Openings

Opening strategy refers to the specific moves and principles employed during the first few moves of a chess game, with the goal of gaining an early advantage or controlling key positions on the board. The first stage of a chess game is opening. It’s surprising how often good players find themselves in unfavorable positions within […]

1.d4 gambits are some of the most important gambits in chess. When it comes to opening preparation, it makes sense to devote more time to more popular variations. This way, you can be better prepared in the lines that are more likely to happen in your games. On the other hand, it makes you more […]

Nimzo-Indian Defense is named after Aron Nimzowitsch, a Latvian chess grandmaster who was one of the leading players of the early 20th century. The Nimzo-Indian Defense was first played by Nimzowitsch in the 1920s, and it quickly became a popular opening among top-level players.

Rossolimo Attack: Black does not play the Sicilian to play the meek lamb against White’s e4. It’s getting ready for some action. Then he plays the knight to c6, grabbing the exact squares that White’s f3-knight is trying to control. Oops! It’s not going to be easy it seems.

Four Knights Game – Scotch Variation: Opening trends change all the time. People play whatever is played the most at the top level, whether that opening suits them or not. Many players like to follow the latest trends, dictated by the leading experts in the opening.

In the previous post, I shared the opening that IM Ratkovic found to work exceptionally well for his students. Quick reminder… Four Knights Game Scotch Variation (FNGSV).

I have some VERY interesting insight to share with you today… that will make opening play whole a lot simpler for you. IM Milovan Ratkovic was going behind the scenes into the opening preparation of his students.

The best approach for dealing with the Sicilian Defense depends on your personal playing style and preferences. As White, you can choose to play sharp, theoretical lines or adopt a more positional strategy. If you prefer to avoid extensive study of theory but still want to take the initiative from the start of the game, […]

If you want to play for a win with Black pieces, you should have fighting openings in your repertoire. Such openings keep the game tense and don’t allow White to trade many pieces early. It is also nice if it gives Black attacking possibilities. Against 1.d4, one of such openings is the Dutch Defense. With […]

Wing Gambit: Sicilian Defense is one of the most common responses against 1.e4. So, if you play 1.e4 you really have two options…