Openings
10 chess openings explained
The opening has three goals: control the centre, develop your knights and bishops, and get your king safe (usually by castling). Here are ten of the most popular openings and the idea behind each.
Italian Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4
One of the oldest openings. The bishop aims at f7 and White prepares quick castling and a central push with c3 and d4. Great for beginners.
Explore it on the analysis board →
Ruy Lopez (Spanish Game)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
Named after the 16th-century Spanish priest Ruy López de Segura. White pressures the knight that defends e5. A favourite of world champions.
Explore it on the analysis board →
Sicilian Defence
1.e4 c5
Black's most popular reply to 1.e4. It fights for d4 from the side and leads to sharp, unbalanced positions.
Explore it on the analysis board →
French Defence
1.e4 e6
Black prepares ...d5 to challenge the centre. Solid, with a well-known downside: the light-squared bishop on c8 can get stuck.
Explore it on the analysis board →
Caro-Kann Defence
1.e4 c6
Like the French, Black prepares ...d5, but keeps the c8 bishop free. Known for being solid; Deep Blue beat Kasparov against it in 1997.
Explore it on the analysis board →
Scandinavian Defence
1.e4 d5
Black hits e4 at once. After 2.exd5 Qxd5 the queen comes out early, but the play is simple and direct.
Explore it on the analysis board →
Queen's Gambit
1.d4 d5 2.c4
White offers the c-pawn to pull Black's d-pawn away from the centre. Not a true gambit: Black usually cannot keep the pawn safely.
Explore it on the analysis board →
King's Indian Defence
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6
Black lets White build a big centre, then counter-attacks it. A dynamic choice used by Fischer and Kasparov.
Explore it on the analysis board →
London System
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4
A setup opening: White plays d4, Bf4, e3, Nf3, c3 and Bd3 against almost anything. Easy to learn and popular at every level.
Explore it on the analysis board →
English Opening
1.c4
White controls d5 from the flank and often transposes into other openings. Played by many world champions.