Chess Openings
The main moves of the most popular chess openings, both sides' plans, key variations and the traps you should know. You can play through every opening move by move in the opening explorer.
When choosing an opening, understanding the ideas matters more than memorising moves: control the centre, develop your pieces quickly and get your king to safety. If you are just starting, pick solid, easy-to-learn openings such as the Italian Game, the London System or the Caro-Kann; as you improve you can move on to sharper choices like the Sicilian or the King's Indian.
Open games (1.e4 e5)
Italian Game
The Italian Game is a classic 1.e4 e5 opening in which White develops the bishop to c4 and eyes the weak f7 square.
Ruy Lopez (Spanish Opening)
The Ruy Lopez (Spanish Opening) puts pressure on the knight that defends e5 with 3.Bb5 and has been the most respected 1.e4 e5 opening at the top level for centuries.
Scotch Game
The Scotch Game opens the centre immediately with 3.d4, leading to open lines and rapid development.
Two Knights Defence
The Two Knights Defence meets the Italian with the counter-attacking 3...Nf6.
Evans Gambit
The Evans Gambit is a romantic, aggressive Italian line in which White sacrifices a pawn with 4.b4 to gain rapid development and a strong centre.
King's Gambit
The King's Gambit sacrifices the f-pawn on move two to open the f-file and go straight for the king.
Vienna Game
The Vienna Game develops flexibly with 2.Nc3 and can later switch to King's Gambit ideas with f4.
Four Knights Game
The Four Knights Game, in which both sides develop their knights to their natural squares, is symmetrical and solid—perfect for learning opening principles.
Petrov's Defence
Petrov's Defence (the Russian Game) answers 2.Nf3 by counter-attacking e4 with 2...Nf6 instead of defending e5.
Philidor Defence
The Philidor Defence protects e5 solidly with 2...d6.
Sicilian Defence (1.e4 c5)
Sicilian Defence
The Sicilian Defence (1.e4 c5) contests the centre from the flank with the c-pawn, creating unbalanced positions with real winning chances.
Sicilian Najdorf
The Najdorf is the most famous and deepest Sicilian line.
Sicilian Dragon
In the Dragon, Black fianchettoes the bishop on g7, where it breathes fire down the long diagonal at White's queenside.
Smith-Morra Gambit
The Smith-Morra Gambit sacrifices a pawn against the Sicilian for rapid development and open lines.
Semi-open games (1.e4, other replies)
French Defence
The French Defence (1.e4 e6) builds a solid pawn chain and strikes at the centre later.
Caro-Kann Defence
The Caro-Kann (1.e4 c6) supports ...d5 with c6 to build a very solid centre while keeping the light-squared bishop outside the pawn chain.
Scandinavian Defence
The Scandinavian Defence (1.e4 d5) challenges the centre on move one.
Alekhine's Defence
Alekhine's Defence (1.e4 Nf6) provokes White's pawns forward and then attacks them.
Pirc Defence
The Pirc Defence cedes the centre to White, fianchettoes the bishop on g7 and attacks the centre later.
Closed games (1.d4 d5)
Queen's Gambit
The Queen's Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4) offers the c-pawn to lure Black's d5 pawn away from the centre.
Slav Defence
The Slav (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6) defends d5 with c6 while keeping the light-squared bishop free.
Catalan Opening
The Catalan combines Queen's Gambit structures with g3 and Bg2, creating lasting pressure along the long diagonal.
Indian defences (1.d4 Nf6)
King's Indian Defence
The King's Indian lets White build a big centre first, then counter-attacks with the g7 bishop and the ...e5 and ...f5 pawn breaks.
Nimzo-Indian Defence
The Nimzo-Indian pins the c3 knight with ...Bb4 to control e4, often trading bishop for knight to damage White's pawn structure.
Grünfeld Defence
In the Grünfeld, Black allows White a big pawn centre and then attacks it with the g7 bishop, ...c5 and pieces.
Flank openings and systems
London System
The London System sets up the same solid structure (d4, Bf4, e3, c3, Nf3, Nbd2) almost regardless of Black's moves.
Dutch Defence
The Dutch Defence (1.d4 f5) controls e4 with the f-pawn and prepares a kingside attack.
English Opening
The English Opening (1.c4) controls the centre from the flank, allowing reversed-Sicilian structures and many transpositions.
Réti Opening
The Réti Opening (1.Nf3) controls the centre from a distance with pieces and the c4 push instead of occupying it with pawns.