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Openings

Each board shows the position that names the opening. Hover it, or press the play button, to see how it is reached.

Play
A free game against the rival. You can leave the theory whenever you like.
Practise
Strict mode: only the move of the line counts. A line is mastered after 3 clean runs in a row.

1.e4 e5: open games

5 openings

  • Ruy Lopez (Spanish Opening)

    For White 5 lines

    White pressures the c6 knight, the defender of the e5 pawn, aiming for a lasting edge.

    5 lines, not started

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    ECO C60-C99

  • Italian Game

    For White 4 lines

    The bishop aims at f7, the weak point near the black king, while White prepares c3 and d4 to take the .

    4 lines, not started

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    ECO C50-C59

  • Scotch Game

    For White 6 lines

    White opens the with and the d-pawn for Black’s e-pawn: free piece play and a little extra .

    6 lines, not started

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    ECO C44-C45

  • Petrov's Defence (Russian Game)

    For Black 5 lines

    Black counterattacks e4 instead of defending e5: a symmetrical, very solid defence valued for its reliability at top level.

    5 lines, not started

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    ECO C42-C43

  • King's Gambit

    For White 7 lines

    White the f-pawn to deflect the e5 pawn, open the f-file and build a with d4. A romantic, aggressive opening: engines rate it slightly worse for White, but it is playable theory.

    7 lines, not started

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    ECO C30-C39

Sicilian Defence

4 openings

  • Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation

    For Black 4 lines

    With Black controls b5 and keeps both and in reserve; sharp, unbalanced positions.

    4 lines, not started

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    ECO B90-B99

  • Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation

    For Black 6 lines

    Black the bishop on g7 to rake the . Against the Yugoslav Attack the game becomes a race of attacks with opposite-side .

    6 lines, not started

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    ECO B70-B79

  • Sicilian Defence, Sveshnikov Variation

    For Black 5 lines

    Black accepts a permanent hole on d5 and a backward d6 pawn in return for , and active pieces. Dynamic and highly respected at top level.

    5 lines, not started

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    ECO B33

  • Sicilian Defence, Alapin Variation

    For White 5 lines

    With White prepares d4 to keep a pawn and sidestep the most theoretical Open Sicilians.

    5 lines, not started

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    ECO B22

Other defences to 1.e4

4 openings

  • French Defence

    For Black 6 lines

    Black accepts less for a solid and counterplay with and .

    6 lines, not started

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    ECO C00-C19

  • Caro-Kann Defence

    For Black 4 lines

    Black prepares with to contest the without locking in the light-squared bishop.

    4 lines, not started

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    ECO B10-B19

  • Scandinavian Defence

    For Black 6 lines

    Black hits e4 on move one and regains the pawn with the queen or the knight. A simple, solid that is easy to learn.

    6 lines, not started

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    ECO B01

  • Pirc Defence

    For Black 6 lines

    Black allows a broad white and undermines it later with or and pressure from the g7 bishop.

    6 lines, not started

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    ECO B07-B09

1.d4 d5: closed games

4 openings

  • Queen's Gambit Declined

    For Black 5 lines

    Black keeps the d5 pawn with : a solid, classical approach. The challenge is freeing the c8 bishop and with or .

    5 lines, not started

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    ECO D30-D69

  • Queen's Gambit Accepted

    For Black 6 lines

    Black takes the c4 pawn to gain and hit the with or , without trying to keep it.

    6 lines, not started

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    ECO D20-D29

  • Slav Defence

    For Black 5 lines

    Black defends d5 with , leaving the c8 bishop free to reach f5 or g4 before .

    5 lines, not started

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    ECO D10-D19

  • London System

    For White 6 lines

    A White system built on , e3, c3 and : a solid structure that works against almost any defence, with less theory than the Queen's Gambit.

    6 lines, not started

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    ECO D02

Indian defences

3 openings

  • King's Indian Defence

    For Black 7 lines

    Black concedes the early, planning to strike at it with or . In the closed lines each side attacks on a different .

    7 lines, not started

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    ECO E60-E99

  • Nimzo-Indian Defence

    For Black 6 lines

    With Black the c3 knight to stop e4, often bishop for knight to damage White's .

    6 lines, not started

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    ECO E20-E59

  • Grünfeld Defence

    For Black 5 lines

    Black lets White build a big with e4 and then attacks it with the g7 bishop and . A highly dynamic opening.

    5 lines, not started

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    ECO D70-D99

Flank openings

1 opening

  • English Opening

    For White 5 lines

    White controls d5 from the with , often with a kingside . Flexible positional play that can transpose into many openings.

    5 lines, not started

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    ECO A10-A39

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About the openings

An opening is easier to learn by playing it than by reading about it. Here each opening is a tree of moves with its main line and a selection of the opponent’s replies, and the key moves carry a short note on what they are for. There are openings for White and for Black, grouped by family: those that start by advancing the king’s pawn, those with the queen’s pawn, and a few others.

You can play an opening in two ways. In a free game, the opponent answers with our lines and, once they run out or you leave them, Stockfish takes over. In strict mode only the move of the line counts, and a line is mastered once you complete it three times in a row without a mistake. That way you know what you have memorised and what is still missing.