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<title>Chess opening</title>

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<span id="openzim-page-title" class="mw-page-title-main"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Chess opening</span></span>

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</div><div class="thumbinner" style="width:246px"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td></td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">a</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">b</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">c</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">d</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">e</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">f</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">g</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">h</td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="width:18px;height:26px">8</td><td colspan="8" rowspan="8"><div class="chess-pieces notheme" style="position:relative"><span class="notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span></span></span><div style="top:0px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a8 black rook"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b8 black knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c8 black bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d8 black queen"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e8 black king"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f8 black bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:156px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="g8 black knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h8 black rook"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:156px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="g7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:156px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="g2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a1 white rook"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b1 white knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c1 white bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d1 white queen"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e1 white king"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f1 white bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:156px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="g1 white knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h1 white rook"></span></span></div></div></td><td style="width:18px;height:26px">8</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">7</td><td style="height:26px">7</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">6</td><td style="height:26px">6</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">5</td><td style="height:26px">5</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">4</td><td style="height:26px">4</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">3</td><td style="height:26px">3</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">2</td><td style="height:26px">2</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">1</td><td style="height:26px">1</td></tr><tr><td></td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">a</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">b</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">c</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">d</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">e</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">f</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">g</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">h</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="thumbcaption"> The starting position of <a href="Chess" title="Chess">chess</a>

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<p>The <b>opening</b> is the initial stage of a <a href="Chess" title="Chess">chess</a> game. It usually consists of established <a href="Chess_theory#Opening_theory" title="Chess theory">theory</a>. The other phases are the <a href="Chess_middlegame" title="Chess middlegame">middlegame</a> and the <a href="Chess_endgame" title="Chess endgame">endgame</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Many opening sequences, known as <i>openings</i>, have standard names such as "<a href="Sicilian_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Sicilian Defense">Sicilian Defense</a>". <i><a href="The_Oxford_Companion_to_Chess" title="The Oxford Companion to Chess">The Oxford Companion to Chess</a></i> lists 1,327 named openings and variants, and there are many others with varying degrees of common usage.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>Opening moves that are considered standard are referred to as "book moves", or simply "book".<sup id="cite_ref-:0_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> When a game begins to deviate from known <a href="Chess_theory#Opening_theory" title="Chess theory">opening theory</a>, the players are said to be "out of book".<sup id="cite_ref-:0_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In some openings, book lines have been worked out for over 30 moves, such as some lines in the classical <a href="King's_Indian_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="King's Indian Defense">King's Indian Defense</a> and in the <a href="Sicilian_Defense%2C_Najdorf_Variation" class="mw-redirect" title="Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation">Najdorf Variation</a> of the Sicilian Defense.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>Professional chess players spend years studying openings, and they 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 less there since games are rarely decided in the opening. The study of openings can become unbalanced if it is to the exclusion of <a href="Chess_tactic" title="Chess tactic">tactical</a> training and middlegame and endgame strategy.<sup id="cite_ref-won_and_lost_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-won_and_lost-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>A new sequence of moves in the opening is referred to as a <i><dfn><a href="Glossary_of_chess#theoretical_novelty" title="Glossary of chess"><span title="See entry at: Glossary of chess § theoretical novelty" style="color:inherit;" class="glossary-link">theoretical novelty</span></a></dfn></i>. When kept secret until used in a competitive game, it is often known as a <i>prepared variation</i>, a powerful weapon in top-class competition.<sup id="cite_ref-Fine1952WorldsGreatChessGames_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Fine1952WorldsGreatChessGames-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Aims_of_the_opening">Aims of the opening</h2></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Common_aims_in_opening_play">Common aims in opening play</h3></div>

<p>Whether they are trying to gain the upper hand as White, or to <dfn><a href="Glossary_of_chess#equalize" title="Glossary of chess"><span title="See entry at: Glossary of chess § equalize" style="color:inherit;" class="glossary-link">equalize</span></a></dfn> as Black or to create dynamic imbalances, players generally devote a lot of attention in the opening stages to the following strategies:<sup id="cite_ref-FineIdeasBehind_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FineIdeasBehind-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<ul><li><i>Development:</i> 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 <i><a href="Fianchetto" title="Fianchetto">fianchettoed</a></i> 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 <a href="Minor_piece" class="mw-redirect" title="Minor piece">minor pieces</a> and pawns are no longer present.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li>

<li><i><a href="Control_of_the_center" class="mw-redirect" title="Control of the center">Control of the center</a>:</i> At the start of the game, it is not clear on which part of the board the pieces will be needed. Controlling the central squares, however, 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 <a href="Pawn_(chess)" title="Pawn (chess)">pawns</a> there, ideally establishing pawns on d4 and e4 (or d5 and e5 for Black). However, the <a href="Hypermodernism_(chess)" title="Hypermodernism (chess)">hypermodern</a> 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. The hypermoderns instead advocated controlling the center from a distance with pieces, breaking down one's opponent's center, and only taking over the center oneself later in the game. This leads to openings such as <a href="Alekhine's_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Alekhine's Defense">Alekhine's Defense</a> – 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 White's position exposed.<sup id="cite_ref-:1_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li>

<li><i>King safety:</i> 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 <a href="Castling" title="Castling">castle</a> in the opening (simultaneously developing one of the rooks) or to otherwise bring the king to the side of the board via <a href="Artificial_castling" class="mw-redirect" title="Artificial castling">artificial castling</a>.</li>

<li><em>Prevention of pawn weaknesses:</em> Most openings strive to avoid the creation of pawn weaknesses such as <a href="Isolated_pawn" title="Isolated pawn">isolated</a>, <a href="Doubled_pawns" title="Doubled pawns">doubled</a> and <a href="Backward_pawn" title="Backward pawn">backward pawns</a>, pawn islands, etc. Some openings sacrifice <a href="Chess_endgame" title="Chess endgame">endgame</a> considerations for a quick attack on the opponent's 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 opponent to overextend and form pawn weaknesses. Specific openings accept pawn weaknesses in exchange for compensation in the form of dynamic play. (See <a href="Pawn_structure" title="Pawn structure">Pawn structure</a>.)</li>

<li><em>Piece coordination:</em> As the players mobilize their pieces, they both seek to ensure that they are working harmoniously towards the control of key squares.<sup id="cite_ref-:1_9-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:1-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li>

<li><em>Creating positions in which the player is more comfortable than the opponent:</em> <a href="Transposition_(chess)" title="Transposition (chess)">Transposition</a> is one common way of doing this.<sup id="cite_ref-SoltisTranspoTricks_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-SoltisTranspoTricks-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li></ul>

<p>Apart from these ideas, other strategies used in the <a href="Chess_middlegame" title="Chess middlegame">middlegame</a> may also be carried out in the opening. These include preparing pawn breaks to create counterplay, creating weaknesses in the opponent's <a href="Pawn_structure" title="Pawn structure">pawn structure</a>, seizing control of key squares, making favorable exchanges of minor pieces (e.g. gaining the bishop pair), or gaining a space advantage, whether in the center or on the flanks.

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Top-level_objectives">Top-level objectives</h3></div>

<p>At higher levels of competition, for many years the main objectives of opening play were to obtain a better position when playing as White and to equalize when playing as Black. The idea behind this is that playing first <a href="First-move_advantage_in_chess" title="First-move advantage in chess">gives White a slight initial advantage</a>; for example, White will be the first to attack if the game opens symmetrically (Black mirrors White's moves).<sup id="cite_ref-FineIdeasBehind_7-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FineIdeasBehind-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>Since about the 1950s another objective has gradually become more dominant. According to <a href="International_Master" class="mw-redirect" title="International Master">IM</a> <a href="Jeremy_Silman" title="Jeremy Silman">Jeremy Silman</a>, 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.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> For example, in the main line of the <a href="French_Defence#Winawer_Variation:_3...Bb4" title="French Defence">Winawer Variation</a> of the <a href="French_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="French Defense">French Defense</a> (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3), White will try to use their <dfn><a href="Glossary_of_chess#bishop_pair" title="Glossary of chess"><span title="See entry at: Glossary of chess § bishop pair" style="color:inherit;" class="glossary-link">bishop pair</span></a></dfn> and <dfn><a href="Glossary_of_chess#space" title="Glossary of chess"><span title="See entry at: Glossary of chess § space" style="color:inherit;" class="glossary-link">space</span></a></dfn> advantage to mount an attack on Black's <dfn><a href="Glossary_of_chess#kingside" title="Glossary of chess"><span title="See entry at: Glossary of chess § kingside" style="color:inherit;" class="glossary-link">kingside</span></a></dfn>, while Black will seek simplifying <a href="Exchange_(chess)" title="Exchange (chess)">exchanges</a> (in particular, trading off one of White's bishops to blunt this advantage) and counterattack against the weakened pawns on White's <dfn><a href="Glossary_of_chess#queenside" title="Glossary of chess"><span title="See entry at: Glossary of chess § queenside" style="color:inherit;" class="glossary-link">queenside</span></a></dfn>; both players accept different combinations of advantages and disadvantages. This idea was a doctrine of the <a href="Mikhail_Botvinnik#Influence_on_the_game" title="Mikhail Botvinnik">Soviet school of chess</a>.

</p><p>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 <a href="Transposition_(chess)" title="Transposition (chess)">transpositions</a>, in which a game that apparently starts with one opening can reach a position that is normally produced by a different opening.<sup id="cite_ref-SoltisTranspoTricks_10-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-SoltisTranspoTricks-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Opening_repertoires">Opening repertoires</h2></div>

</div><div class="thumbinner" style="width:246px"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td></td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">a</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">b</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">c</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">d</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">e</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">f</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">g</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">h</td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="width:18px;height:26px">8</td><td colspan="8" rowspan="8"><div class="chess-pieces notheme" style="position:relative"><span class="notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span></span></span><div style="top:0px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a8 black rook"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b8 black knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c8 black bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d8 black queen"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e8 black king"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f8 black bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h8 black rook"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:52px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a6 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:52px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f6 black knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:78px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e5 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:78px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f5 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:78px;left:156px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="g5 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:104px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d4 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:130px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c3 white knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:130px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e3 white bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:130px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f3 white queen"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a1 white rook"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e1 white king"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f1 white bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h1 white rook"></span></span></div></div></td><td style="width:18px;height:26px">8</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">7</td><td style="height:26px">7</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">6</td><td style="height:26px">6</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">5</td><td style="height:26px">5</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">4</td><td style="height:26px">4</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">3</td><td style="height:26px">3</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">2</td><td style="height:26px">2</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">1</td><td style="height:26px">1</td></tr><tr><td></td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">a</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">b</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">c</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">d</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">e</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">f</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">g</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">h</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="thumbcaption">The <a href="Perenyi_Attack" class="mw-redirect" title="Perenyi Attack">Perenyi Attack</a> (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.g4), position after 7...e5 8.Nf5 g6 9.g5 gxf5 10.exf5 d5 11.Qf3 d4. This attack has been played several times between grandmasters, but chess author Lars Bo Hansen does not recommend this to amateurs.</div></div></div>

<p>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 that lead to positions they favor.<sup id="cite_ref-Reper_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Reper-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The set of openings a player has specialized in is called an opening repertoire.<sup id="cite_ref-Reper_12-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Reper-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The main elements a player needs to consider in a repertoire are:

</p>

<ul><li>As White, whether to open with 1.e4, 1.d4, 1.c4, or 1.Nf3</li>

<li>As Black, a defense against any of these openings</li></ul>

<p>A very narrow repertoire allows for deeper specialization but also makes a player less flexible to vary against different opponents. In addition, opponents may find it easier to prepare against a player with a narrow repertoire.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>The main openings in a repertoire are usually reasonably sound; that is, they should lead to playable positions even against optimal counterplay. Unsound <a href="Gambit" title="Gambit">gambits</a> are sometimes used as surprise weapons, but are unreliable for a stable repertoire. Repertoires often change as a player develops, and a player's advancement may be stifled if the opening repertoire does not evolve. Some openings that are effective against amateur players are less effective at the master level. For example, Black obtains active play in return for a pawn in the <a href="Benko_Gambit" title="Benko Gambit">Benko Gambit</a>; amateur players may have trouble defending against Black's activity, while masters are more skilled at defending and making use of the extra pawn. Some openings played between <a href="International_Grandmaster" class="mw-redirect" title="International Grandmaster">grandmasters</a> are so complex and theoretical that amateur players will have trouble understanding them. An example is the <a href="Perenyi_Attack" class="mw-redirect" title="Perenyi Attack">Perenyi Attack</a> of the <a href="Sicilian_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Sicilian Defense">Sicilian Defense</a> (see diagram), which yields an immensely complicated and tactical position that even strong players have difficulty handling, and that is beyond the comprehension of most amateurs.<sup id="cite_ref-won_and_lost_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-won_and_lost-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Opening_nomenclature">Opening nomenclature</h2></div>

<p>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 <a href="Luis_Ramirez_de_Lucena" class="mw-redirect" title="Luis Ramirez de Lucena">Luis Ramirez de Lucena</a>, present opening analysis, as do <a href="Pedro_Damiano" title="Pedro Damiano">Pedro Damiano</a> (1512) and <a href="Ruy_L%C3%B3pez_de_Segura" title="Ruy López de Segura">Ruy López de Segura</a> (1561). Ruy López'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 <a href="Ruy_Lopez" title="Ruy Lopez">Ruy Lopez</a> or Spanish Opening.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Opening theory was studied more scientifically from the 1840s on, and many opening variations were discovered and named in this period and later.

</p><p>Opening nomenclature developed haphazardly, and most names are historical accidents not based on systematic principles. In the early 1930s, the nascent <a href="FIDE" title="FIDE">FIDE</a> embarked on a project to standardize opening nomenclature, culminating in the publication of a short booklet in 1933, but this had little impact.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>The oldest openings tend to be <a href="List_of_chess_openings_named_after_places" title="List of chess openings named after places">named for geographic places</a> and people. Many openings are named after nationalities of players who advocated them, for example Indian, English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Scotch, Russian, Italian, Scandinavian and Sicilian, or places where important games featuring the opening were played such as Vienna, Berlin, and <a href="Wilkes-Barre%2C_Pennsylvania" title="Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania">Wilkes-Barre</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-seirawan2005_16-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-seirawan2005-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <a href="Catalan_System" class="mw-redirect" title="Catalan System">Catalan System</a> is named after the <a href="Catalonia" title="Catalonia">Catalonia</a> region.

</p>

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</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For a more comprehensive list, see <a href="List_of_chess_openings_named_after_places" title="List of chess openings named after places">List of chess openings named after places</a>.</div>

<p>Chess players' names are the most common sources of opening names.<sup id="cite_ref-seirawan2005_16-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-seirawan2005-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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 <a href="Ruy_Lopez" title="Ruy Lopez">Ruy Lopez</a>, <a href="Alekhine's_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Alekhine's Defense">Alekhine's Defense</a>, <a href="Ruy_Lopez#Morphy_Defence:_alternatives_to_Closed_Defence" title="Ruy Lopez">Morphy Defense</a>, and the <a href="R%C3%A9ti_Opening" title="Réti Opening">Réti Opening</a>. Some opening names honor two people, such as the <a href="Caro%E2%80%93Kann_Defence" title="Caro–Kann Defence">Caro–Kann</a> and the <a href="Smith%E2%80%93Morra_Gambit" title="Smith–Morra Gambit">Smith–Morra</a>.

</p>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For a more comprehensive list, see <a href="List_of_chess_openings_named_after_people" title="List of chess openings named after people">List of chess openings named after people</a>.</div>

<p>A few opening names are purely descriptive, such as <a href="Giuoco_Piano" title="Giuoco Piano">Giuoco Piano</a> (<a href="Italian_language" title="Italian language">Italian</a>: <i lang="it">quiet game</i>), <a href="Two_Knights_Defense" title="Two Knights Defense">Two Knights Defense</a>, <a href="Four_Knights_Game" title="Four Knights Game">Four Knights Game</a> and <a href="Bishop's_Opening" title="Bishop's Opening">Bishop's Opening</a>.

</p><p>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 <a href="Sokolsky_Opening" title="Sokolsky Opening">Orangutan</a>, Hippopotamus, Elephant, Hedgehog, and, most recently, the Cow. A few are given humorous names, such as the <a href="Monkey's_Bum" class="mw-redirect" title="Monkey's Bum">Monkey's Bum</a> and the <a href="Toilet_Variation" class="mw-redirect" title="Toilet Variation">Toilet Variation</a>.

</p><p>Opening names usually include characterizing terms like "opening", "variation", "defense", "gambit", or "attack"; however, the terminology is inconsistent and imprecise, and is not a useful basis for classification.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Broadly, these terms are used as follows:

</p>

<ul><li><i>Game:</i> Used for some of the oldest named openings, such as the <a href="Scotch_Game" title="Scotch Game">Scotch Game</a>, <a href="Vienna_Game" title="Vienna Game">Vienna Game</a>, and <a href="Four_Knights_Game" title="Four Knights Game">Four Knights Game</a>. In the 19th century it was used for other common openings such as the <a href="Sicilian_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Sicilian Defense">Sicilian Defense</a> ("Sicilian Game") and <a href="French_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="French Defense">French Defense</a> ("French Game").</li>

<li><i>Opening:</i> This usually refers to an opening played by White, such as the <a href="English_Opening" title="English Opening">English Opening</a> or <a href="Bird's_Opening" title="Bird's Opening">Bird's Opening</a>.</li>

<li><i>Defense:</i> Refers to an opening chosen by Black, such as <a href="Two_Knights_Defense" title="Two Knights Defense">Two Knights Defense</a> or <a href="Caro-Kann_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Caro-Kann Defense">Caro-Kann Defense</a>. Some openings described as "defenses", such as the <a href="King's_Indian_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="King's Indian Defense">King's Indian Defense</a> and <a href="Sicilian_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Sicilian Defense">Sicilian Defense</a>, can in fact be quite aggressive.</li>

<li><i>Gambit:</i> An opening that involves the <a href="Sacrifice_(chess)" title="Sacrifice (chess)">sacrifice</a> of <dfn><a href="Glossary_of_chess#material" title="Glossary of chess"><span title="See entry at: Glossary of chess § material" style="color:inherit;" class="glossary-link">material</span></a></dfn>, usually one or more pawns. Most openings described as "<a href="Gambit" title="Gambit">Gambits</a>" are played by White (e.g., <a href="King's_Gambit" title="King's Gambit">King's Gambit</a>), but a few are played by Black (e.g., <a href="Latvian_Gambit" title="Latvian Gambit">Latvian Gambit</a>). The terms "Accepted" or "Declined" may be appended to the name, depending on whether the opponent takes the offered material, as in the <a href="Queen's_Gambit_Accepted" title="Queen's Gambit Accepted">Queen's Gambit Accepted</a> and <a href="Queen's_Gambit_Declined" title="Queen's Gambit Declined">Queen's Gambit Declined</a>. In the case of the <a href="Queen's_Gambit" title="Queen's Gambit">Queen's Gambit</a>, the sacrifice of material is only temporary as there is no good way for Black to keep the pawn (<a href="#CITEREFWard1999">Ward 1999</a>:10).</li>

<li><i>Countergambit:</i> A gambit played by Black, often in response to another gambit. Examples of this include the <a href="Albin_Countergambit" title="Albin Countergambit">Albin Countergambit</a> in response to the <a href="Queen's_Gambit" title="Queen's Gambit">Queen's Gambit</a>, the <a href="King's_Gambit%2C_Falkbeer_Countergambit" title="King's Gambit, Falkbeer Countergambit">Falkbeer Countergambit</a> in response to the <a href="King's_Gambit" title="King's Gambit">King's Gambit</a>, and the <a href="Greco_Counter_Gambit" class="mw-redirect" title="Greco Counter Gambit">Greco Counter Gambit</a> (the former name of the <a href="Latvian_Gambit" title="Latvian Gambit">Latvian Gambit</a>) in response to the <a href="King's_Knight_Opening" title="King's Knight Opening">King's Knight Opening</a>.</li>

<li><i>Variation:</i> Used to describe a branch of another named opening, for example the <a href="Najdorf_Variation" class="mw-redirect" title="Najdorf Variation">Najdorf Variation</a>, a line of the <a href="Sicilian_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Sicilian Defense">Sicilian Defense</a>.</li>

<li><i>System:</i> A method of development that can be used against many different setups by the opponent. Examples include <a href="London_System" title="London System">London System</a>, <a href="Colle_System" title="Colle System">Colle System</a>, <a href="R%C3%A9ti_Opening" title="Réti Opening">Réti System</a>, <a href="Barcza_System" title="Barcza System">Barcza System</a>, and <a href="Hedgehog_Defence" class="mw-redirect" title="Hedgehog Defence">Hedgehog System</a>.</li>

<li><i>Attack:</i> Usually used to describe an aggressive or provocative variation such as the Albin–Chatard Attack (or Chatard–Alekhine Attack), the <a href="Fried_Liver_Attack" title="Fried Liver Attack">Fried Liver Attack</a> in the Two Knights Defense, and the <a href="Grob_Attack" class="mw-redirect" title="Grob Attack">Grob Attack</a>. The <a href="King's_Indian_Attack" title="King's Indian Attack">King's Indian Attack</a> is an exception, describing a <a href="King's_Indian_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="King's Indian Defense">King's Indian Defense</a> with <dfn><a href="Glossary_of_chess#colors_reversed" title="Glossary of chess"><span title="See entry at: Glossary of chess § colors reversed" style="color:inherit;" class="glossary-link">colors reversed</span></a></dfn>.</li>

<li><i>Reversed, inverted:</i> A Black opening played by White, or more rarely a White opening played by Black. Examples include the Sicilian Reversed (from the English Opening) and the <a href="Inverted_Hungarian_Opening" title="Inverted Hungarian Opening">Inverted Hungarian</a>. The Reti, King's Indian Attack, Sicilian Reversed (from the English), and other "Black played by White with an extra tempo" often start with 1.Nf3 or 1.c4.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li>

<li><i>Anti-:</i> Prefix for openings designed to avoid a specific line, 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 <a href="Semi-Slav_Defense" title="Semi-Slav Defense">Semi-Slav Defense</a>).</li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Classification_of_chess_openings">Classification of chess openings</h2></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For a list of openings as classified by the <a href="Encyclopaedia_of_Chess_Openings" title="Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings">Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings</a>, see <a href="List_of_chess_openings" title="List of chess openings">List of chess openings</a>.</div>

<p>Chess openings are primarily categorized by move sequences.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In the initial position, White has twenty legal moves.<sup id="cite_ref-whyldweekend_20-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-whyldweekend-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> 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 <a href="Dunst_Opening" title="Dunst Opening">Dunst Opening</a>, 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 driven to an inferior square by ...d4. (Note that after 1.Nf3 the analogous 1...e5<a href="Chess_annotation_symbols#?" title="Chess annotation symbols">?</a> loses a pawn.) <a href="Bird's_Opening" title="Bird's Opening">Bird's Opening</a>, 1.f4, addresses center control but not development and weakens the king position slightly. The <a href="Sokolsky_Opening" title="Sokolsky Opening">Sokolsky Opening</a> 1.b4 and the King's and Queen's <a href="Fianchetto" title="Fianchetto">fianchettos</a>: <a href="Larsen's_Opening" class="mw-redirect" title="Larsen's Opening">Larsen's Opening</a> 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 White's position (for instance, 1.f3 and 1.g4), or place the knights on poor squares (1.Na3 and 1.Nh3).

</p><p>Black has twenty complementary responses to White's opening move.<sup id="cite_ref-whyldweekend_20-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-whyldweekend-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Many of these are mirror images of the most popular first moves for White, but with one less <a href="Tempo_(chess)" title="Tempo (chess)">tempo</a>. 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 <a href="Kingside" class="mw-redirect" title="Kingside">kingside</a> <a href="Fianchetto" title="Fianchetto">fianchetto</a> are also commonly played.

</p><p>The most important scheme of classifying chess openings for serious players is by <a href="List_of_chess_openings" title="List of chess openings"><i>ECO</i> code</a>, a series of 500 opening codes assigned by the <i><a href="Encyclopaedia_of_Chess_Openings" title="Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings">Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings</a></i>. 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.

</p><p>A simple descriptive categorization of the chess opening is <a href="King's_Pawn_Game" title="King's Pawn Game">king's pawn openings</a>, <a href="Queen's_Pawn_Game" title="Queen's Pawn Game">queen's pawn openings</a>, 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:

</p>

<ul><li>Double king pawn, symmetric or <a href="Open_game" class="mw-redirect" title="Open game">open games</a> (1.e4 e5)<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li>

<li>Single king pawn or <a href="Semi-open_game" class="mw-redirect" title="Semi-open game">semi-open games</a> (1.e4 other)</li>

<li>Double queen pawn or <a href="Closed_game" class="mw-redirect" title="Closed game">closed games</a> (1.d4 d5)</li>

<li>Single queen pawn or <a href="Semi-closed_game" class="mw-redirect" title="Semi-closed game">semi-closed games</a> (1.d4 other)</li>

<li><a href="Flank_opening" title="Flank opening">Flank openings</a> (including 1.c4, 1.Nf3, 1.f4, and others)</li>

<li><a href="Irregular_chess_opening" title="Irregular chess opening">Unusual first moves</a> for White</li></ul>

<p>The <a href="Indian_defence" class="mw-redirect" title="Indian defence">Indian systems</a> (1.d4 Nf6) are the most important<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> of the semi-closed games, and warrant separate treatment.

</p>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Open_games:_1.e4_e5">Open games: 1.e4 e5</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="Open_Game" title="Open Game">Open Game</a></div>

</div><div class="thumbinner" style="width:246px"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td></td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">a</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">b</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">c</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">d</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">e</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">f</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">g</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">h</td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="width:18px;height:26px">8</td><td colspan="8" rowspan="8"><div class="chess-pieces notheme" style="position:relative"><span class="notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span></span></span><div style="top:0px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a8 black rook"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b8 black knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c8 black bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d8 black queen"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e8 black king"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f8 black bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:156px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="g8 black knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h8 black rook"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:156px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="g7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:78px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e5 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:104px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e4 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:156px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="g2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a1 white rook"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b1 white knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c1 white bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d1 white queen"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e1 white king"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f1 white bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:156px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="g1 white knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h1 white rook"></span></span></div></div></td><td style="width:18px;height:26px">8</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">7</td><td style="height:26px">7</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">6</td><td style="height:26px">6</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">5</td><td style="height:26px">5</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">4</td><td style="height:26px">4</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">3</td><td style="height:26px">3</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">2</td><td style="height:26px">2</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">1</td><td style="height:26px">1</td></tr><tr><td></td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">a</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">b</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">c</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">d</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">e</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">f</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">g</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">h</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="thumbcaption"> <a href="Open_Game" title="Open Game">Open Game</a>

</div></div></div>

<p>White starts by playing 1.e4 (moving their king pawn two spaces). This is the most popular opening move and it has many strengths—it immediately works on controlling the center, and it activates two pieces (the queen and a bishop). The oldest openings in chess follow 1.e4. <a href="Bobby_Fischer" title="Bobby Fischer">Bobby Fischer</a> rated 1.e4 as "Best by test." On the downside, 1.e4 places a pawn on an undefended square and weakens d4 and f4. If Black mirrors White's move and replies with 1...e5, the result is an open game.

</p><p>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 <a href="Ruy_Lopez" title="Ruy Lopez">Ruy Lopez</a> (3.Bb5), <a href="Scotch_Game" title="Scotch Game">Scotch Game</a> (3.d4), or <a href="Italian_Game" title="Italian Game">Italian Game</a> (3.Bc4). If Black instead maintains symmetry and counterattacks White's center with 2...Nf6 then the <a href="Petrov's_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Petrov's Defense">Petrov's Defense</a> results. The <a href="Philidor_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Philidor Defense">Philidor Defense</a> (2...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.

</p><p>The most popular alternatives to 2.Nf3 are the <a href="Vienna_Game" title="Vienna Game">Vienna Game</a> (2.Nc3), the <a href="Bishop's_Opening" title="Bishop's Opening">Bishop's Opening</a> (2.Bc4), and the <a href="King's_Gambit" title="King's Gambit">King's Gambit</a> (2.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 divert a black pawn from the center. The Vienna Game also frequently features attacks on the Black center by means of a f2–f4 pawn advance.

</p><p>In the <a href="Center_Game" title="Center Game">Center Game</a> (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 sacrifice one or two pawns, for example in the <a href="Danish_Gambit" title="Danish Gambit">Danish Gambit</a>.

</p><p>Many other variations after 1.e4 e5 have been studied; see <a href="Open_Game" title="Open Game">Open Game</a> for details.

</p>

<ul><li>1.e4 e5 Double King's Pawn Opening or <a href="Open_Game" title="Open Game">Open Game</a></li>

<li>1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 <a href="Ruy_Lopez" title="Ruy Lopez">Ruy Lopez</a></li>

<li>1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 <a href="Scotch_Game" title="Scotch Game">Scotch Game</a></li>

<li>1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 <a href="Italian_Game" title="Italian Game">Italian Game</a></li>

<li>1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 <a href="Four_Knights_Game" title="Four Knights Game">Four Knights Game</a></li>

<li>1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 <a href="Petrov's_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Petrov's Defense">Petrov's Defense</a></li>

<li>1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 <a href="Philidor_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Philidor Defense">Philidor Defense</a></li>

<li>1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 <a href="Vienna_Game" title="Vienna Game">Vienna Game</a></li>

<li>1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 <a href="Bishop's_Opening" title="Bishop's Opening">Bishop's Opening</a></li>

<li>1.e4 e5 2.f4 <a href="King's_Gambit" title="King's Gambit">King's Gambit</a></li>

<li>1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 <a href="Center_Game" title="Center Game">Center Game</a></li>

<li>1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 <a href="Danish_Gambit" title="Danish Gambit">Danish Gambit</a></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Semi-open_games:_1.e4,_Black_plays_other_than_1...e5">Semi-open games: 1.e4, Black plays other than 1...e5</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="Semi-Open_Game" title="Semi-Open Game">Semi-Open Game</a></div>

<p>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 <a href="Sicilian_Defence" title="Sicilian Defence">Sicilian</a> (1...c5), but the <a href="French_Defence" title="French Defence">French</a> (1...e6, normally followed by 2.d4 d5) and the <a href="Caro%E2%80%93Kann_Defence" title="Caro–Kann Defence">Caro–Kann</a> (1...c6, normally followed by 2.d4 d5) are also very popular. The <a href="Pirc_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Pirc Defense">Pirc</a> and the <a href="Modern_Defense" title="Modern Defense">Modern</a> are closely related openings that are also often seen, while the <a href="Alekhine's_Defence" title="Alekhine's Defence">Alekhine</a> and the <a href="Scandinavian_Defense" title="Scandinavian Defense">Scandinavian</a> have made occasional appearances in <a href="World_Chess_Championship" title="World Chess Championship">World Chess Championship</a> games.

</p><p>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 their c-pawn to support their center (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5). Alekhine's, the Pirc and the Modern are <a href="Hypermodernism_(chess)" title="Hypermodernism (chess)">hypermodern</a> openings in which Black tempts White to build a large center with the goal of attacking it with pieces.

</p><p>Other semi-open games have been studied but are less common; see <a href="Semi-Open_Game" title="Semi-Open Game">Semi-Open Game</a> for details.

</p>

<ul><li>1.e4 c5 <a href="Sicilian_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Sicilian Defense">Sicilian Defense</a></li>

<li>1.e4 e6 <a href="French_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="French Defense">French Defense</a></li>

<li>1.e4 c6 <a href="Caro%E2%80%93Kann_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Caro–Kann Defense">Caro–Kann Defense</a></li>

<li>1.e4 d5 <a href="Scandinavian_Defense" title="Scandinavian Defense">Scandinavian Defense</a> (also known as the Center Counter defense)</li>

<li>1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 <a href="Pirc_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Pirc Defense">Pirc Defense</a></li>

<li>1.e4 Nf6 <a href="Alekhine's_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Alekhine's Defense">Alekhine's Defense</a></li>

<li>1.e4 g6 <a href="Modern_Defense" title="Modern Defense">Modern Defense</a></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Closed_games:_1.d4_d5">Closed games: 1.d4 d5</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="Closed_Game" title="Closed Game">Closed Game</a></div>

</div><div class="thumbinner" style="width:246px"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td></td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">a</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">b</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">c</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">d</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">e</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">f</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">g</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">h</td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="width:18px;height:26px">8</td><td colspan="8" rowspan="8"><div class="chess-pieces notheme" style="position:relative"><span class="notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span></span></span><div style="top:0px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a8 black rook"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b8 black knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c8 black bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d8 black queen"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e8 black king"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f8 black bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:156px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="g8 black knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h8 black rook"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:156px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="g7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:78px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d5 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:104px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d4 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:156px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="g2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a1 white rook"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b1 white knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c1 white bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d1 white queen"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e1 white king"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f1 white bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:156px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="g1 white knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h1 white rook"></span></span></div></div></td><td style="width:18px;height:26px">8</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">7</td><td style="height:26px">7</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">6</td><td style="height:26px">6</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">5</td><td style="height:26px">5</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">4</td><td style="height:26px">4</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">3</td><td style="height:26px">3</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">2</td><td style="height:26px">2</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">1</td><td style="height:26px">1</td></tr><tr><td></td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">a</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">b</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">c</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">d</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">e</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">f</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">g</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">h</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="thumbcaption"> <a href="Closed_Game" title="Closed Game">Closed Game</a>

</div></div></div>

<p>The openings classified as closed games begin 1.d4 d5. The move 1.d4 offers the same benefits to development and center control as does 1.e4, but unlike with 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 <a href="King's_Gambit" title="King's Gambit">King's Gambit</a> is rarely played today at the highest levels of chess, the <a href="Queen's_Gambit" title="Queen's Gambit">Queen's Gambit</a> 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.

</p><p>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 <a href="Queen's_Gambit_Accepted" title="Queen's Gambit Accepted">Queen's Gambit Accepted</a>, 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 ...cxd4. White will get active pieces and possibilities for the attack. Black has two popular ways to decline the pawn, the <a href="Slav_Defense" title="Slav Defense">Slav</a> (2...c6) and the <a href="Queen's_Gambit_Declined" title="Queen's Gambit Declined">Queen's Gambit Declined</a> (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 Queen's Gambit Declined are the Orthodox Defense, Lasker's Defense, the <a href="Cambridge_Springs_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Cambridge Springs Defense">Cambridge Springs Defense</a>, 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.

</p><p>The <a href="Colle_System" title="Colle System">Colle System</a> and <a href="Stonewall_Attack" title="Stonewall Attack">Stonewall Attack</a> are classified as <a href="Queen's_pawn_game" class="mw-redirect" title="Queen's pawn game">queen's pawn games</a> because White plays d4 but not c4. They are also examples of <i>Systems</i>, 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 diagram positions and the move sequences given below are typical.

</p><p>Other closed openings have been studied but are less common; see <a href="Closed_Game" title="Closed Game">Closed Game</a> for details.

</p>

<ul><li>1.d4 d5 Double Queen's Pawn Opening or <a href="Closed_Game" title="Closed Game">Closed Game</a></li>

<li>1.d4 d5 2.c4 <a href="Queen's_Gambit" title="Queen's Gambit">Queen's Gambit</a></li>

<li>1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 <a href="Queen's_Gambit_Accepted" title="Queen's Gambit Accepted">Queen's Gambit Accepted</a> (QGA)</li>

<li>1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 <a href="Queen's_Gambit_Declined" title="Queen's Gambit Declined">Queen's Gambit Declined</a> (QGD)</li>

<li>1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 <a href="Slav_Defense" title="Slav Defense">Slav Defense</a></li>

<li>1.d4 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.Bd3 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.f4 (a typical move sequence) <a href="Stonewall_Attack" title="Stonewall Attack">Stonewall Attack</a></li>

<li>1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 <a href="Colle_System" title="Colle System">Colle System</a></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Indian_defenses:_1.d4_Nf6">Indian defenses: 1.d4 Nf6</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="Indian_Defence" title="Indian Defence">Indian Defense</a></div>

</div><div class="thumbinner" style="width:246px"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td></td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">a</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">b</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">c</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">d</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">e</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">f</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">g</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">h</td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="width:18px;height:26px">8</td><td colspan="8" rowspan="8"><div class="chess-pieces notheme" style="position:relative"><span class="notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span></span></span><div style="top:0px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a8 black rook"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b8 black knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c8 black bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d8 black queen"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e8 black king"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f8 black bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:0px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h8 black rook"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:156px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="g7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:26px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h7 black pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:52px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f6 black knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:104px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d4 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:156px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="g2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:156px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h2 white pawn"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:0px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="a1 white rook"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:26px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="b1 white knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:52px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="c1 white bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:78px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="d1 white queen"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:104px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="e1 white king"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:130px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="f1 white bishop"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:156px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="g1 white knight"></span></span></div><div style="top:182px;left:182px"><span class="mw-valign-top notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="h1 white rook"></span></span></div></div></td><td style="width:18px;height:26px">8</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">7</td><td style="height:26px">7</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">6</td><td style="height:26px">6</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">5</td><td style="height:26px">5</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">4</td><td style="height:26px">4</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">3</td><td style="height:26px">3</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">2</td><td style="height:26px">2</td></tr><tr><td style="height:26px">1</td><td style="height:26px">1</td></tr><tr><td></td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">a</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">b</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">c</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">d</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">e</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">f</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">g</td><td style="height:18px;width:26px">h</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="thumbcaption"> <a href="Indian_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Indian Defense">Indian Defense</a>

</div></div></div>

<p>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, <a href="Transposition_(chess)" title="Transposition (chess)">transpositions</a> are important and many of the Indian defenses can be reached by several different 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 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:

</p>

<ul><li>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 <a href="Queen's_Gambit_Declined" title="Queen's Gambit Declined">Queen's Gambit Declined</a>,</li>

<li>2...g6, preparing a fianchetto of the king's bishop and entering the King's Indian Defense or Grünfeld Defense, and</li>

<li>2...c5 3.d5 e6, the Modern Benoni, with an immediate counterpunch in the center.</li></ul>

<p>Advocated by <a href="Aron_Nimzowitsch" title="Aron Nimzowitsch">Nimzowitsch</a> as early as 1913, the <a href="Nimzo-Indian_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Nimzo-Indian Defense">Nimzo-Indian Defense</a> was the first 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 White's queenside with <a href="Doubled_pawns" title="Doubled pawns">doubled pawns</a>.

</p><p>The <a href="King's_Indian_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="King's Indian Defense">King's Indian Defense</a> is aggressive, somewhat risky, and generally indicates that Black will not be satisfied with a draw. 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 taken up by <a href="David_Bronstein" title="David Bronstein">Bronstein</a>, <a href="Isaac_Boleslavsky" title="Isaac Boleslavsky">Boleslavsky</a>, and <a href="Samuel_Reshevsky" title="Samuel Reshevsky">Reshevsky</a>. Despite being <a href="Bobby_Fischer" title="Bobby Fischer">Fischer</a>'s favored defense to 1.d4, its popularity faded in the mid-1970s. <a href="Garry_Kasparov" title="Garry Kasparov">Kasparov</a>'s successes with the defense restored the King's Indian to prominence in the 1980s.

</p><p><a href="Ernst_Gr%C3%BCnfeld" title="Ernst Grünfeld">Ernst Grünfeld</a> debuted the <a href="Gr%C3%BCnfeld_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Grünfeld Defense">Grünfeld Defense</a> in 1922. 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 <a href="Vasily_Smyslov" title="Vasily Smyslov">Smyslov</a>, Fischer, and Kasparov.

</p><p>The <a href="Queen's_Indian_Defense" title="Queen's Indian Defense">Queen's Indian Defense</a> is considered solid, safe, and perhaps somewhat <a href="Draw_(chess)" title="Draw (chess)">drawish</a>. 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. <a href="Anatoly_Karpov" title="Anatoly Karpov">Karpov</a> was a leading expert in this opening.

</p><p>The <a href="Modern_Benoni" title="Modern Benoni">Modern Benoni</a> 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. <a href="Mikhail_Tal" title="Mikhail Tal">Tal</a> popularized the defense in the 1960s by winning several brilliant games with it, and Fischer occasionally adopted it, with good results, including <a href="World_Chess_Championship_1972#Game_3" title="World Chess Championship 1972">a win</a> in his <a href="World_Chess_Championship_1972" title="World Chess Championship 1972">1972 world championship</a> match against <a href="Boris_Spassky" title="Boris Spassky">Boris Spassky</a>. Often Black adopts a slightly different move order, playing 2...e6 before 3...c5 in order to avoid the sharpest lines for White.

</p><p>The <a href="Benko_Gambit" title="Benko Gambit">Benko Gambit</a> 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, Black's compensation is positional rather than tactical, and their initiative can last even after many piece exchanges and well into the <a href="Chess_endgame" title="Chess endgame">endgame</a>. White often chooses instead either to decline the gambit pawn or return it.

</p><p>The <a href="Catalan_Opening" title="Catalan Opening">Catalan Opening</a> is characterized by White forming a pawn center at d4 and c4 and fianchettoing their king's bishop. It resembles a combination of the <a href="Queen's_Gambit" title="Queen's Gambit">Queen's Gambit</a> and <a href="R%C3%A9ti_Opening" title="Réti Opening">Réti Opening</a>. Since the Catalan can be reached from many different move orders, (one <a href="Queen's_Gambit_Declined" title="Queen's Gambit Declined">Queen's Gambit Declined</a>-like move sequence is 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3), it is sometimes called the Catalan System.

</p><p>The most important Indian Defenses are listed below, but many others have been studied and played; see <a href="Indian_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Indian Defense">Indian Defense</a> for details.

</p>

<ul><li>1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 <a href="Modern_Benoni" title="Modern Benoni">Modern Benoni</a></li>

<li>1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 <a href="Benko_Gambit" title="Benko Gambit">Benko Gambit</a> (or Volga Gambit)</li>

<li>1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 <a href="Nimzo-Indian_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Nimzo-Indian Defense">Nimzo-Indian Defense</a></li>

<li>1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 <a href="Queen's_Indian_Defense" title="Queen's Indian Defense">Queen's Indian Defense</a></li>

<li>1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 <a href="Catalan_Opening" title="Catalan Opening">Catalan Opening</a></li>

<li>1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 <a href="Gr%C3%BCnfeld_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Grünfeld Defense">Grünfeld Defense</a></li>

<li>1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 <a href="King's_Indian_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="King's Indian Defense">King's Indian Defense</a> (KID)</li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Other_Black_responses_to_1.d4">Other Black responses to 1.d4</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="Semi-Closed_Game" title="Semi-Closed Game">Semi-Closed Game</a></div>

<p>Of the defenses to 1.d4 other than 1...d5 and 1...Nf6, the most important are the <a href="Dutch_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Dutch Defense">Dutch Defense</a> and the <a href="Benoni_Defense" title="Benoni Defense">Benoni Defense</a>.

The Dutch, an aggressive defense adopted for a time by World Champions <a href="Alexander_Alekhine" title="Alexander Alekhine">Alekhine</a> and <a href="Mikhail_Botvinnik" title="Mikhail Botvinnik">Botvinnik</a>, and played by both Botvinnik and challenger <a href="David_Bronstein" title="David Bronstein">David Bronstein</a> in their 1951 <a href="World_Chess_Championship" title="World Chess Championship">world championship match</a>, is still played occasionally at the top level by <a href="Nigel_Short" title="Nigel Short">Short</a> and others. Another fairly common opening is the <a href="Benoni_Defense" title="Benoni Defense">Benoni Defense</a>, which may become very wild if it develops into the <a href="Modern_Benoni" title="Modern Benoni">Modern Benoni</a>, though other variations are more solid.

</p><p>Several other uncommon semi-closed openings have been named and studied, see <a href="Semi-Closed_Game" title="Semi-Closed Game">Semi-Closed Game</a> for details.

</p>

<ul><li>1.d4 c5 <a href="Benoni_Defense" title="Benoni Defense">Benoni Defense</a></li>

<li>1.d4 f5 <a href="Dutch_Defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Dutch Defense">Dutch Defense</a></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Flank_openings_(including_English,_Réti,_Bird's,_and_White_fianchettos)">Flank openings (including English, Réti, Bird's, and White fianchettos)</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="Flank_opening" title="Flank opening">Flank opening</a></div>

<p>The flank openings are the group of White openings typified by play on one or both flanks.

White plays in <a href="Hypermodernism_(chess)" title="Hypermodernism (chess)">hypermodern</a> style, attacking the center from the flanks 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.

</p><p>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 (called <i><a href="Transposition_(chess)" title="Transposition (chess)">transposition</a></i>), but unique openings such as the <a href="R%C3%A9ti_Opening" title="Réti Opening">Réti</a> and <a href="King's_Indian_Attack" title="King's Indian Attack">King's Indian Attack</a> are also common. The Réti itself is characterized by White playing 1.Nf3, <a href="Fianchetto" title="Fianchetto">fianchettoing</a> one or both bishops, and not playing an early d4 (which would generally transpose into one of the 1.d4 openings).

</p><p>The <a href="King's_Indian_Attack" title="King's Indian Attack">King's Indian Attack</a> (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 several different orders. In fact, the KIA is 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 that usually follow 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.<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>The <a href="English_Opening" title="English Opening">English Opening</a> (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).

</p><p><a href="King's_Fianchetto_Opening" title="King's Fianchetto Opening">1.g3</a>, the King's Fianchetto Opening or Benko's Opening, received renewed attention after <a href="Pal_Benko" title="Pal Benko">Pal Benko</a> used it to defeat both <a href="Bobby_Fischer" title="Bobby Fischer">Fischer</a> and <a href="Mikhail_Tal" title="Mikhail Tal">Tal</a> in the 1962 <a href="Candidates_Tournament" title="Candidates Tournament">Candidates Tournament</a> in <a href="Cura%C3%A7ao" title="Curaçao">Curaçao</a>. It is flexible and usually transposes into a known opening such as the King's Indian Attack or Reti Opening.

</p><p><a href="Larsen's_Opening" class="mw-redirect" title="Larsen's Opening">Larsen's Opening</a> (1.b3) and the <a href="Sokolsky_Opening" title="Sokolsky Opening">Sokolsky Opening</a> (1.b4) are occasionally seen in grandmaster play.

</p><p>With <a href="Bird's_Opening" title="Bird's Opening">Bird's Opening</a> (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<a href="Chess_annotation_symbols#!?" title="Chess annotation symbols">!?</a> (<a href="From's_Gambit" class="mw-redirect" title="From's Gambit">From's Gambit</a>).

</p>

<ul><li>1.b3 <a href="Larsen's_Opening" class="mw-redirect" title="Larsen's Opening">Larsen's Opening</a></li>

<li>1.b4 <a href="Sokolsky_Opening" title="Sokolsky Opening">Sokolsky Opening</a></li>

<li>1.c4 <a href="English_Opening" title="English Opening">English Opening</a></li>

<li>1.Nf3 <a href="Zukertort_Opening" title="Zukertort Opening">Zukertort Opening</a> (characteristically followed by fianchettoing one or both bishops, and without an early d4)</li>

<li>1.Nf3, 2.g3, 3.Bg2, 4.0-0, 5.d3, 6.Nbd2, 7.e4 <a href="King's_Indian_Attack" title="King's Indian Attack">King's Indian Attack</a> (KIA) (moves may be played in many different orders)</li>

<li>1.f4 <a href="Bird's_Opening" title="Bird's Opening">Bird's Opening</a></li>

<li>1.g3 <a href="Benko_Opening" class="mw-redirect" title="Benko Opening">Benko Opening</a></li>

<li>1.g4 <a href="Grob's_Attack" title="Grob's Attack">Grob's Attack</a></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Unusual_first_moves_for_White">Unusual first moves for White</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="Irregular_chess_opening" title="Irregular chess opening">Irregular chess opening</a></div>

<p>1.e4 and 1.d4 remain the most popular first moves by White. 1.Nf3 and 1.c4 are also commonly played, and 1.g3 usually transposes into a standard line. 1.f4, 1.b3 and 1.b4 are occasionally seen at Grandmaster level. Other moves are not regarded as effective ways to exploit White's first-move advantage and thus are rarely played, though they are occasionally seen in on-line blitz games. 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:

</p>

<ul><li>too passive for White (1.d3, 1.e3, 1.c3, or 1.Nc3)</li>

<li>does little to aid White's development or control the center (1.a3, 1.a4, 1.h3, or 1.h4)</li>

<li>develops a <a href="Knight_(chess)" title="Knight (chess)">knight</a> to an inferior square (1.Na3 or 1.Nh3)</li>

<li>gratuitously weakens White's position (1.f3 or 1.g4)</li></ul>

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<ul><li><a href="Outline_of_chess#Chess_openings" title="Outline of chess">Outline of chess § Chess openings</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_opening_book" title="Chess opening book">Chess opening book</a></li>

<li><a href="List_of_chess_openings" title="List of chess openings">List of chess openings</a></li>

<li><a href="List_of_chess_openings_named_after_people" title="List of chess openings named after people">List of chess openings named after people</a></li>

<li><a href="List_of_chess_openings_named_after_places" title="List of chess openings named after places">List of chess openings named after places</a></li>

<li><a href="List_of_chess_gambits" title="List of chess gambits">List of chess gambits</a></li>

<li><i><a href="Encyclopaedia_of_Chess_Openings" title="Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings">Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings</a></i></li>

<li><a href="Chess_opening_theory_table" title="Chess opening theory table">Chess opening theory table</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_middlegame" title="Chess middlegame">Middlegame</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_endgame" title="Chess endgame">Endgame</a></li></ul>

</div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>

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</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.chessstrategyonline.com/content/tutorials/basic-chess-concepts-phases-of-the-game">"Phases of the game - Chess Strategy Online"</a>. <i>www.chessstrategyonline.com</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2021-03-30</span></span>.</cite></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFHooperWhyld1992" class="citation book cs1"><a href="David_Vincent_Hooper" title="David Vincent Hooper">Hooper, David</a>; <a href="Kenneth_Whyld" class="mw-redirect" title="Kenneth Whyld">Whyld, Kenneth</a> (1992). <a href="The_Oxford_Companion_to_Chess" title="The Oxford Companion to Chess"><i>The Oxford Companion to Chess</i></a> (2 ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont0000hoop/page/461">461</a>–480. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>0-19-280049-3</bdi>.</cite></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-:0-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:0_3-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_3-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.chess.com/terms/book-move-chess">"Book Move - Chess Terms"</a>. <i>Chess.com</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2021-03-30</span></span>.</cite></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="Garry_Kasparov" title="Garry Kasparov">Garry Kasparov</a>, <i><a href="My_Great_Predecessors#Modern_Chess" title="My Great Predecessors">Modern Chess</a></i> part 1, p. 353</span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-won_and_lost-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-won_and_lost_5-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-won_and_lost_5-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFHansen2008" class="citation book cs1">Hansen, Lars Bo (October 7, 2008). <i>How Chess Games are Won and Lost</i>. Gambit. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-906454-01-2</bdi>.</cite></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-Fine1952WorldsGreatChessGames-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Fine1952WorldsGreatChessGames_6-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFFine,_R.1952" class="citation book cs1">Fine, R. (1952). <i>The World's Great Chess Games</i>. Andre Deutsch (now as paperback from Dover). <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>0-679-13046-2</bdi>.</cite> <span class="cs1-hidden-error citation-comment"><code class="cs1-code">{{cite book}}</code>: </span><span class="cs1-hidden-error citation-comment">ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)</span></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FineIdeasBehind-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FineIdeasBehind_7-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FineIdeasBehind_7-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFFine,_R.1990" class="citation book cs1">Fine, R. (1990) [1st. Pub. 1943]. <i>Ideas Behind the Chess Openings</i>. Random House. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>0-8129-1756-1</bdi>.</cite></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFMcHarg_(AMcHarg)2009" class="citation web cs1">McHarg (AMcHarg), Andrew (31 January 2009). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-importance-of-development2">"The Importance of Development"</a>. <i>Chess.com</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2021-03-30</span></span>.</cite></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-:1-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:1_9-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_9-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFNeustroev_(Gertsog)2020" class="citation web cs1">Neustroev (Gertsog), Viktor (19 May 2020). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.chess.com/blog/Gertsog/how-to-control-the-center-and-why-its-important">"How to Control the Center (and Why It's Important)"</a>. <i>Chess.com</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2021-03-30</span></span>.</cite></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-SoltisTranspoTricks-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-SoltisTranspoTricks_10-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-SoltisTranspoTricks_10-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFSoltis,_A.2007" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Andrew_Soltis" title="Andrew Soltis">Soltis, A.</a> (2007). <i>Transpo Tricks in Chess</i>. Batsford. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-7134-9051-0</bdi>.</cite> See review at <cite class="citation web cs1 cs1-prop-unfit"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080418115252/http://www.chessville.com/reviews/TranspoTricks.htm">"Transpo Tricks in Chess – review"</a>. chessville.com. Archived from the original on 2008-04-18.</cite></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFJeremy_Silman1998" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Jeremy_Silman" title="Jeremy Silman">Jeremy Silman</a> (1998). <i>The Complete Book of Chess Strategy</i>. Silman-James Press. p. 3. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>1-890085-01-4</bdi>.</cite></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-Reper-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Reper_12-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Reper_12-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFChassyGobet2011" class="citation journal cs1">Chassy, Philippe; Gobet, Ferdinand (2011). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3217924">"Measuring Chess Experts' Single-Use Sequence Knowledge: An Archival Study of Departure from 'Theoretical' Openings"</a>. <i><a href="PLOS_One" title="PLOS One">PLOS One</a></i>. <b>6</b> (11): e26692. <a href="Bibcode_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Bibcode (identifier)">Bibcode</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011PLoSO...626692C">2011PLoSO...626692C</a>. <a href="Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<span class="id-lock-free" title="Freely accessible"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0026692">10.1371/journal.pone.0026692</a></span>. <a href="PMC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="PMC (identifier)">PMC</a> <span class="id-lock-free" title="Freely accessible"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3217924">3217924</a></span>. <a href="PMID_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="PMID (identifier)">PMID</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22110590">22110590</a>.</cite></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-13">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFWebb1979" class="citation book cs1">Webb, Simon (1979). <i>Chess for Tigers</i>. Oxford University Press. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>0-7134-8988-X</bdi>.</cite></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-14">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFMurray1913" class="citation book cs1">Murray, H. J. R. (1913). <i>A History of Chess</i>. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. <span class="nowrap">782–</span>83, <span class="nowrap">814–</span>15. <a href="OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/643082">643082</a>.</cite></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="Edward_Winter_(chess_historian)" title="Edward Winter (chess historian)">Edward Winter</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/winter13.html#3902._Openings_nomenclature"><i>Chess Notes 3902, Openings nomenclature</i></a>, 21 August 2005</span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-seirawan2005-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-seirawan2005_16-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-seirawan2005_16-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFSeirawanSilman2005" class="citation cs2"><a href="Yasser_Seirawan" title="Yasser Seirawan">Seirawan, Yasser</a>; <a href="Jeremy_Silman" title="Jeremy Silman">Silman, Jerry</a> (2005), <i>Winning Chess Tactics</i>, Everyman Chess, p. 36, <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>1-85744-386-1</bdi></cite></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-17">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Hooper & Whyld, p281</span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Chess Opening Essentials 4, p. 11, <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-90-5691-308-3</bdi></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">This is in contrast to <a href="Shogi_opening" title="Shogi opening">shogi opening</a> theory, which generally categorizes openings by form regardless of the move sequences that brought about the form in what are sometimes called <i>systems</i> in western chess.</span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-whyldweekend-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-whyldweekend_20-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-whyldweekend_20-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFWhyld1993" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Ken_Whyld" title="Ken Whyld">Whyld, Kenneth</a> (1993). <i>Learn Chess in a Weekend</i>. Knopf/DK. p. 58. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>9780679422297</bdi>.</cite></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-21">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Chess Openings for White Explained, p. 27, <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>1-889323-11-X</bdi></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-22">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Chess Opening Essentials 3, p. 38, <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-90-5691-308-3</bdi></span>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-23">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="Larry_Evans_(chess_grandmaster)" class="mw-redirect" title="Larry Evans (chess grandmaster)">Larry Evans</a> wrote of the King's Indian Attack, "White's 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, <i>The Chess Opening for You</i>, R.H.M. Press, 1975, p. 38. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>0-89058-020-0</bdi>.</span>

</li>

</ol></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Further_reading">Further reading</h2></div>

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<div class="side-box-text plainlist">Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: <i><b><a href="https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Chess_Opening_Theory" class="extiw external" title="wikibooks:Chess Opening Theory">Chess Opening Theory</a></b></i></div></div>

</div>

<div class="side-box-text plainlist">The Wikibook <i><a href="https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Chess" class="extiw external" title="wikibooks:Chess">Chess</a></i> has a page on the topic of: <i><b><a href="https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Chess/Basic_Openings" class="extiw external" title="wikibooks:Chess/Basic Openings">Basic Openings</a></b></i></div></div>

</div>

<ul><li><cite id="CITEREFCollins2005" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Sam_Collins_(chess_player)" title="Sam Collins (chess player)">Collins, Sam</a> (2005). <i>Understanding the Chess Openings</i>. <a href="Gambit_Publications" title="Gambit Publications">Gambit Publications</a>. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>1-904600-28-X</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFDe_Firmian2008" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Nick_de_Firmian" title="Nick de Firmian">De Firmian, Nick</a> (2008). <a href="Modern_Chess_Openings" title="Modern Chess Openings"><i>Modern Chess Openings: MCO-15</i></a>. Random House Puzzles & Games. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0812936827</bdi>.</cite>

<dl><dd><a href="Nick_de_Firmian" title="Nick de Firmian">Nick de Firmian</a> is a three-time <a href="U.S._Chess_Championship" class="mw-redirect" title="U.S. Chess Championship">U.S. Chess Champion</a>. Often called <i>MCO-15</i> or simply <i>MCO</i>, this is the 15th edition of a work that has been the standard English language reference on chess openings since the first (1911) edition. This book is a valuable reference for club and tournament players.</dd></dl></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFKasparovKeene1994" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Garry_Kasparov" title="Garry Kasparov">Kasparov, Garry</a>; Keene, Raymond (1994) [1989]. <i>Batsford Chess Openings 2</i>. Henry Holt. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>0-8050-3409-9</bdi>.</cite>

<dl><dd>Garry Kasparov is the former <a href="World_Chess_Champion" class="mw-redirect" title="World Chess Champion">World Chess Champion</a> from 1985 to 2000 and <a href="Raymond_Keene" title="Raymond Keene">Raymond Keene</a> is a former <a href="British_Chess_Championship" title="British Chess Championship">British chess champion</a>. This book is often called <i>BCO 2</i> and is intended as a reference for club and tournament players. It is similar in format to MCO.</dd></dl></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFLane1999" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Gary_Lane_(chess_player)" title="Gary Lane (chess player)">Lane, Gary</a> (1999). <i>Victory in the Opening</i>. Sterling Pub Co Inc. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-7134-8427-4</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFNunn1999" class="citation book cs1">Nunn, John, ed. (1999). <i>Nunn's Chess Openings</i>. Everyman Chess. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>1-85744-221-0</bdi>.</cite>

<dl><dd><a href="John_Nunn" title="John Nunn">John Nunn</a> is a former <a href="British_Chess_Champion" class="mw-redirect" title="British Chess Champion">British Chess Champion</a> and a noted chess author. This book is often called <i>NCO</i> and is a reference for club and tournament players. It is similar in format to <i>MCO</i> and <i>BCO 2</i>.</dd></dl></li>

<li>Sahovski Informator. <i><a href="Encyclopaedia_of_Chess_Openings" title="Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings">Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings</a></i>

<dl><dd>This is an advanced, technical work in five volumes published by Chess Informant of Belgrade. <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://www.sahovski.com/">http://www.sahovski.com/</a> It analyzes openings used in tournament play and archived in <i><a href="Chess_Informant" title="Chess Informant">Chess Informant</a></i> 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 <i>ECO</i>, these volumes are the most comprehensive reference for professional and serious tournament players.</dd></dl></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFScheerer2008" class="citation book cs1">Scheerer, Christoph (2008). <i>The Greatest Ever Chess Opening Ideas</i>. Everyman Chess. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-85744-561-9</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFSeirawan2003" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Yasser_Seirawan" title="Yasser Seirawan">Seirawan, Yasser</a> (2003). <i>Winning Chess Openings</i>. Everyman Chess. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>1-85744-349-7</bdi>.</cite> An elementary/introductory book.</li>

<li>Stefan Djuric, Dimitri Komarov, & Claudio Pantaleoni, <i>Chess Opening Essentials</i> (4 volumes)</li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFSummerscale1999" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Aaron_Summerscale" title="Aaron Summerscale">Summerscale, Aaron</a> (1999). <i>A Killer Chess Opening Repertoire</i>. Globe Pequot. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-85744-519-0</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><a href="Paul_van_der_Sterren" title="Paul van der Sterren">van der Sterren, Paul</a>, <i>Fundamental Chess Openings</i>, Gambit, 2009, <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-906454-13-5</bdi></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFWard1999" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Chris_Ward_(chess_player)" title="Chris Ward (chess player)">Ward, Chris</a> (1999). <i>The Queen's Gambit Accepted</i>. Batsford. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>0-7134-8467-5</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFWatson2006" class="citation book cs1"><a href="John_L._Watson" title="John L. Watson">Watson, John</a> (2006). <i>Mastering the Chess Openings</i>. Vol. 1. Gambit. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-904600-60-2</bdi>.</cite> (Three chapters of general opening principles; open and semi-open games)</li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFWatson2007" class="citation book cs1"><a href="John_L._Watson" title="John L. Watson">Watson, John</a> (2007). <i>Mastering the Chess Openings</i>. Vol. 2. Gambit. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-904600-69-5</bdi>.</cite> (Closed games and Indian defenses)</li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFWatson2008" class="citation book cs1"><a href="John_L._Watson" title="John L. Watson">Watson, John</a> (2008). <i>Mastering the Chess Openings</i>. Vol. 3. Gambit. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-904600-98-5</bdi>.</cite> (<a href="English_Opening" title="English Opening">English Opening</a>)</li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFWatson2010" class="citation book cs1"><a href="John_L._Watson" title="John L. Watson">Watson, John</a> (2010). <i>Mastering the Chess Openings</i>. Vol. 4. Gambit. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-906454-19-7</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/openings1.html">Chess Openings by Edward Winter</a></li></ul>

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</style><div id="White&#039;s_twenty_opening_moves_in_chess37" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">White's twenty opening moves in chess</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0;background:transparent;color:inherit;"><div style="padding:0px"><table class="navbox-columns-table" style="border-spacing: 0px; text-align:left;width:100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" style="font-weight:bold;background:#ffefcf;"><span class="nobold">1.a4: <br> <a href="Ware_Opening" title="Ware Opening">Ware</a></span></td><td class="navbox-abovebelow" style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;font-weight:bold;background:#dfbf8f;"><span class="nobold">1.b4: <br> <a href="Sokolsky_Opening" title="Sokolsky Opening">Sokolsky</a></span></td><td class="navbox-abovebelow" style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;font-weight:bold;background:#ffefcf;"><span class="nobold">1.c4: <br> <a href="English_Opening" title="English Opening">English</a></span></td><td class="navbox-abovebelow" style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;font-weight:bold;background:#dfbf8f;"><span class="nobold">1.d4: <br> <a href="Queen's_Pawn_Game" title="Queen's Pawn Game">Queen's Pawn</a></span></td><td class="navbox-abovebelow" style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;font-weight:bold;background:#ffefcf;"><span class="nobold">1.e4: <br> <a href="King's_Pawn_Game" title="King's Pawn Game">King's Pawn</a></span></td><td class="navbox-abovebelow" style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;font-weight:bold;background:#dfbf8f;"><span class="nobold">1.f4: <br> <a href="Bird's_Opening" title="Bird's Opening">Bird</a></span></td><td class="navbox-abovebelow" style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;font-weight:bold;background:#ffefcf;"><span class="nobold">1.g4: <br> <a href="Grob's_Attack" title="Grob's Attack">Grob</a></span></td><td class="navbox-abovebelow" style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;font-weight:bold;background:#dfbf8f;"><span class="nobold">1.h4: <br> <a href="Desprez_Opening" title="Desprez Opening">Despréz</a></span></td></tr><tr style="vertical-align:top"><td class="navbox-list" style="padding:0px;text-align:center;background:#dfbf8f;width:12.5%;"><div>

<p><span class="nobold">1.Na3: <a href="Durkin_Opening" title="Durkin Opening">Durkin</a></span> <br> <span class="nobold">1.a3: <a href="Anderssen's_Opening" title="Anderssen's Opening">Anderssen</a></span>

</p>

</div></td><td class="navbox-list" style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;padding:0px;text-align:center;background:#ffefcf;width:12.5%;"><div>

<p><span class="nobold">1.b3: <br> <a href="Nimzowitsch%E2%80%93Larsen_Attack" title="Nimzowitsch–Larsen Attack">Nimzowitsch–Larsen</a></span>

</p>

</div></td><td class="navbox-list" style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;padding:0px;text-align:center;background:#dfbf8f;width:12.5%;"><div>

<p><span class="nobold">1.Nc3: <a href="Dunst_Opening" title="Dunst Opening">Dunst</a></span> <br> <span class="nobold">1.c3: <a href="Saragossa_Opening" title="Saragossa Opening">Saragossa</a></span>

</p>

</div></td><td class="navbox-list" style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;padding:0px;text-align:center;background:#ffefcf;width:12.5%;"><div>

<p><span class="nobold">1.d3: <br> <a href="Mieses_Opening" title="Mieses Opening">Mieses</a></span>

</p>

</div></td><td class="navbox-list" style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;padding:0px;text-align:center;background:#dfbf8f;width:12.5%;"><div>

<p><span class="nobold">1.e3: <br> <a href="Van_'t_Kruijs_Opening" title="Van 't Kruijs Opening">Van 't Kruijs</a></span>

</p>

</div></td><td class="navbox-list" style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;padding:0px;text-align:center;background:#ffefcf;width:12.5%;"><div>

<p><span class="nobold">1.Nf3: <a href="Zukertort_Opening" title="Zukertort Opening">Zukertort</a></span> <span class="nobold"><br> 1.f3: <a href="Barnes_Opening" title="Barnes Opening">Barnes</a></span>

</p>

</div></td><td class="navbox-list" style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;padding:0px;text-align:center;background:#dfbf8f;width:12.5%;"><div>

<p><span class="nobold">1.g3: <br> <a href="King's_Fianchetto_Opening" title="King's Fianchetto Opening">Benko</a></span>

</p>

</div></td><td class="navbox-list" style="border-left:2px solid #fdfdfd;padding:0px;text-align:center;background:#ffefcf;width:12.5%;"><div>

<p><span class="nobold">1.Nh3: <a href="Amar_Opening" title="Amar Opening">Amar</a></span> <br> <span class="nobold">1.h3: <a href="Clemenz_Opening" title="Clemenz Opening">Clemenz</a></span>

</p>

</div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>

<div class="navbox-styles"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Chess445" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Chess445" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="Chess" title="Chess">Chess</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="Outline_of_chess" title="Outline of chess">Outline</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Chess_theory" title="Chess theory">Chess theory</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_title" title="Chess title">Chess titles</a>

<ul><li><a href="Grandmaster_(chess)" title="Grandmaster (chess)">Grandmaster</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Computer_chess" title="Computer chess">Computer chess</a>

<ul><li><a href="Glossary_of_computer_chess_terms" title="Glossary of computer chess terms">glossary</a></li>

<li><a href="Human%E2%80%93computer_chess_matches" title="Human–computer chess matches">matches</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_engine" title="Chess engine">engines</a></li>

<li><a href="List_of_chess_software" title="List of chess software">software</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Correspondence_chess" title="Correspondence chess">Correspondence chess</a></li>

<li><a href="Glossary_of_chess" title="Glossary of chess">Glossary</a></li>

<li><a href="Online_chess" title="Online chess">Online chess</a>

<ul><li><a href="Premove" title="Premove">Premove</a></li>

<li><a href="Internet_chess_server" class="mw-redirect" title="Internet chess server">Internet chess server</a>

<li><a href="Chess_rating_system" title="Chess rating system">Rating system</a>

<ul><li><a href="FIDE_world_rankings" class="mw-redirect" title="FIDE world rankings">world rankings</a></li>

<li><a href="Norm_(chess)" title="Norm (chess)">norms</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Chess_variant" title="Chess variant">Variants</a>

<li><a href="List_of_world_records_in_chess" title="List of world records in chess">World records</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="Chess_equipment" title="Chess equipment">Equipment</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Chess_set" title="Chess set">Chess set</a>

<ul><li><a href="Chessboard" title="Chessboard">chessboard</a></li>

<li><a href="Dubrovnik_chess_set" title="Dubrovnik chess set">Dubrovnik chess set</a></li>

<li><a href="Staunton_chess_set" title="Staunton chess set">Staunton chess set</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Chess_piece" title="Chess piece">Chess pieces</a>

<li><a href="Queen_(chess)" title="Queen (chess)">Queen</a></li>

<li><a href="Bishop_(chess)" title="Bishop (chess)">Bishop</a></li>

<li><a href="Knight_(chess)" title="Knight (chess)">Knight</a></li>

<li><a href="Fairy_chess_piece" title="Fairy chess piece">Fairy</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Chess_clock" title="Chess clock">Chess clock</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_table" title="Chess table">Chess table</a></li>

<li><dfn><a href="Glossary_of_chess#score_sheets" title="Glossary of chess"><span title="See entry at: Glossary of chess § Score sheets" style="color:inherit;" class="glossary-link">Score sheets</span></a></dfn></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="History_of_chess" title="History of chess">History</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Timeline_of_chess" title="Timeline of chess">Timeline</a>

<ul><li><i><a href="Versus_de_scachis" title="Versus de scachis">Versus de scachis</a></i></li>

<li><i><a href="G%C3%B6ttingen_manuscript" title="Göttingen manuscript">Göttingen manuscript</a></i></li>

<li><a href="Charlemagne_chessmen" title="Charlemagne chessmen">Charlemagne chessmen</a></li>

<li><a href="Lewis_chessmen" title="Lewis chessmen">Lewis chessmen</a></li>

<li><a href="Romantic_chess" title="Romantic chess">Romantic chess</a></li>

<li><a href="Hypermodernism_(chess)" title="Hypermodernism (chess)">Hypermodernism</a></li>

<li><a href="Soviet_chess_school" title="Soviet chess school">Soviet chess school</a></li>

<li><a href="Comparison_of_top_chess_players_throughout_history" title="Comparison of top chess players throughout history">Top player comparison</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Geography_of_chess" title="Geography of chess">Geography of chess</a>

<ul><li><a href="Chess_in_Africa" title="Chess in Africa">Africa</a>

<ul><li><a href="Chess_in_South_Africa" title="Chess in South Africa">South Africa</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Chess_in_China" title="Chess in China">China</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_in_Europe" title="Chess in Europe">Europe</a>

<ul><li><a href="Chess_in_Armenia" title="Chess in Armenia">Armenia</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_in_Spain" title="Chess in Spain">Spain</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Chess_in_India" title="Chess in India">India</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="List_of_chess_games" title="List of chess games">Notable games</a></li>

<li><a href="List_of_chess_players" title="List of chess players">List of chess players</a>

<ul><li><a href="List_of_amateur_chess_players" title="List of amateur chess players">amateurs</a></li>

<li><a href="List_of_female_chess_players" title="List of female chess players">female</a></li>

<li><a href="List_of_chess_grandmasters" title="List of chess grandmasters">grandmasters</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Women_in_chess" title="Women in chess">Women in chess</a></li>

<li><a href="Transgender_people_in_chess" title="Transgender people in chess">Transgender people in chess</a></li>

<li>Chess museums

<ul><li><a href="Bobby_Fischer_Center" title="Bobby Fischer Center">Bobby Fischer Center</a></li>

<li><a href="G%C3%B6kyay_Association_Chess_Museum" title="Gökyay Association Chess Museum">Gökyay Association Chess Museum</a></li>

<li><a href="World_Chess_Hall_of_Fame" title="World Chess Hall of Fame">World Chess Hall of Fame</a></li></ul></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="Rules_of_chess" title="Rules of chess">Rules</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Castling" title="Castling">Castling</a></li>

<li><a href="Cheating_in_chess" title="Cheating in chess">Cheating in chess</a></li>

<li><a href="Check_(chess)" title="Check (chess)">Check</a></li>

<li><a href="Checkmate" title="Checkmate">Checkmate</a></li>

<ul><li><a href="Draw_by_agreement" title="Draw by agreement">by agreement</a></li>

<li><a href="Fifty-move_rule" title="Fifty-move rule">Fifty-move rule</a></li>

<li><a href="Perpetual_check" title="Perpetual check">Perpetual check</a></li>

<li><a href="Stalemate" title="Stalemate">Stalemate</a></li>

<li><a href="Threefold_repetition" title="Threefold repetition">Threefold repetition</a></li></ul></li>

<li><i><a href="En_passant" title="En passant">En passant</a></i></li>

<li><a href="Promotion_(chess)" title="Promotion (chess)">Pawn promotion</a></li>

<li><a href="Time_control" title="Time control">Time control</a>

<ul><li><a href="Fast_chess" title="Fast chess">Fast chess</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Touch-move_rule" title="Touch-move rule">Touch-move rule</a></li>

<li><a href="White_and_Black_in_chess" title="White and Black in chess">White and Black</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="Glossary_of_chess" title="Glossary of chess">Terms</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Blunder_(chess)" title="Blunder (chess)">Blunder</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_notation" title="Chess notation">Chess notation</a>

<ul><li><a href="Algebraic_notation_(chess)" title="Algebraic notation (chess)">algebraic</a></li>

<li><a href="Descriptive_notation" title="Descriptive notation">descriptive</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_annotation_symbols" title="Chess annotation symbols">annotation symbols</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_symbols_in_Unicode" title="Chess symbols in Unicode">symbols in Unicode</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Fianchetto" title="Fianchetto">Fianchetto</a></li>

<li><a href="Gambit" title="Gambit">Gambit</a></li>

<li><a href="Key_square" title="Key square">Key square</a></li>

<li><a href="Outpost_(chess)" title="Outpost (chess)">Outpost</a></li>

<li><a href="Pawn_(chess)" title="Pawn (chess)">Pawns</a>

<ul><li><a href="Backward_pawn" title="Backward pawn">backward</a></li>

<li><a href="Connected_pawns" title="Connected pawns">connected</a></li>

<li><a href="Doubled_pawns" title="Doubled pawns">doubled</a></li>

<li><a href="Isolated_pawn" title="Isolated pawn">isolated</a></li>

<li><a href="Passed_pawn" title="Passed pawn">passed</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Swindle_(chess)" title="Swindle (chess)">Swindle</a></li>

<li><a href="Tempo_(chess)" title="Tempo (chess)">Tempo</a></li>

<li><a href="Transposition_(chess)" title="Transposition (chess)">Transposition</a></li>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="Chess_tactic" title="Chess tactic">Tactics</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Castling#Artificial_castling" title="Castling">Artificial castling</a></li>

<li><a href="Battery_(chess)" title="Battery (chess)">Battery</a>

<ul><li><a href="Alekhine's_gun" title="Alekhine's gun">Alekhine's gun</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Block_(chess)" title="Block (chess)">Block</a></li>

<li><a href="Checkmate_pattern" title="Checkmate pattern">Checkmate patterns</a></li>

<li><a href="Combination_(chess)" title="Combination (chess)">Combination</a></li>

<li><a href="Decoy_(chess)" title="Decoy (chess)">Decoy</a></li>

<li><a href="Deflection_(chess)" title="Deflection (chess)">Deflection</a></li>

<li><a href="Desperado_(chess)" title="Desperado (chess)">Desperado</a></li>

<li><a href="Discovered_attack" title="Discovered attack">Discovered attack</a></li>

<li><a href="Double_check" title="Double check">Double check</a></li>

<li><a href="Interference_(chess)" title="Interference (chess)">Interference</a></li>

<li><a href="Overloading_(chess)" title="Overloading (chess)">Overloading</a></li>

<li><a href="Pawn_storm" title="Pawn storm">Pawn storm</a></li>

<li><a href="Sacrifice_(chess)" title="Sacrifice (chess)">Sacrifice</a>

<ul><li><a href="Queen_sacrifice" title="Queen sacrifice">Queen sacrifice</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Skewer_(chess)" title="Skewer (chess)">Skewer</a></li>

<li><a href="Undermining_(chess)" title="Undermining (chess)">Undermining</a></li>

<li><a href="Windmill_(chess)" title="Windmill (chess)">Windmill</a></li>

<li><a href="Zwischenzug" title="Zwischenzug">Zwischenzug</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="Chess_strategy" title="Chess strategy">Strategy</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Compensation_(chess)" title="Compensation (chess)">Compensation</a></li>

<li><a href="Exchange_(chess)" title="Exchange (chess)">Exchange</a>

<ul><li><a href="The_exchange_(chess)" title="The exchange (chess)">the exchange</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Initiative_(chess)" title="Initiative (chess)">Initiative</a>

<ul><li><a href="First-move_advantage_in_chess" title="First-move advantage in chess">first-move advantage</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Chess_middlegame" title="Chess middlegame">Middlegame</a></li>

<li><a href="Pawn_structure" title="Pawn structure">Pawn structure</a>

<ul><li><a href="Hedgehog_(chess)" title="Hedgehog (chess)">Hedgehog</a></li>

<li><a href="Isolated_pawn" title="Isolated pawn">Isolated Queen's Pawn</a></li>

<li><a href="Mar%C3%B3czy_Bind" title="Maróczy Bind">Maróczy Bind</a></li>

<li><a href="Minority_attack" title="Minority attack">Minority attack</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Chess_piece_relative_value" title="Chess piece relative value">Piece values</a></li>

<li><a href="Prophylaxis_(chess)" title="Prophylaxis (chess)">Prophylaxis</a></li>

<li><a href="School_of_chess" title="School of chess">School of chess</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="Flank_opening" title="Flank opening">Flank opening</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="King's_Fianchetto_Opening" title="King's Fianchetto Opening">Benko Opening</a></li>

<li><a href="Bird's_Opening" title="Bird's Opening">Bird's Opening</a></li>

<li><a href="Dunst_Opening" title="Dunst Opening">Dunst Opening</a></li>

<li><a href="English_Opening" title="English Opening">English Opening</a></li>

<li><a href="Grob's_Attack" title="Grob's Attack">Grob's Attack</a></li>

<li><a href="Larsen's_Opening" class="mw-redirect" title="Larsen's Opening">Larsen's Opening</a></li>

<li><a href="Zukertort_Opening" title="Zukertort Opening">Zukertort Opening</a>

<ul><li><a href="King's_Indian_Attack" title="King's Indian Attack">King's Indian Attack</a></li>

<li><a href="R%C3%A9ti_Opening" title="Réti Opening">Réti Opening</a></li></ul></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="King's_Pawn_Game" title="King's Pawn Game">King's Pawn Game</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Alekhine's_Defence" title="Alekhine's Defence">Alekhine's Defence</a></li>

<li><a href="Caro%E2%80%93Kann_Defence" title="Caro–Kann Defence">Caro–Kann Defence</a></li>

<li><a href="French_Defence" title="French Defence">French Defence</a></li>

<li><a href="Modern_Defense" title="Modern Defense">Modern Defence</a></li>

<li><a href="Nimzowitsch_Defence" title="Nimzowitsch Defence">Nimzowitsch Defence</a></li>

<ul><li><a href="Four_Knights_Game" title="Four Knights Game">Four Knights Game</a></li>

<li><a href="Giuoco_Piano" title="Giuoco Piano">Giuoco Piano</a></li>

<li><a href="Italian_Game" title="Italian Game">Italian Game</a></li>

<li><a href="King's_Gambit" title="King's Gambit">King's Gambit</a></li>

<li><a href="Petrov's_Defence" title="Petrov's Defence">Petrov's Defence</a></li>

<li><a href="Philidor_Defence" title="Philidor Defence">Philidor Defence</a></li>

<li><a href="Ponziani_Opening" title="Ponziani Opening">Ponziani Opening</a></li>

<li><a href="Ruy_Lopez" title="Ruy Lopez">Ruy Lopez</a></li>

<li><a href="Semi-Italian_Opening" title="Semi-Italian Opening">Semi-Italian Opening</a></li>

<li><a href="Scotch_Game" title="Scotch Game">Scotch Game</a></li>

<li><a href="Two_Knights_Defense" title="Two Knights Defense">Two Knights Defense</a></li>

<li><a href="Vienna_Game" title="Vienna Game">Vienna Game</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Owen's_Defence" title="Owen's Defence">Owen's Defence</a></li>

<li><a href="Pirc_Defence" title="Pirc Defence">Pirc Defence</a>

<ul><li><a href="Pirc_Defence%2C_Austrian_Attack" title="Pirc Defence, Austrian Attack">Austrian Attack</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Scandinavian_Defense" title="Scandinavian Defense">Scandinavian Defense</a></li>

<li><a href="Sicilian_Defence" title="Sicilian Defence">Sicilian Defence</a>

<ul><li><a href="Sicilian_Defence%2C_Alapin_Variation" title="Sicilian Defence, Alapin Variation">Alapin</a></li>

<li><a href="Sicilian_Defence%2C_Dragon_Variation" title="Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation">Dragon</a>/<a href="Sicilian_Defence%2C_Accelerated_Dragon" title="Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Dragon">Accelerated Dragon</a></li>

<li><a href="Sicilian_Defence%2C_Najdorf_Variation" title="Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation">Najdorf</a></li>

<li><a href="Sicilian_Defence%2C_Scheveningen_Variation" title="Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variation">Scheveningen</a></li></ul></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="Queen's_Pawn_Game" title="Queen's Pawn Game">Queen's Pawn Game</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Budapest_Gambit" title="Budapest Gambit">Budapest Gambit</a></li>

<li><a href="Colle_System" title="Colle System">Colle System</a></li>

<li><a href="Dutch_Defence" title="Dutch Defence">Dutch Defence</a></li>

<li><a href="English_Defence" title="English Defence">English Defence</a></li>

<li><a href="Indian_Defence" title="Indian Defence">Indian Defence</a>

<ul><li><a href="Benoni_Defense" title="Benoni Defense">Benoni Defence</a></li>

<li><a href="Modern_Benoni" title="Modern Benoni">Modern Benoni</a></li>

<li><a href="Bogo-Indian_Defence" title="Bogo-Indian Defence">Bogo-Indian Defence</a></li>

<li><a href="Catalan_Opening" title="Catalan Opening">Catalan Opening</a></li>

<li><a href="Gr%C3%BCnfeld_Defence" title="Grünfeld Defence">Grünfeld Defence</a></li>

<li><a href="King's_Indian_Defence" title="King's Indian Defence">King's Indian Defence</a></li>

<li><a href="Nimzo-Indian_Defence" title="Nimzo-Indian Defence">Nimzo-Indian Defence</a></li>

<li><a href="Old_Indian_Defense" title="Old Indian Defense">Old Indian Defense</a></li>

<li><a href="Queen's_Indian_Defense" title="Queen's Indian Defense">Queen's Indian Defence</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="London_System" title="London System">London System</a></li>

<li><a href="Richter%E2%80%93Veresov_Attack" title="Richter–Veresov Attack">Richter–Veresov Attack</a></li>

<li><a href="Queen's_Gambit" title="Queen's Gambit">Queen's Gambit</a>

<ul><li><a href="Queen's_Gambit_Accepted" title="Queen's Gambit Accepted">Accepted</a></li>

<li><a href="Queen's_Gambit_Declined" title="Queen's Gambit Declined">Declined</a></li>

<li><a href="Slav_Defense" title="Slav Defense">Slav Defence</a></li>

<li><a href="Semi-Slav_Defense" title="Semi-Slav Defense">Semi-Slav Defence</a></li>

<li><a href="Chigorin_Defense" title="Chigorin Defense">Chigorin Defense</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Torre_Attack" title="Torre Attack">Torre Attack</a></li>

<li><a href="Trompowsky_Attack" title="Trompowsky Attack">Trompowsky Attack</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="List_of_chess_openings" title="List of chess openings">List of openings</a>

<ul><li><a href="Chess_opening_theory_table" title="Chess opening theory table">theory table</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="List_of_chess_gambits" title="List of chess gambits">List of chess gambits</a></li>

<li><a href="Irregular_chess_opening" title="Irregular chess opening">Irregular</a>

<ul><li><a href="Bongcloud_Attack" title="Bongcloud Attack">Bongcloud Attack</a></li>

<li><a href="Scholar's_mate" title="Scholar's mate">Scholar's mate</a></li></ul></li></ul>

</div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="Chess_endgame" title="Chess endgame">Endgames</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Bishop_and_knight_checkmate" title="Bishop and knight checkmate">Bishop and knight checkmate</a></li>

<li><a href="Opposite-colored_bishops_endgame" title="Opposite-colored bishops endgame">Opposite-coloured bishops</a></li>

<li><a href="Pawnless_chess_endgame" title="Pawnless chess endgame">Pawnless endgame</a></li>

<li><a href="Queen_and_pawn_versus_queen_endgame" title="Queen and pawn versus queen endgame">Queen and pawn vs. queen</a></li>

<li><a href="Queen_versus_pawn_endgame" title="Queen versus pawn endgame">Queen vs. pawn</a></li>

<li><a href="Queen_versus_rook_endgame" title="Queen versus rook endgame">Queen vs. rook</a></li>

<li><a href="Rook_and_bishop_versus_rook_endgame" title="Rook and bishop versus rook endgame">Rook and bishop vs. rook</a></li>

<ul><li><a href="Lucena_position" title="Lucena position">Lucena position</a></li>

<li><a href="Philidor_position" title="Philidor position">Philidor position</a></li></ul></li>

<li>Strategy

<ul><li><a href="Fortress_(chess)" title="Fortress (chess)">fortress</a></li>

<li><a href="Opposition_(chess)" title="Opposition (chess)">opposition</a></li>

<li><a href="Tarrasch_rule" title="Tarrasch rule">Tarrasch rule</a></li>

<li><a href="Triangulation_(chess)" title="Triangulation (chess)">triangulation</a></li>

<li><a href="Zugzwang" title="Zugzwang">Zugzwang</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Endgame_study" title="Endgame study">Study</a></li>

<li><a href="Endgame_tablebase" title="Endgame tablebase">Tablebase</a></li>

<li><a href="Two_knights_endgame" title="Two knights endgame">Two knights endgame</a></li>

<li><a href="Wrong_bishop" title="Wrong bishop">Wrong bishop</a></li>

<li><a href="Wrong_rook_pawn" title="Wrong rook pawn">Wrong rook pawn</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="Chess_tournament" title="Chess tournament">Tournaments</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="List_of_strong_chess_tournaments" title="List of strong chess tournaments">List of strong chess tournaments</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_Olympiad" title="Chess Olympiad">Chess Olympiad</a>

<ul><li><a href="Women's_Chess_Olympiad" title="Women's Chess Olympiad">Women</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="World_Chess_Championship" title="World Chess Championship">World Chess Championship</a>

<li><a href="Candidates_Tournament" title="Candidates Tournament">Candidates Tournament</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_World_Cup" title="Chess World Cup">Chess World Cup</a></li>

<li><a href="FIDE_Grand_Prix" title="FIDE Grand Prix">FIDE Grand Prix</a></li></ul></li>

<li>Other world championships

<ul><li><a href="Women's_World_Chess_Championship" title="Women's World Chess Championship">Women</a></li>

<li><a href="World_Rapid_Chess_Championship" title="World Rapid Chess Championship">Rapid</a></li>

<li><a href="World_Blitz_Chess_Championship" title="World Blitz Chess Championship">Blitz</a></li>

<li><a href="World_Junior_Chess_Championship" title="World Junior Chess Championship">Junior</a></li>

<li><a href="World_Youth_Chess_Championship" title="World Youth Chess Championship">Youth</a></li>

<li><a href="World_Senior_Chess_Championship" title="World Senior Chess Championship">Senior</a></li>

<li><a href="World_Amateur_Chess_Championship" title="World Amateur Chess Championship">Amateur</a></li>

<li><a href="World_Championship_of_Chess_Composition" title="World Championship of Chess Composition">Chess composition</a></li>

<li><a href="World_Chess_Solving_Championship" title="World Chess Solving Championship">Solving</a></li></ul></li>

<li>Computer chess championships

<li><a href="North_American_Computer_Chess_Championship" title="North American Computer Chess Championship">North American</a></li>

<li><a href="World_Computer_Speed_Chess_Championship" title="World Computer Speed Chess Championship">WCSCC</a></li></ul></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Art and media</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Ca%C3%AFssa" title="Caïssa">Caïssa</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_aesthetics" title="Chess aesthetics">Chess aesthetics</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_in_the_arts" title="Chess in the arts">Chess in the arts</a>

<ul><li><a href="Chess_in_early_literature" title="Chess in early literature">early literature</a></li>

<li>novels</li>

<li>paintings</li>

<li>poetry</li>

<li>short stories</li></ul></li>

<li><a href="List_of_chess_books" title="List of chess books">Chess books</a>

<ul><li><a href="Chess_opening_book" title="Chess opening book">opening books</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_endgame_literature" title="Chess endgame literature">endgame literature</a></li>

<li><a href="The_Oxford_Companion_to_Chess" title="The Oxford Companion to Chess"><i>Oxford Companion</i></a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Chess_libraries" title="Chess libraries">Chess libraries</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_columns_in_newspapers" title="Chess columns in newspapers">Chess newspaper columns</a></li>

<li><a href="List_of_chess_periodicals" title="List of chess periodicals">Chess periodicals</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Related</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Arbiter_(chess)" title="Arbiter (chess)">Arbiter</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_boxing" title="Chess boxing">Chess boxing</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_club" title="Chess club">Chess club</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_composer" title="Chess composer">Chess composer</a></li>

<li><a href="Chess_engine" title="Chess engine">Chess engine</a>

<ul><li><a href="AlphaZero" title="AlphaZero">AlphaZero</a></li>

<li><a href="Leela_Chess_Zero" title="Leela Chess Zero">Leela Chess Zero</a></li>

<li><a href="Mittens_(chess)" title="Mittens (chess)">Mittens</a></li>

<li><a href="Stockfish_(chess)" title="Stockfish (chess)">Stockfish</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Chess_problem" title="Chess problem">Chess problem</a>

<ul><li><a href="Glossary_of_chess_problems" title="Glossary of chess problems">glossary</a></li>

<li><a href="Joke_chess_problem" title="Joke chess problem">joke chess</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Chess_prodigy" title="Chess prodigy">Chess prodigy</a></li>

<li><a href="Elo_rating_system" title="Elo rating system">Elo rating system</a></li>

<li><a href="Mechanical_Turk" title="Mechanical Turk">Mechanical Turk</a></li>

<li><a href="Simultaneous_exhibition" title="Simultaneous exhibition">Simultaneous exhibition</a></li>

<li><a href="Tie-breaking_in_Swiss-system_tournaments" title="Tie-breaking in Swiss-system tournaments">Tie-breaking in Swiss-system tournaments</a></li>

<li><a href="Solving_chess" title="Solving chess">Solving chess</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div>

<ul><li><span class="nowrap"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"></span> </span><a href="Portal%3AChess" title="Portal:Chess">Chess portal</a></li>

<li>Category</li></ul>

</div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>

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