Chess Openings
A complete guide to 25 chess openings. Each guide covers the key moves, strategic ideas, common variations, and when to use the opening in your own games.
All Openings
- The Sicilian Defense - Learn the Sicilian Defense (1.e4 c5), the most popular reply to 1.e4. Explore key variations, strategic ideas, and famou
- The Italian Game - Master the Italian Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4). Learn its key ideas, common traps, and why it is the ideal opening fo
- The Ruy Lopez - Learn the Ruy Lopez (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5), one of the deepest openings in chess. Understand its key ideas, main line
- The French Defense - Learn the French Defense (1.e4 e6), a solid opening for Black that creates strong pawn chains. Explore key variations an
- The Caro-Kann Defense - Learn the Caro-Kann Defense (1.e4 c6), a solid opening that avoids the bad bishop problem. Explore its key variations an
- The King's Gambit - Learn the King's Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4), a daring opening where White sacrifices a pawn for attacking chances. Explore it
- The Scotch Game - Learn the Scotch Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4), an open and direct alternative to the Italian and Ruy Lopez. Beginner-fr
- The Pirc Defense - Learn the Pirc Defense (1.e4 d6), a flexible hypermodern opening where Black concedes the center to counterattack. Inter
- The Scandinavian Defense - Learn the Scandinavian Defense (1.e4 d5), a direct and easy-to-learn opening. Understand its key ideas and why it is a g
- The Vienna Game - Learn the Vienna Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nc3), a flexible opening that prepares f4 and keeps White's options open. Intermediate
- The Queen's Gambit - Learn the Queen's Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4). Understand why this classical opening remains one of the most respected weapons
- The London System - Master the London System (1.d4 d5 2.Bf4), a beginner-friendly opening for White. Learn the core setup, plans, and why to
- The King's Indian Defense - Master the King's Indian Defense (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6). Learn why Fischer and Kasparov trusted this fierce counterattacking
- The Nimzo-Indian Defense - Learn the Nimzo-Indian Defense (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4). Discover why this elegant opening is a favorite of world ch
- The Slav Defense - Learn the Slav Defense (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6), a rock-solid reply to the Queen's Gambit with active piece play for Black.
- The Dutch Defense - Learn the Dutch Defense (1.d4 f5), an aggressive reply to 1.d4. Explore the Stonewall, Leningrad, and Classical systems.
- The Grünfeld Defense - Learn the Grünfeld Defense (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5). Discover the dynamic counterattacking ideas that Kasparov made f
- The Benoni Defense - Learn the Benoni Defense (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5). Understand the dynamic pawn structures and counterattacking ideas of this f
- The Catalan Opening - Learn the Catalan Opening (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3), a strategic fianchetto system trusted by Kramnik and Giri at the high
- The English Opening - Learn the English Opening (1.c4), a versatile first move that can transpose into many systems. Understand its key ideas
- Bird's Opening - Learn Bird's Opening (1.f4), an offbeat first move that controls e5 and creates unique positions. Understand its plans a
- The Evans Gambit - Learn the Evans Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4), a thrilling gambit that sacrifices a pawn for powerful attack
- The Budapest Gambit - Learn the Budapest Gambit (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5), a sharp surprise weapon against d4. Discover the traps and ideas that catc
- The Ponziani Opening - Learn the Ponziani Opening (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3). Understand its plans, central ideas, and why this classical opening
- Owen's Defense - Learn Owen's Defense (1.e4 b6), an offbeat opening that fianchettoes the queenside bishop. Understand its ideas, traps,