Game
1. The Center Game is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 Danish Gambit

Semi-open games (1. The Danish Gambit, known as the de Nordisches Gambit (Nordic Gambit in German and the nl Noors Gambit (Norwegian Gambit in Dutch is a Chess opening e4, Black plays something other than 1. . . e5)

Sicilian Defense

French Defense

Caro-Kann Defense

Alekhine's Defense

Pirc Defense

Modern Defense

Main article: Semi-Open Game

In the semi-open games White plays 1. The Sicilian Defence is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 The French Defence is a Chess opening. It is characterized by the moves 1 The Caro-Kann Defence is a common Chess opening characterized by the moves 1 Alekhine's Defence is a Chess opening beginning with the moves 1 The Pirc Defence, sometimes known as the Ufimtsev Defence or Yugoslav Defence, is a Chess opening characterised by Black responding to 1 The Modern Defence, also known as the Robatsch Defence, after Karl Robatsch, is a Chess opening in which Black allows White to occupy the center with A Semi-Open Game is a Chess opening in which White plays 1e4 and Black breaks symmetry immediately by replying with a move other than 1 e4 and Black breaks symmetry immediately by replying with a move other than 1. . . e5. The most popular Black defense to 1. e4 is the Sicilian (1. The Sicilian Defence is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 . . c5), but the French (1. The French Defence is a Chess opening. It is characterized by the moves 1 . . e6, normally followed by 2. d4 d5) and the Caro-Kann (1. The Caro-Kann Defence is a common Chess opening characterized by the moves 1 . . c6, normally followed by 2. d4 d5) are also very popular. The Pirc and the Modern are closely related openings that are also often seen, while the Alekhine and the Scandinavian have made occasional appearances in World Chess Championship games. The Pirc Defence, sometimes known as the Ufimtsev Defence or Yugoslav Defence, is a Chess opening characterised by Black responding to 1 The Modern Defence, also known as the Robatsch Defence, after Karl Robatsch, is a Chess opening in which Black allows White to occupy the center with Alekhine's Defence is a Chess opening beginning with the moves 1 The Scandinavian Defense or Center Counter Defense, is a Chess opening characterized by the moves 1 See also Development of the World Chess Championship The World Chess Championship is played to determine the World Champion in the Board game Chess

The Sicilian and French Defenses lead to unbalanced positions that can offer exciting play with both sides having chances to win. The Caro-Kann Defense is solid as Black intends to use his c-pawn to support his center (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5). Alekhine's, the Pirc and the Modern are hypermodern openings in which Black tempts White to build a large center with the goal of attacking it with pieces. Hypermodernism is a school of Chess thought which advocates controlling the centre of the board with distant pieces rather than with pawns, thus inviting the opponent

Other semi-open games have been studied but are less common; see Semi-Open Game for details. A Semi-Open Game is a Chess opening in which White plays 1e4 and Black breaks symmetry immediately by replying with a move other than 1

1. e4 c5 Sicilian Defense
1. The Sicilian Defence is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 e4 e6 French Defense
1. The French Defence is a Chess opening. It is characterized by the moves 1 e4 c6 Caro-Kann Defense
1. The Caro-Kann Defence is a common Chess opening characterized by the moves 1 e4 d5 Scandinavian Defense
1. The Scandinavian Defense or Center Counter Defense, is a Chess opening characterized by the moves 1 e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 Pirc Defense
1. The Pirc Defence, sometimes known as the Ufimtsev Defence or Yugoslav Defence, is a Chess opening characterised by Black responding to 1 e4 Nf6 Alekhine's Defense
1. Alekhine's Defence is a Chess opening beginning with the moves 1 e4 g6 Modern Defense

Closed games (1. The Modern Defence, also known as the Robatsch Defence, after Karl Robatsch, is a Chess opening in which Black allows White to occupy the center with d4 d5)

Closed Game

Queen's Gambit

Queen's Gambit Declined

Slav Defense

Queen's Gambit Accepted

Colle System

Main article: Closed Game

The openings classified as closed games begin 1. A Closed Game, also called a Double Queen Pawn Opening, is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 The Queen's Gambit is a Chess opening that starts with the moves 1 The Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD is a Chess opening characterized by the opening moves 1 The Slav Defense is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 The Queen's Gambit Accepted, commonly abbreviated to QGA, is a Chess opening characterized by the opening moves 1 The Colle System is a Chess opening strategy for White introduced by Belgian Edgard Colle in the 1920s A Closed Game, also called a Double Queen Pawn Opening, is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 d4 d5. The move 1. d4 offers the same benefits to development and center control as does 1. e4, but unlike with the King Pawn openings where the e4 pawn is undefended after the first move, the d4 pawn is protected by White's queen. This slight difference has a tremendous effect on the opening. For instance, whereas the King's Gambit is rarely played today at the highest levels of chess, the Queen's Gambit remains a popular weapon at all levels of play. The King's Gambit is a Chess opening that begins 1 e4 e5 2 f4 White offers a pawn to divert the Black e-pawn The Queen's Gambit is a Chess opening that starts with the moves 1 Also, compared with the King Pawn openings, transpositions between variations are more common and critical in the closed games.

The most important closed openings are in the Queen's Gambit family (White plays 2. c4). The Queen's Gambit is somewhat misnamed, since White can always regain the offered pawn if desired. In the Queen's Gambit Accepted, Black plays . The Queen's Gambit Accepted, commonly abbreviated to QGA, is a Chess opening characterized by the opening moves 1 . . dxc4, giving up the center for free development and the chance to try to give White an isolated queen pawn with a subsequent . . . c5 and . . . cxd5. White will get active pieces and possibilities for the attack. Black has two popular ways to decline the pawn, the Slav (2. The Slav Defense is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 . . c6) and the Queen's Gambit Declined (2. The Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD is a Chess opening characterized by the opening moves 1 . . e6). Both of these moves lead to an immense forest of variations that can require a great deal of opening study to play well. Among the many possibilities in the Queen's Gambit Declined are the Orthodox Defense, Lasker's Defense, the Cambridge Springs Defense, the Tartakower Variation, and the Tarrasch and Semi-Tarrasch Defenses. Black replies to the Queen's Gambit other than 2. . . dxc4, 2. . . c6, and 2. . . e6 are uncommon.

The Colle System and Stonewall Attack are classified as Queen's Pawn Games because White plays d4 but not c4. The Colle System is a Chess opening strategy for White introduced by Belgian Edgard Colle in the 1920s The Stonewall Attack is a Chess opening; more specifically it is a variation of the Queen's Pawn Game. In the most general sense the term Queen's Pawn Game can refer to any Chess opening which starts with 1 They are also examples of Systems, rather than specific opening variations. White develops aiming for a particular formation without great concern over how Black chooses to defend. Both systems are popular with club players because they are easy to learn, but are rarely used by professionals because a well prepared opponent playing Black can equalize fairly easily. The Stonewall is characterized by the White pawn formation on c3, d4, e3, and f4, and can be achieved by several move orders and against many different Black setups. The position in the diagram and the move sequence given below are typical.

Other closed openings have been studied but are less common; see Closed Game for details. A Closed Game, also called a Double Queen Pawn Opening, is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1

1. d4 d5 Double Queen's Pawn Opening or Closed Game
1. A Closed Game, also called a Double Queen Pawn Opening, is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 d4 d5 2. c4 Queen's Gambit
1. The Queen's Gambit is a Chess opening that starts with the moves 1 d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 Queen's Gambit Accepted (QGA)
1. The Queen's Gambit Accepted, commonly abbreviated to QGA, is a Chess opening characterized by the opening moves 1 d4 d5 2. c4 e6 Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD)
1. The Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD is a Chess opening characterized by the opening moves 1 d4 d5 2. c4 c6 Slav Defense
1. The Slav Defense is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 d4 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. Bd3 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. f4 (a typical move sequence) Stonewall Attack
1. The Stonewall Attack is a Chess opening; more specifically it is a variation of the Queen's Pawn Game. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 Colle System

Indian systems (1. The Colle System is a Chess opening strategy for White introduced by Belgian Edgard Colle in the 1920s d4 Nf6)

Indian systems

Nimzo-Indian Defense

King's Indian Defense

Grünfeld Defense

Queen's Indian Defense

Modern Benoni Defense

Main article: Indian Defense

The Indian systems are asymmetrical defenses to 1. Indian defenses are Chess openings characterised by the moves 1 The Nimzo-Indian Defence is a Chess opening characterised by the moves 1 The King's Indian Defence is a common Chess opening. It arises after the moves 1 The Grünfeld Defence ( ECO codes D70-D99 is a Chess opening characterised by the moves 1 "qid" redirects here For the medical abbreviation see List of medical abbreviations#Q. The Benoni Defense is a group of Chess openings generally characterized by the opening moves 1 Indian defenses are Chess openings characterised by the moves 1 d4 that employ hypermodern chess strategy. Fianchettos are common in many of these openings. As with the closed games, transpositions are important and many of the Indian defenses can be reached by several different move orders. A transposition in Chess is a sequence of moves that results in a position which may also be reached by another more common sequence of moves Although Indian defenses were championed in the 1920s by players in the hypermodern school, they were not fully accepted until Soviet players showed in the late 1940s that these systems are sound for Black. Since then, Indian defenses have been the most popular Black replies to 1. d4 because they offer an unbalanced game with chances for both sides. The usual White second move is 2. c4, grabbing a larger share of the center and allowing the move Nc3, to prepare for moving the e-pawn to e4 without blocking the c-pawn. Black's most popular replies are

2 . . . e6, freeing the king's bishop and leading into the Nimzo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Defense, Bogo-Indian Defense, Modern Benoni, or regular lines of the Queen's Gambit Declined,
2 . The Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD is a Chess opening characterized by the opening moves 1 . . g6, preparing a fianchetto of the king's bishop and entering the King's Indian Defense or Grünfeld Defense, and
2 . . . c5, the Modern Benoni, with an immediate counter-punch in the center.

Advocated by Nimzowitsch as early as 1913, the Nimzo-Indian Defense was the first of the Indian systems to gain full acceptance. Aron Nimzowitsch ( Ārons Ņimcovičs; born Aron Niemzowitsch and also known as Nimzovich) (7 November 1886 – 16 March 1935 was a Latvian The Nimzo-Indian Defence is a Chess opening characterised by the moves 1 It remains one of the most popular and well-respected defenses to 1. d4 and White often adopts move orders designed to avoid it. Black attacks the center with pieces and is prepared to trade a bishop for a knight to weaken White's queenside with doubled pawns. In Chess, doubled pawns are two pawns of the same color residing on the same file.

The King's Indian Defense is aggressive and somewhat risky, and generally indicates that Black will not be satisfied with a draw. The King's Indian Defence is a common Chess opening. It arises after the moves 1 Although it was played occasionally as early as the late 19th century, the King's Indian was considered inferior until the 1940s when it was featured in the games of Bronstein, Boleslavsky, and Reshevsky. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar David Ionovich Bronstein (Дави́д Ио́нович Бронште́йн February 19 1924 &ndash December 5 2006) was renowned as a leading Isaac Yefremovich Boleslavsky ( Russian: Исаак Ефремович Болеславский) ( June 9, 1919 Zolotonosha, Ukraine Samuel Herman (Sammy Reshevsky (born Szmul Rzeszewski, November 26, 1911, Ozorków near Lodz, (then Russian Empire Fischer's favored defense to 1. Robert James "Bobby" Fischer ( March 9 1943 – January 17 2008) was an American -born Chess Grandmaster d4, its popularity faded in the mid-1970s. Kasparov's successes with the defense restored the King's Indian to prominence in the 1980s. Garry Kasparov (Га́рри Ки́мович Каспа́ров) (born as Garry Kimovich Weinstein on April 13 1963 in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet

Ernst Grünfeld debuted the Grünfeld Defense in 1922. Ernst Franz Grünfeld ( November 21 1893 &ndash April 3 1962) an Austrian Chess player and writer specializing in The Grünfeld Defence ( ECO codes D70-D99 is a Chess opening characterised by the moves 1 Distinguished by the move 3. . . d5, Grünfeld intended it as an improvement to the King's Indian which was not considered entirely satisfactory at that time. The Grünfeld has been adopted by World Champions Smyslov, Fischer, and Kasparov. Vasily Vasiliyevich Smyslov (Васи́лий Васильевич Смысло́в (born March 24, 1921, in Moscow) is a Russian Chess Robert James "Bobby" Fischer ( March 9 1943 – January 17 2008) was an American -born Chess Grandmaster Garry Kasparov (Га́рри Ки́мович Каспа́ров) (born as Garry Kimovich Weinstein on April 13 1963 in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet

The Queen's Indian Defense is considered solid, safe, and perhaps somewhat drawish. "qid" redirects here For the medical abbreviation see List of medical abbreviations#Q. In Chess, a draw is one of the possible outcomes of a game the others being a win for white and a win for black Black often chooses the Queen's Indian when White avoids the Nimzo-Indian by playing 3. Nf3 instead of 3. Nc3. Black constructs a sound position that makes no positional concessions, although sometimes it is difficult for Black to obtain good winning chances. Karpov is a leading expert in this opening. Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov (Анатолий Евгеньевич Карпов born May 23, 1951) is a Russian Chess grandmaster

The Modern Benoni Defense is a risky attempt by Black to unbalance the position and gain active piece play at the cost of allowing White a pawn wedge at d5 and a central majority. The Benoni Defense is a group of Chess openings generally characterized by the opening moves 1 Tal popularized the defense in the 1960s by winning several brilliant games with it, and Bobby Fischer occasionally adopted it, with good results, including a win in his 1972 world championship match against Boris Spassky. Mikhail Tal (Mihails Tāls Михаил Нехемьевич Таль Mikhail Nekhemievich Tal, mʲixa'iɫ̺ n̻ʲɛ'xɛmjɛvʲiʨ t̺al̻ sometimes transliterated Mihails Robert James "Bobby" Fischer ( March 9 1943 – January 17 2008) was an American -born Chess Grandmaster The World Chess Championship 1972 match between challenger Bobby Fischer and defending champion Boris Spassky in Laugardalshöll, Reykjavík Boris Vasilievich Spassky (also Spasskij (Бори́с Васи́льевич Спа́сский (born January 30, 1937) is a Russian French Often Black adopts a slightly different move order, playing 2. . . e6 before 3. . . c5 in order to avoid the sharpest lines for White.

The Benko Gambit is often played by strong players, and is very popular at lower levels. The Benko Gambit is a Chess opening characterised by the move 3 Black plays to open lines on the queenside where White will be subject to considerable pressure. If White accepts the gambit, Black's compensation is positional rather than tactical, and his initiative can last even after many piece exchanges and well into the endgame. In Chess, the endgame (or end game or ending) refers to the stage of the game when there are few pieces left on the board White often chooses instead either to decline the gambit pawn or return it.

The Catalan Opening is characterized by White forming a pawn center at d4 and c4 and fianchettoing his king's bishop. The Catalan is a Chess opening which can be considered to be White adopting a mixture of the Queen's Gambit and Réti Opening: White plays d4 It resembles a combination of the Queen's Gambit and Réti Opening. The Queen's Gambit is a Chess opening that starts with the moves 1 The Réti Opening (also called the Zukertort Opening) is a Chess opening characterized by the opening move 1 Since the Catalan can be reached from many different move orders, (one Queen's Gambit Declined-like move sequence is 1. The Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD is a Chess opening characterized by the opening moves 1 d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3), it is sometimes called the Catalan System.

The most important Indian Defenses are listed below, but many others have been studied and played; see Indian Defense for details. Indian defenses are Chess openings characterised by the moves 1

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 Modern Benoni
1. The Benoni Defense is a group of Chess openings generally characterized by the opening moves 1 d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 Benko Gambit (or Volga Gambit)
1. The Benko Gambit is a Chess opening characterised by the move 3 d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 Nimzo-Indian Defense
1. The Nimzo-Indian Defence is a Chess opening characterised by the moves 1 d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 Queen's Indian Defense
1. "qid" redirects here For the medical abbreviation see List of medical abbreviations#Q. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Catalan Opening
1. The Catalan is a Chess opening which can be considered to be White adopting a mixture of the Queen's Gambit and Réti Opening: White plays d4 d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 Grünfeld Defense
1. The Grünfeld Defence ( ECO codes D70-D99 is a Chess opening characterised by the moves 1 d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 King's Indian Defense (KID)

Other Black responses to 1. The King's Indian Defence is a common Chess opening. It arises after the moves 1 d4

Dutch Defense

Benoni Defense

Main article: Semi-Closed Game

Of the defenses to 1. The Dutch Defence is a Chess opening characterised by the moves 1 The Benoni Defense is a group of Chess openings generally characterized by the opening moves 1 A Semi-Closed Game (or Semi-Closed Opening) is a Chess opening in which White opens with the queen's pawn 1 d4 other than 1. . . d5 and 1. . . Nf6, the most important are the Dutch Defense and the Benoni Defense. The Dutch Defence is a Chess opening characterised by the moves 1 The Benoni Defense is a group of Chess openings generally characterized by the opening moves 1 The Dutch, an aggressive defense adopted for a time by World Champions Alekhine and Botvinnik, and played by both Botvinnik and challenger David Bronstein in their 1951 world championship match, is still played occasionally at the top level by Short and others. Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine (alʲɛkˈsandr̠ alʲɛkˈsandr̠ovʲiʨ aˈlʲɛxin Russian Алекса́ндр Алекса́ндрович Але́хин) (October Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik (mʲixaˈiɫ̺ mʌiˈs̺ʲɛjɛvʲiʧʲ bʌt̺ˈvʲin̺n̻ʲik Михаи́л Моисе́евич Ботви́нник) ( &ndash May David Ionovich Bronstein (Дави́д Ио́нович Бронште́йн February 19 1924 &ndash December 5 2006) was renowned as a leading See also Development of the World Chess Championship The World Chess Championship is played to determine the World Champion in the Board game Chess Nigel David Short MBE (born June 1, 1965 in Leigh, Lancashire) is often regarded as the strongest British Chess Another fairly common opening is the Benoni Defense, which may become very wild if it develops into the Modern Benoni, though other variations are more solid. The Benoni Defense is a group of Chess openings generally characterized by the opening moves 1 The Benoni Defense is a group of Chess openings generally characterized by the opening moves 1

Several other uncommon semi-closed openings have been named and studied, see Semi-Closed Game for details. A Semi-Closed Game (or Semi-Closed Opening) is a Chess opening in which White opens with the queen's pawn 1

1. d4 c5 Benoni Defense
1. The Benoni Defense is a group of Chess openings generally characterized by the opening moves 1 d4 f5 Dutch Defense

Flank openings (including English, Réti, Bird's, and White fianchettoes)

Réti Opening

King's Indian Attack

English Opening

Main article: Flank opening

The flank openings are the group of White openings typified by play on one or both flanks. The Dutch Defence is a Chess opening characterised by the moves 1 The Réti Opening (also called the Zukertort Opening) is a Chess opening characterized by the opening move 1 The King's Indian Attack (KIA is a Chess opening system for white most notably used by Bobby Fischer. In Chess, the English Opening is the opening where White begins 1 A flank opening is a chess opening played by White and typified by play on one or both flanks (the portion of the chess board outside the central d and e files) White plays in hypermodern style, attacking the center from the flanks with pieces rather than occupying it with pawns. Hypermodernism is a school of Chess thought which advocates controlling the centre of the board with distant pieces rather than with pawns, thus inviting the opponent These openings are played often, and 1. Nf3 and 1. c4 trail only 1. e4 and 1. d4 in popularity as opening moves.

If White opens with 1. Nf3, the game often becomes one of the d4 openings (closed games or semi-closed games) by a different move order (this is called transposition), but unique openings such as the Réti and King's Indian Attack are also common. A transposition in Chess is a sequence of moves that results in a position which may also be reached by another more common sequence of moves The Réti Opening (also called the Zukertort Opening) is a Chess opening characterized by the opening move 1 The King's Indian Attack (KIA is a Chess opening system for white most notably used by Bobby Fischer. The Réti itself is characterized by White playing 1. Nf3, fianchettoing one or both bishops, and not playing an early d4 (which would generally transpose into one of the 1. In Chess the fianchetto (/ˌfiən'kɛto/ Italian "little flanking" is a pattern of development wherein a bishop is developed to the second rank d4 openings).

The King's Indian Attack (KIA) is a system of development that White may use in reply to almost any Black opening moves. The King's Indian Attack (KIA is a Chess opening system for white most notably used by Bobby Fischer. The characteristic KIA setup is 1. Nf3, 2. g3, 3. Bg2, 4. 0-0, 5. d3, 6. Nbd2, and 7. e4, although these moves may be played in many different orders. In fact, the KIA is probably most often reached after 1. e4 when White uses it to respond to a Black attempt to play one of the Semi-open games such as the Caro-Kann, French, or Sicilian, or even the open games which usually come after 1. e4 e5. Its greatest appeal may be that by adopting a set pattern of development, White can avoid the large amount of opening study required to prepare to meet the many different possible Black replies to 1. e4.

The English Opening (1. In Chess, the English Opening is the opening where White begins 1 c4) also frequently transposes into a d4 opening, but it can take on independent character as well including symmetrical variations (1. c4 c5) and the Sicilian Defense in reverse (1. c4 e5).

Larsen's Opening (1. Larsen's Opening, also called the Nimzo-Larsen Attack or Queen's Fianchetto Opening, is a Chess opening starting with 1 b3) and the Sokolsky Opening (1. The Sokolsky Opening (also known as the Orangutan or Polish Opening) is an uncommon Chess opening: 1 b4) are occasionally seen in grandmaster play. The title Grandmaster is awarded to extremely strong Chess masters by the world chess organization FIDE. Benko used 1. Pal Benko ( Hungarian: Benkő Pál, born July 14, 1928 in Amiens) is a Chess grandmaster, author and g3 to defeat both Fischer and Tal in the 1962 Candidates Tournament in Curaçao. Robert James "Bobby" Fischer ( March 9 1943 – January 17 2008) was an American -born Chess Grandmaster Mikhail Tal (Mihails Tāls Михаил Нехемьевич Таль Mikhail Nekhemievich Tal, mʲixa'iɫ̺ n̻ʲɛ'xɛmjɛvʲiʨ t̺al̻ sometimes transliterated Mihails Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Candidates Tournament was a triennial Chess tournament organized by the world chess federation FIDE as the final contest to determine the challenger for the Curaçao (ˈkjuːrəsaʊ in English Dutch: Curaçao, Papiamento: Kòrsou) is an Island in the southern Caribbean Sea,

With Bird's Opening (1. Bird's Opening or the Dutch Attack is a Chess opening characterised by the move 1 f4) White tries to get a strong grip on the e5-square. The opening can resemble a Dutch Defense in reverse after 1. f4 d5, or Black may try to disrupt White by playing 1. . . e5!? (From's Gambit). Bird's Opening or the Dutch Attack is a Chess opening characterised by the move 1

1. b3 Larsen's Opening
1. Larsen's Opening, also called the Nimzo-Larsen Attack or Queen's Fianchetto Opening, is a Chess opening starting with 1 b4 Sokolsky Opening
1. The Sokolsky Opening (also known as the Orangutan or Polish Opening) is an uncommon Chess opening: 1 c4 English Opening
1. In Chess, the English Opening is the opening where White begins 1 Nf3 Réti Opening (characteristically followed by fianchettoing one or both bishops, and without an early d4)
1. The Réti Opening (also called the Zukertort Opening) is a Chess opening characterized by the opening move 1 Nf3, 2. g3, 3. Bg2, 4. 0-0, 5. d3, 6. Nbd2, 7. e4 King's Indian Attack (KIA) (moves may be played in many different orders)
1. The King's Indian Attack (KIA is a Chess opening system for white most notably used by Bobby Fischer. f4 Bird's Opening
1. Bird's Opening or the Dutch Attack is a Chess opening characterised by the move 1 g3 Benko Opening

Unusual first moves for White

Main article: Irregular chess opening

White first moves other than the king's pawn (1. Benko's Opening (Also known as the Hungarian Opening, the Barczay Opening, and the Bilek Opening) is a Chess opening is characterized by the Irregular openings are Chess openings with an unusual first move from White e4), queen's pawn (1. d4), or flank openings (1. b3, 1. b4, 1. c4, 1. Nf3, 1. f4, or 1. g3) are rarely played. Although some of these openings are not actually bad for White, each of the twelve remaining possible first moves suffers one or more of the following defects compared to the more popular choices:

too passive for White (e. g. 1. d3, 1. e3, 1. c3, 1. Nc3)
gratuitously weakens White's position (e. g. , 1. f3, 1. g4)
does nothing to aid White's development or control the center (e. g. , 1. a3, 1. a4, 1. h3, 1. h4)
develops a knight to an inferior square (1. The knight (♘ ♞ sometimes referred to by players as a 'horse' is a piece in the Game of Chess, representing a Knight (armoured cavalry Na3 or 1. Nh3).

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c Fine, R. This is a list of chess openings, organized by the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO code This is a list of Chess openings that are Gambits The gambits are organized into sections by the parent chess opening giving the gambit name ECO code, and defining The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings ( ECO) is a classification system for the opening moves in a game of chess A chess opening theory table or ECO (Encyclopedia Of Chess Openings table presents lines of moves typically (but not always from the starting position The middlegame in Chess refers to the portion of the game that happens immediately after the opening (usually the first move after the procession of moves that In Chess, the endgame (or end game or ending) refers to the stage of the game when there are few pieces left on the board . Ideas Behind the Chess Openings. Random House. ISBN 0812917561.
^ Hooper, David & Whyld, Kenneth (1992), The Oxford Companion to Chess (2 ed. David Vincent Hooper ( 31 August 1915 - May 1998 born in Reigate, was a British Chess player and writer Kenneth Whyld ( March 6, 1926 - July 11, 2003) was a British Chess author and researcher best known as the co-author (with The Oxford Companion to Chess is a reference Book on Chess written by David Hooper and Kenneth Whyld. ), Oxford University Press, pp. 461–480, ISBN 0-19-280049-3
^ Fine, R. (1952). The World's Great Chess Games. Andre Deutsch (now as paperback from Dover).
^ Jeremy Silman (1998). Jeremy Silman (born August 28 1954) is an American International Master of Chess. The Complete Book of Chess Strategy. Silman-James Press, 3. ISBN 1890085014.
^ ^a ^b Mark Weeks. Chess Opening Tutorial : Introduction to 1.d4. about. com.
^ ^a ^b Soltis, A. (2007). Andrew Soltis (born May 28 1947) is a Chess author and columnist as well as a Grandmaster. Transpo Tricks in Chess. Batsford. ISBN 0713490519. See review at Transpo Tricks in Chess - review. chessville. com.
^ H. J. R. Murray, A History of Chess (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913), pp. 782-83, 814-15.

References

Ward, Chris (1999), The Queen's Gambit Accepted, Batsford, ISBN 0-7134-8467-5

Bibliography

Colins, Sam (2005), Understanding the Chess Openings, Gambit Publications, ISBN 1-904600-28-X
De Firmian, Nick (1999). Chris G Ward ( March 26, 1968) is a British Chess Grandmaster (GM chess coach and author Gambit Publications is a major publisher of Chess books The company's headquarters is in London Modern Chess Openings: MCO-14. Modern Chess Openings (usually called MCO) is an important book of Chess openings first published in 1911 by the British players Richard Random House Puzzles & Games. ISBN 0-8129-3084-3.

Nick de Firmian is a 3-time U.S. Chess Champion. Nicholas Ernest (Nick de Firmian (born July 26, 1957 in Fresno California) is a Chess grandmaster and three-time U The US Chess Championship is an invitational tournament held to determine the national Chess champion Often called MCO-14 or simply MCO, this is the 14th edition of the work that has been the standard English language reference on chess openings for a century. This book is not suitable for beginners, but it is a valuable reference for club and tournament players.

Kasparov, Garry, and Raymond Keene (1989, 1994). Batsford Chess Openings 2. Henry Holt. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.

Garry Kasparov is the former World Chess Champion from 1985 to 2000 and Raymond Keene is a former British Chess Champion. Garry Kasparov (Га́рри Ки́мович Каспа́ров) (born as Garry Kimovich Weinstein on April 13 1963 in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet See also Development of the World Chess Championship The World Chess Championship is played to determine the World Champion in the Board game Chess Raymond Dennis Keene OBE (born 29 January 1948) is a Chess grandmaster, but is better known as a chess organiser columnist and author The British Chess Championship is organised by the English Chess Federation. This book is often called BCO 2 and is intended as a reference for club and tournament players.

Nunn, John (ed. ), et al. (1999). Nunn's Chess Openings. Everyman Chess. ISBN 1-85744-221-0.

John Nunn is a former British Chess Champion and a noted chess author. John Denis Martin Nunn (born April 25, 1955 in London) is one of England 's strongest Chess players and once belonged to the world's The British Chess Championship is organised by the English Chess Federation. This book is often called NCO and is a reference for club and tournament players.

Sahovski Informator. Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings

This is an advanced, technical work in five volumes published by Chess Informant of Belgrade. The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings ( ECO) is a classification system for the opening moves in a game of chess http://www.sahovski.com/ It analyzes openings used in tournament play and archived in Chess Informant since 1966. Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. Instead of using the traditional names for the openings and descriptive text to evaluate positions, Informator has developed a unique coding system that is language independent so that it can be read by chess players around the world without requiring translation. Called the ECO, these volumes are the most comprehensive reference for professional and serious tournament players.

Seirawan, Yasser (2003), Winning Chess Openings, Everyman Chess, ISBN 1-85744-349-7

An elementary/introductory book. Yasser Seirawan ( ياسر سيروان) (born March 24, 1960) is a Chess grandmaster and 4-time US -champion

Watson, John (2006), Mastering the Chess Openings, vol 1, Gambit, ISBN 978-1-904600-60-2

Three chapters of general opening principles; open and semi-open games. John L Watson is a Chess International Master and author Watson was born in 1951 and grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and was educated

Watson, John (2007), Mastering the Chess Openings, vol 2, Gambit, ISBN 978-1-904600-69-5

Closed games and Indian defenses.

Watson, John (2008), Mastering the Chess Openings, vol 3, Gambit, ISBN 978-1-904600-98-5 (to appear late 2008)

External links

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