CHESS OPENINGS

CONTENTS

Contents
1

Aims of the opening

1.1

Common aims in opening play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1.2

Top-level objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Opening repertoires

Opening nomenclature

Classication of chess openings

4.1

Open games: 1.e4 e5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4.2

Semi-open games: 1.e4, Black plays other than 1...e5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4.3

Closed games: 1.d4 d5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4.4

Indian Defense Systems: 1.d4 Nf6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4.5

Other Black responses to 1.d4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4.6

Flank openings (including English, Rti, Birds, and White anchettos) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4.7

Unusual rst moves for White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

10

See also

10

References

10

External links

12

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

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1
For a list of openings as classied by the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings, see List of chess openings.
The starting position of chess
A chess opening is the group of initial moves of a chess game. Recognized sequences of initial moves are referred
to as openings by White, or defenses by Black, but opening is also used as the general term. There are many dozens
of dierent openings, and hundreds of named variants. The Oxford Companion to Chess lists 1,327 named openings
and variants.[1] These vary widely in character from quiet positional play to wild tactical play. In addition to referring
to specic move sequences, the opening is the rst phase of a chess game, the other phases being the middlegame
and the endgame.
A sequence of opening moves that is considered standard (often catalogued in a reference work such as the Encyclopaedia
of Chess Openings) is referred to as the book moves, or simply book. These reference works often present these
move sequences in simple algebraic notation, opening trees, or theory tables. 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-ve moves or more. Some analysis goes to thirty or thirty-ve
moves, as in the classical Kings Indian Defense and in the Sveshnikov and Najdorf variations of the Sicilian Defense.[2] Professional chess players spend years studying openings, and continue doing so throughout their careers, as
opening theory continues to evolve. Players at the club level also study openings but the importance of the opening
phase is smaller there since games are rarely decided in the opening. The study of openings can become unbalanced
if it is to the exclusion of tactical training and middlegame and endgame strategy.[3]
A new sequence of moves in the opening is referred to as a theoretical novelty. When kept secret until used in a
competitive game it is often known as a prepared variation, a powerful weapon in top-class competition.[4]

Aims of the opening

1.1

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:[5]
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 players king and queen pawns are moved so the bishops can be developed (alternatively,
the bishops may be anchettoed with a maneuver such as g3 and Bg2). 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.
2. 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. 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 eect on the opponent. The classical view is that central control is best
eected by placing pawns there, ideally establishing pawns on d4 and e4 (or d5 and e5 for Black). 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 impressivelooking pawn center is worth little unless it can be maintained. The hypermoderns instead advocated controlling
the center from a distance with pieces, breaking down ones opponents center, and only taking over the center
oneself later in the game. This leads to openings such as Alekhines Defense in a line like 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 Whites position exposed.
3. 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 either to castle in the opening (simultaneously developing
one of the rooks) or to otherwise bring the king to the side of the board via articial castling.
4. Prevention of pawn weakness: Most openings strive to avoid the creation of pawn weaknesses such as
isolated, doubled and backward pawns, pawn islands, etc. Some openings sacrice endgame considerations
for a quick attack on the opponents position. Some unbalanced openings for Black, in particular, make use of
this idea, such as the Dutch and the Sicilian. Other openings, such as the Alekhine and the Benoni, invite the

OPENING REPERTOIRES

opponent to overextend and form pawn weaknesses. Specic openings accept pawn weaknesses in exchange
for compensation in the form of dynamic play. (See Pawn structure.)
5. Piece coordination: As the players mobilize their pieces, they both seek to ensure that they are working
harmoniously towards the control of key squares.
6. Create positions in which the player is more comfortable than the opponent: Transposition is one common
way of doing this.[6][7]
Apart from these ideas, other strategies used in the middlegame may also be carried out in the opening. These
include preparing pawn breaks to create counterplay, creating weaknesses in the opponents 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 anks.

1.2

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 rst gives White a
slight initial advantage; for example, White will be the rst to attack if the game opens symmetrically (Black mirrors
Whites moves).[5]
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.[8] For example, in the main line of the Winawer
Variation of the French Defense (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3), White will try to use his
bishop pair and space advantage to mount an attack on Blacks kingside, while Black will seek simplifying exchanges
(in particular, trading o one of Whites bishops to blunt this advantage) and counterattack against the weakened
pawns on Whites queenside; both players accept dierent combinations of advantages and disadvantages. This idea
was a doctrine of the Soviet school of chess.
A third objective, which is complementary to the previous ones and has been common since the 19th century, is to
lure the opponent into positions with which the player is more familiar and comfortable than the opponent. This is
usually done by transpositions, in which a game that apparently starts with one opening can reach a position that is
normally produced by a dierent opening.[6][7]

Opening repertoires

The Perenyi Attack, which arises from the opening moves 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6
7.g4 e5 8.Nf5 g6 9.g5 gxf5 10.exf5 d5 11.Qf3 d4. Played several times between grandmasters, but Lars Bo Hansen
does not recommend this to amateurs.
Most players realize after a while that they play certain types of positions better than others, and that the amount of
theory they can learn is limited. Therefore, most players specialize in certain openings where they know the theory
and which lead to positions which they favor. The set of openings a player has specialized in is called an opening
repertoire. The main elements a player needs to consider in a repertoire are:
As White, whether to open with 1.e4, 1.d4, 1.c4, or 1.Nf3
As Black, a defense against any of these openings
A very narrow repertoire allows for deeper specialization but also makes a player less exible to vary against dierent
opponents. In addition, opponents may nd it easier to prepare against a player with a narrow repertoire.[9]
The main openings in a repertoire are usually reasonably sound, that is, they should lead to playable positions even
against optimal counterplay. Unsound gambits are sometimes used as surprise weapons, but are unreliable for a stable
repertoire. Repertoires often change as a player develops, and a players advancement may be stied if the opening
repertoire does not evolve. Some openings which are eective against amateur players are less eective at the master
level. For example Black obtains active play in return for a pawn in the Benko Gambit; amateur players may have

3
trouble defending against Blacks activity, while masters are more skilled at defending and making use of the extra
pawn. Some openings which are played between grandmasters are so complex and theoretical that amateur players
will have trouble understanding them. An example is the Perenyi Attack of the Sicilian Defense (see diagram) which
yields an immensely complicated and tactical position that even strong players have diculty handling, and that is
beyond the comprehension of most amateurs.[3]

Opening nomenclature

Major changes in the rules of chess in the late fteenth 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, present opening analysis, as does Pedro Damiano (1512), and Ruy Lpez de Segura (1561). Ruy Lopezs
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.[10] Opening theory was studied more scientically 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.
For a more comprehensive list, see List of chess openings named after places.
Chess players names are the most common sources of opening names. The name given to an opening is not always
that of the rst player to adopt it; often an opening is named for the player who was the rst to popularize it or to
publish analysis of it. Eponymic openings include the Ruy Lopez, Alekhines Defense, Morphy Defense, and the Rti
Opening. Some opening names honor two people, such as the CaroKann.
For a more comprehensive list, see List of chess openings named after people.
A few opening names are descriptive, such as Giuoco Piano (Italian: quiet game). 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. 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. 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 Gamethe 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.
Although these do not have precise denitions, 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.
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 Queens Gambit Declined.
Defense Always refers to an opening chosen by Black, such as Two Knights Defense or Kings Indian Defense,
unless, of course, it has 'reversed' in front of it, which makes it an opening for White. The term defense does
not imply passivity; many defenses are quite aggressive (such as the Kings Indian Defence).
Gambit An opening that involves the sacrice of material, usually one or more pawns. Gambits can be played by
White (e.g., Kings Gambit) or Black (e.g., Latvian Gambit). The full name often includes Accepted or Declined
depending on whether the opponent took the oered material, as in the Queens Gambit Accepted and Queens

CLASSIFICATION OF CHESS OPENINGS

Gambit Declined. In some cases, the sacrice of material is only temporary. The Queens Gambit is not a true
gambit because there is no good way for Black to keep the pawn (Ward 1999:10).
Countergambit A gambit played in response to another gambit, almost always by Black. Examples of this include
the Albin Countergambit to the Queens Gambit, the Falkbeer Countergambit to the Kings Gambit, and the
Greco Counter Gambit (the former name of the Latvian Gambit).
System A method of development that can be used against many dierent setups by the opponent. Examples include
London System, Colle System, Stonewall Attack, Rti System, Barcza System, and Hedgehog System.
Attack Sometimes used to describe an aggressive or provocative variation such as the AlbinChatard Attack (or
ChatardAlekhine Attack), the Fried Liver Attack in the Two Knights Defense, and the Grob Attack. In other
cases it refers to a defensive system by Black when adopted by White, as in Kings Indian Attack. In still other
cases the name seems to be used ironically, as with the fairly inoensive Durkins Attack (also called the Durkin
Opening).
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. The Reti, Kings Indian
Attack and Reversed Sicilian (from the English), and other Black played by White with an extra tempo, often
start with 1.Nf3 or 1.c4.[11]
A small minority of openings are prexed with Anti-". These are openings intended to avoid a particular line
otherwise available to ones 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).

Classication of chess openings

For a list of openings as classied by the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings, see List of chess openings.
The beginning chess position oers White twenty possible rst 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.Nc3, develops a knight to a good square, but is somewhat inexible because it blocks
Whites c-pawn; also, after 1...d5 the knight is liable to be driven to an inferior square by ...d4. (Note that after 1.Nf3
the analogous 1...e5? loses a pawn.) Birds Opening, 1.f4, addresses center control but not development and weakens
the king position slightly. The Sokolsky Opening 1.b4 and the Kings and Queens anchettos 1.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 such as 1.a3, weaken Whites
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 Whites opening move. Many of these are mirror images of the most popular
rst moves for White, but with one less tempo. 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 anchetto are also commonly
played.
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. 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 Kings Pawn Openings, Queens Pawn Openings, and
Others. 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, Symmetric or Open Games (1.e4 e5)[12]
Single King Pawn or Semi-Open Games (1.e4 other)
Double Queen Pawn or Closed Games (1.d4 d5)

4.1

Open games: 1.e4 e5

Single Queen Pawn or Semi-Closed Games (1.d4 other)

Flank openings (including 1.c4, 1.Nf3, 1.f4, and others)
Unusual rst moves for White
The Indian systems (1.d4 Nf6) are the most important[13] of the Semi-Closed Games, and warrant separate treatment.

4.1

Open games: 1.e4 e5

Open Game
Ruy Lopez: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
Italian Game: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4
Scotch Game: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4
Petrovs Defense: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6
Kings Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.f4
Vienna Game: 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3
Bishops Opening: 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4
Main article: Open Game
White starts by playing 1.e4 (moving his king pawn two spaces). This is the most popular opening move and it has
many strengthsit 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.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.e4 Whites game is in its last throes. If Black mirrors Whites move and replies with 1...e5, the result is an
open game.
The most popular second move for White is 2.Nf3 attacking Blacks king pawn, preparing for a kingside castle, and
anticipating the advance of the queen pawn to d4. Blacks most common reply is 2...Nc6, which usually leads to
the Ruy Lopez (3.Bb5), Scotch Game (3.d4), or Italian Game (3.Bc4). If Black instead maintains symmetry and
counterattacks Whites center with 2...Nf6 then the Petrovs Defense results. The Philidor Defense (2...d6) is not
popular in modern chess because it allows White an easy space advantage while Blacks 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.Nc3), the Bishops Opening (2.Bc4), and the Kings
Gambit (2.f4). These openings have some similarities with each other, in particular the Bishops Opening frequently
transposes to variations of the Vienna Game. The Kings Gambit was extremely popular in the 19th century. White
sacrices 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 f2f4 pawn advance.
In the Center Game (2.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 sacrice one or
two pawns, for example in the Danish Gambit.
Many other variations after 1.e4 e5 have been studied; see Open Game for details.
1.e4 e5 Double Kings Pawn Opening or Open Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Ruy Lopez
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 Scotch Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Italian Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 Four Knights Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 Petrovs Defense
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 Philidor Defense
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Vienna Game
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bishops Opening

CLASSIFICATION OF CHESS OPENINGS

1.e4 e5 2.f4 Kings Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 Center Game
1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 Danish Gambit

4.2

Semi-open games: 1.e4, Black plays other than 1...e5

Sicilian Defense
French Defense
CaroKann Defense
Alekhines Defense
Pirc Defense
Modern Defense
Scandinavian Defense
Nimzowitsch Defense
Main article: Semi-Open Game
In the semi-open games White plays 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...c5), but the French (1...e6, normally followed by
2.d4 d5) and the CaroKann (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 Sicilian and French Defenses lead to unbalanced positions that can oer exciting play with both sides having
chances to win. The CaroKann Defense is solid as Black intends to use his c-pawn to support his center (1.e4 c6
2.d4 d5). Alekhines, 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.
Other semi-open games have been studied but are less common; see Semi-Open Game for details.
1.e4 c5 Sicilian Defense
1.e4 e6 French Defense
1.e4 c6 CaroKann Defense
1.e4 d5 Scandinavian Defense
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 Pirc Defense
1.e4 Nf6 Alekhines Defense
1.e4 g6 Modern Defense

4.3

Closed games: 1.d4 d5

Closed Game
Queens Gambit: 1.d4 d5 2.c4
Queens Gambit Declined: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6
Slav Defense: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6
Queens Gambit Accepted: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4
Colle System: 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3
London System: 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4
Torre Attack: 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg5
Main article: Closed Game
The openings classied as closed games begin 1.d4 d5. The move 1.d4 oers the same benets to development and
center control as does 1.e4, but unlike with King Pawn openings where the e4-pawn is undefended after the rst
move, the d4-pawn is protected by Whites queen. This slight dierence has a tremendous eect on the opening. For

4.4

Indian Defense Systems: 1.d4 Nf6

instance, whereas the Kings Gambit is rarely played today at the highest levels of chess, the Queens Gambit remains
a popular weapon at all levels of play. Also, compared with the King Pawn openings, transpositions among variations
are more common and critical in the closed games.
The most important closed openings are in the Queens Gambit family (White plays 2.c4). The Queens Gambit is
somewhat misnamed, since White can always regain the oered pawn if desired. In the Queens Gambit Accepted,
Black plays ...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...c6) and the Queens Gambit Declined (2...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 Queens Gambit Declined are the Orthodox Defense, Laskers Defense, the Cambridge Springs
Defense, the Tartakower Variation, and the Tarrasch and Semi-Tarrasch Defenses. Black replies to the Queens
Gambit other than 2...dxc4, 2...c6, and 2...e6 are uncommon.
The Colle System and Stonewall Attack are classied as Queens Pawn Games because White plays d4 but not c4.
They are also examples of Systems, rather than specic 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 dierent 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.
1.d4 d5 Double Queens Pawn Opening or Closed Game
1.d4 d5 2.c4 Queens Gambit
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 Queens Gambit Accepted (QGA)
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 Queens Gambit Declined (QGD)
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 Slav Defense
1.d4 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.Bd3 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.f4 (a typical move sequence) Stonewall Attack
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 Colle System

4.4

Indian Defense Systems: 1.d4 Nf6

Indian Defence
Nimzo-Indian Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4
Kings Indian Defense: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7
Grnfeld Defense: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5
Queens Indian Defense: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6
Modern Benoni: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6
Budapest Gambit: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5
Old Indian Defense: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6
Main article: Indian Defense
The Indian systems are asymmetrical defenses to 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 dierent move orders. 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 oer 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. Blacks most popular replies are:
2...e6, freeing the kings bishop and leading into the Nimzo-Indian Defence, Queens Indian Defence, Bogo
Indian Defence, Modern Benoni, or regular lines of the Queens Gambit Declined,

CLASSIFICATION OF CHESS OPENINGS

2...g6, preparing a anchetto of the kings bishop and entering the Kings Indian Defense or Grnfeld Defense,
and
2...c5 3.d5 e6, the Modern Benoni, with an immediate counterpunch in the center.
Advocated by Nimzowitsch as early as 1913, the Nimzo-Indian Defence was the rst of the Indian systems to gain
full acceptance. 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 Whites queenside with doubled pawns.
The Kings Indian Defense is aggressive, somewhat risky, and generally indicates that Black will not be satised with a
draw. Although it was played occasionally as early as the late 19th century, the Kings Indian was considered inferior
until the 1940s, when it was taken up by Bronstein, Boleslavsky, and Reshevsky. Despite being Fischer's favored
defense to 1.d4, its popularity faded in the mid-1970s. Kasparov's successes with the defense restored the Kings
Indian to prominence in the 1980s.
Ernst Grnfeld debuted the Grnfeld Defense in 1922. Distinguished by the move 3...d5, Grnfeld intended it as an
improvement to the Kings Indian which was not considered entirely satisfactory at that time. The Grnfeld has been
adopted by World Champions Smyslov, Fischer, and Kasparov.
The Queens Indian Defense is considered solid, safe, and perhaps somewhat drawish. Black often chooses the
Queens 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 dicult for Black to obtain good winning
chances. Karpov is a leading expert in this opening.
The Modern Benoni 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. Tal popularized the defense in the 1960s by winning
several brilliant games with it, and Fischer occasionally adopted it, with good results, including a win in his 1972
world championship match against Boris Spassky. Often Black adopts a slightly dierent 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. Black plays to open lines on
the queenside where White will be subject to considerable pressure. If White accepts the gambit, Blacks compensation is positional rather than tactical, and his initiative can last even after many piece exchanges and well into the
endgame. 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 anchettoing his kings
bishop. It resembles a combination of the Queens Gambit and Rti Opening. Since the Catalan can be reached from
many dierent move orders, (one Queens Gambit Declined-like move sequence is 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.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 2.d5 e6 Modern Benoni
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 Benko Gambit (or Volga Gambit)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 Nimzo-Indian Defence
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 Queens Indian Defense
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Catalan Opening
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 Grnfeld Defense
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 Kings Indian Defense (KID)

4.5

Other Black responses to 1.d4

Dutch Defense
Benoni Defense

4.6

Flank openings (including English, Rti, Birds, and White anchettos)

Main article: Semi-Closed Game

Of the defenses to 1.d4 other than 1...d5 and 1...Nf6, the most important are the Dutch Defense and the Benoni
Defense. 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. 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.
Several other uncommon semi-closed openings have been named and studied, see Semi-Closed Game for details.
1.d4 c5 Benoni Defense
1.d4 f5 Dutch Defense

4.6

Flank openings (including English, Rti, Birds, and White anchettos)

Rti Opening
Kings Indian Attack
English Opening
Birds Opening
Main article: Flank opening
The ank openings are the group of White openings typied by play on one or both anks. White plays in hypermodern
style, attacking the center from the anks with pieces rather than occupying it with pawns. 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 dierent move order (this is called transposition), but unique openings such as the Rti and Kings Indian Attack
are also common. The Rti itself is characterized by White playing 1.Nf3, anchettoing one or both bishops, and not
playing an early d4 (which would generally transpose into one of the 1.d4 openings).
The Kings Indian Attack (KIA) is a system of development that White may use in reply to almost any Black opening
moves. 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 dierent 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 CaroKann, 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 dierent
possible Black replies to 1.e4.[14]
The English Opening (1.c4) also frequently transposes into a d4 opening, but it can take on independent character as
well including the Symmetrical Variation (1.c4 c5) and the Reversed Sicilian (1.c4 e5).
Larsens Opening (1.b3) and the Sokolsky Opening (1.b4) are occasionally seen in grandmaster play. Benko used
1.g3 to defeat both Fischer and Tal in the 1962 Candidates Tournament in Curaao.
With Birds Opening (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!? (Froms Gambit).
1.b3 Larsens Opening
1.b4 Sokolsky Opening
1.c4 English Opening
1.Nf3 Zukertort Opening (characteristically followed by anchettoing one or both bishops, and without an early
d4)
1.Nf3, 2.g3, 3.Bg2, 4.0-0, 5.d3, 6.Nbd2, 7.e4 Kings Indian Attack (KIA) (moves may be played in many
dierent orders)
1.f4 Birds Opening
1.g3 Benko Opening

10

4.7

REFERENCES

Unusual rst moves for White

Main article: Irregular chess opening

First moves other than the king pawn (1.e4), queen pawn (1.d4), or ank openings (1.b3, 1.b4, 1.c4, 1.Nf3, 1.f4, or
1.g3) are not regarded as eective ways to exploit Whites rst-move advantage and thus are rarely played. Although
some of these openings are not actually bad for White, each of the twelve remaining possible rst moves suers one
or more of the following defects compared to the more popular choices:
too passive for White (1.d3, 1.e3, 1.c3, or 1.Nc3)
gratuitously weakens Whites position (1.f3 or 1.g4)
does little to aid Whites development or control the center (1.a3, 1.a4, 1.h3, or 1.h4)
develops a knight to an inferior square (1.Na3 or 1.Nh3)

See also
Outline of chess: Chess openings
Chess opening book
List of chess openings
List of chess openings named after people
List of chess openings named after places
List of chess gambits
Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings
Chess opening theory table
Middlegame
Endgame
Checkmates in the opening

References
[1] Hooper, David; Whyld, Kenneth (1992). The Oxford Companion to Chess (2 ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 461480.
ISBN 0-19-280049-3.
[2] Garry Kasparov, Modern Chess part 1, p. 353
[3] Hansen, Lars Bo (October 7, 2008). How Chess Games are Won and Lost. Gambit. ISBN 1-906454-01-9.
[4] Fine, R. (1952). The Worlds Great Chess Games. Andre Deutsch (now as paperback from Dover). ISBN 0-679-13046-2.
[5] Fine, R. (1990) [1st. Pub. 1943]. Ideas Behind the Chess Openings. Random House. ISBN 0-8129-1756-1.
[6] Mark Weeks. Chess Opening Tutorial: Introduction to 1.d4. about.com.
[7] Soltis, A. (2007). Transpo Tricks in Chess. Batsford. ISBN 0-7134-9051-9. See review at Transpo Tricks in Chess
review. chessville.com.
[8] Jeremy Silman (1998). The Complete Book of Chess Strategy. Silman-James Press. p. 3. ISBN 1-890085-01-4.
[9] Webb, Simon (1979). Chess for Tigers. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-7134-8988-X.

[10] H.J.R. Murray, A History of Chess (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913), pp. 78283, 81415.

11

[11] Chess Opening Essentials 4, p. 11, ISBN 978-90-5691-308-3

[12] Chess Openings for White Explained, p. 27, ISBN 1-889323-11-X
[13] Chess Opening Essentials 3, p. 38, ISBN 978-90-5691-308-3
[14] Larry Evans wrote of the Kings Indian Attack, Whites resilient setup is truly magical. It throws both players on their own
resources and eliminates the need of memorizing long-winded columns of analysis. Larry Evans, The Chess Opening for
You, R.H.M. Press, 1975, p. 38. ISBN 0-89058-020-0.

Bibliography
Collins, Sam (2005). Understanding the Chess Openings. Gambit Publications. ISBN 1-904600-28-X.
De Firmian, Nick (1999). Modern Chess Openings: MCO-14. Random House Puzzles & Games. ISBN 08129-3084-3.
Nick de Firmian is a three-time U.S. 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.
Stefan Djuric, Dimitri Komarov, & Claudio Pantaleoni, Chess Opening Essentials (4 volumes)
Kasparov, Garry, and Raymond Keene (1994) [1989]. Batsford Chess Openings 2. Henry Holt. ISBN 0-80503409-9.
Garry Kasparov is the former World Chess Champion from 1985 to 2000 and Raymond Keene is a
former British chess champion. This book is often called BCO 2 and is intended as a reference for
club and tournament players.
Nunn, John (ed.), et al. (1999). Nunns Chess Openings. Everyman Chess. ISBN 1-85744-221-0.
John Nunn is a former British Chess Champion and a noted chess author. This book is often called
NCO and is a reference for club and tournament players.
Summerscale, Aaron (1999). A Killer Chess Opening Repertoire. Globe Pequot. ISBN 978-1-85744-519-0.
Lane, Gary (1999). Victory in the Opening. Sterling Pub Co Inc. ISBN 978-0-7134-8427-4.
Sahovski Informator. Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings
This is an advanced, technical work in ve volumes published by Chess Informant of Belgrade. http:
//www.sahovski.com/ It analyzes openings used in tournament play and archived in Chess Informant
since 1966. 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.
Scheerer, Christoph (2008). The Greatest Ever Chess Opening Ideas. Everyman Chess. ISBN 978-1-85744561-9.
Seirawan, Yasser (2003). Winning Chess Openings. Everyman Chess. ISBN 1-85744-349-7. An elementary/introductory book.
van der Sterren, Paul, Fundamental Chess Openings, Gambit, 2009, ISBN 978-1-906454-13-5
Ward, Chris (1999). The Queens Gambit Accepted. Batsford. ISBN 0-7134-8467-5.
Watson, John (2006). Mastering the Chess Openings, vol 1. Gambit. ISBN 978-1-904600-60-2.

12

EXTERNAL LINKS

Three chapters of general opening principles; open and semi-open games.

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.
English Opening
Watson, John (2010). Mastering the Chess Openings, vol 4. Gambit. ISBN 978-1-906454-19-7.

External links
Chess Opening Videos and Analysis
Wikichess, open chess repertoire project
Chess openings guide
Chess Opening Explorer on Chessgames.com
Searchable Database of Chess Openings
Unorthodox Chess Openings Yahoo! group
A Collection of Chess Wisdom - The Opening Chessville.com
Chess Siberia
Chess Openings
A Method for Comparing Chess Openings

13

8
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