Chess Openings
Pick an opening to see its main ideas and the mistakes club players make.
Practical guides to the openings you’ll actually face — the main line, the ideas, and the plans that win games. Then let your AI coach show you where you go wrong in your own.
Featured
Italian GameC50
A classic, principled opening — develop fast, aim the bishop at f7, and fight for the center.
Ruy Lopez (Spanish)C60
The Spanish — long-term pressure on Black’s center and knight. A favourite at every level.
Sicilian DefenseB20
Black’s most popular, most aggressive answer to 1.e4 — unbalanced, fighting chess.
French DefenseC00
Solid and strategic — Black builds a pawn chain and strikes the center with ...d5 and ...c5.
Caro-Kann DefenseB10
Sturdy and low-risk — challenge the center with ...d5 while keeping a sound structure.
Queen’s GambitD06
Not really a gambit — White pressures Black’s center and plays for a lasting space edge.
King’s Indian DefenseE60
Hand over the center, then storm it — Black fianchettoes and launches a kingside attack.
London SystemD02
A low-theory, reliable setup you can play against almost anything — develop and attack on autopilot.
Browse all openings
A Flank & English openings · 74
Irregular OpeningFlank & English openingsGrob AttackFlank & English openingsPolish OpeningFlank & English openingsAmar OpeningFlank & English openingsAmsterdam AttackFlank & English openingsAnderssen's OpeningFlank & English openingsBarnes OpeningFlank & English openingsClemenz OpeningFlank & English openingsGlobal OpeningFlank & English openingsGrob OpeningFlank & English openingsHungarian OpeningFlank & English openingsKadas OpeningFlank & English openingsLasker Simul SpecialFlank & English openingsMieses OpeningFlank & English openingsPolish Opening, with d5Flank & English openingsPolish Opening, with d5Flank & English openingsSaragossa OpeningFlank & English openingsSodium AttackFlank & English openingsValencia OpeningFlank & English openingsVan Geet OpeningFlank & English openingsVan't Kruijs OpeningFlank & English openingsWare OpeningFlank & English openingsNimzo-Larsen AttackFlank & English openingsBird's OpeningFlank & English openingsBird OpeningFlank & English openingsReti OpeningFlank & English openingsReti OpeningFlank & English openingsReti OpeningFlank & English openingsEnglish OpeningFlank & English openingsEnglish OrangutanFlank & English openingsEnglish OrangutanFlank & English openingsQueen's Pawn GameFlank & English openingsAustralian DefenseFlank & English openingsEnglish DefenseFlank & English openingsEnglish DefenseFlank & English openingsEnglund GambitFlank & English openingsEnglund Gambit DeclinedFlank & English openingsHorwitz DefenseFlank & English openingsKangaroo DefenseFlank & English openingsMikenas DefenseFlank & English openingsMontevideo DefenseFlank & English openingsPolish DefenseFlank & English openingsZaire DefenseFlank & English openingsModern DefenseFlank & English openingsTrompowsky AttackFlank & English openingsDöry DefenseFlank & English openingsYusupov-Rubinstein SystemFlank & English openingsDory DefenseFlank & English openingsMarienbad SystemFlank & English openingsPseudo Queen's Indian DefenseFlank & English openingsEast Indian DefenseFlank & English openingsLondon SystemFlank & English openingsLondon SystemFlank & English openingsLondon SystemFlank & English openingsLondon System, with Bd3Flank & English openingsLondon System, with Be2Flank & English openingsLondon System, with Be2Flank & English openingsLondon System, with Be2Flank & English openingsLondon SystemFlank & English openingsLondon SystemFlank & English openingsMexican DefenseFlank & English openingsQueen's Indian AcceleratedFlank & English openingsSlav IndianFlank & English openingsIndian DefenseFlank & English openingsBudapest GambitFlank & English openingsOld Indian DefenseFlank & English openingsBenoni DefenseFlank & English openingsVulture DefenseFlank & English openingsBenko GambitFlank & English openingsBenko Gambit AcceptedFlank & English openingsBenko GambitFlank & English openingsBenoni DefenseFlank & English openingsDutch DefenseFlank & English openingsDutch DefenseFlank & English openings
B Semi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann) · 42
Nimzowitsch DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Barnes DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Borg DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Carr DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Duras GambitSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Fried Fox DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Goldsmith DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Hippopotamus DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Hippopotamus DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)King's Pawn GameSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Lemming DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Nimzowitsch DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Owen DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Pirc DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Pirc DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Pirc DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)St. George DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Ware DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Scandinavian DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Scandinavian DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Alekhine DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Alekhine DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Alekhine DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Alekhine DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Modern DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Modern DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Pirc DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Czech DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Pirc DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Caro-Kann DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Caro-Kann DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Caro-Kann DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Caro-Kann DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Caro-Kann DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Caro-Kann DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Caro-Kann DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Sicilian DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Sicilian DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Sicilian DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Sicilian DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Sicilian DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)Sicilian DefenseSemi-open games (Sicilian, Caro-Kann)
C Open games & the French · 41
French DefenseOpen games & the FrenchKing's Pawn GameOpen games & the FrenchBongcloud AttackOpen games & the FrenchCenter GameOpen games & the FrenchKing's Pawn OpeningOpen games & the FrenchPortuguese OpeningOpen games & the FrenchCenter GameOpen games & the FrenchCenter Game AcceptedOpen games & the FrenchDanish GambitOpen games & the FrenchDanish Gambit AcceptedOpen games & the FrenchBishop's OpeningOpen games & the FrenchVienna GameOpen games & the FrenchVienna Gambit, with Max Lange DefenseOpen games & the FrenchKing's GambitOpen games & the FrenchKing's Gambit DeclinedOpen games & the FrenchKing's Gambit AcceptedOpen games & the FrenchKing's Knight OpeningOpen games & the FrenchElephant GambitOpen games & the FrenchGunderam DefenseOpen games & the FrenchLatvian GambitOpen games & the FrenchLatvian Gambit AcceptedOpen games & the FrenchPhilidor DefenseOpen games & the FrenchPetrov DefenseOpen games & the FrenchPetrov's DefenseOpen games & the FrenchPetrovs DefenseOpen games & the FrenchPetrovs DefenseOpen games & the FrenchPetrovs DefenseOpen games & the FrenchPetrovs DefenseOpen games & the FrenchPetrovs DefenseOpen games & the FrenchScotch GameOpen games & the FrenchIrish GambitOpen games & the FrenchPonziani OpeningOpen games & the FrenchScotch GameOpen games & the FrenchScotch GameOpen games & the FrenchScotch GameOpen games & the FrenchThree Knights GameOpen games & the FrenchThree Knights OpeningOpen games & the FrenchThree Knights OpeningOpen games & the FrenchFour Knights GameOpen games & the FrenchItalian GameOpen games & the FrenchRuy LopezOpen games & the French
D Closed & semi-closed games · 34
Queen's Pawn GameClosed & semi-closed gamesAmazon AttackClosed & semi-closed gamesBlackmar-Diemer GambitClosed & semi-closed gamesBlackmar-Diemer GambitClosed & semi-closed gamesBlackmar-Diemer Gambit AcceptedClosed & semi-closed gamesQueen's Pawn GameClosed & semi-closed gamesQueen's Pawn GameClosed & semi-closed gamesRapport-Jobava SystemClosed & semi-closed gamesRapport-Jobava SystemClosed & semi-closed gamesRapport-Jobava SystemClosed & semi-closed gamesRapport-Jobava System, with e6Closed & semi-closed gamesRichter-Veresov AttackClosed & semi-closed gamesRichter-Veresov AttackClosed & semi-closed gamesColle SystemClosed & semi-closed gamesRubinstein OpeningClosed & semi-closed gamesQueen's GambitClosed & semi-closed gamesSlav DefenseClosed & semi-closed gamesSlav DefenseClosed & semi-closed gamesSlav DefenseClosed & semi-closed gamesQueen's Gambit AcceptedClosed & semi-closed gamesQueen's Gambit AcceptedClosed & semi-closed gamesQueen's Gambit AcceptedClosed & semi-closed gamesQueen's Gambit AcceptedClosed & semi-closed gamesQueen's Gambit DeclinedClosed & semi-closed gamesQueen's Gambit DeclinedClosed & semi-closed gamesTarrasch DefenseClosed & semi-closed gamesQueen's Gambit DeclinedClosed & semi-closed gamesSemi-Slav DefenseClosed & semi-closed gamesSemi-Slav Defense AcceptedClosed & semi-closed gamesQueen's Gambit DeclinedClosed & semi-closed gamesQueen's Gambit DeclinedClosed & semi-closed gamesQueen's Gambit DeclinedClosed & semi-closed gamesNeo-Grunfeld DefenseClosed & semi-closed gamesGrunfeld DefenseClosed & semi-closed games
E Indian defenses · 10
Catalan OpeningIndian defensesQueen's Indian DefenseIndian defensesQueen's Indian DefenseIndian defensesNimzo-Indian DefenseIndian defensesNimzo-Indian DefenseIndian defensesNimzo-Indian DefenseIndian defensesKing's Indian DefenseIndian defensesQueen's Pawn, Mengarini AttackIndian defensesKing's Indian DefenseIndian defensesKing's Indian DefenseIndian defenses