Openings

The most popular way to start the game is by moving the King’s pawn two squares forward. This move has been played for centuries and is the move that most beginners are taught to start with. It is one of the most correct first moves, as it opens two pieces, the Queen and the light-squared […]

Every chess player needs a good, reliable repertoire against 1.e4. There are many openings out there and you should weigh your choice well, but if you are looking for a classical opening that will help you learn chess in general, then you might want to look into replying with 1…e5. This is a repertoire that […]

The Queen’s Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4) is one of the most popular openings in chess. It is appreciated both by amateurs and strong players and we see it at every top-level tournament. Black can choose between many set-ups, with the main decision being made as early as move two – accept the gambit or not? […]

English Opening starts with 1.c4 and is known as a very solid choice for the white player. Solid, however, does not equal boring and drawish and the English Opening is the perfect example. Most of the time the positions are closed, but there are plenty of active ideas for both sides.

Tarrasch Defense is named after the German chess player, Doctor Siegbert Tarrasch, it is considered to be an ambitious, but sound opening. 1.d4 is generally considered as a solid option for white. The center remains closed for a longer time and we expect a long battle ahead. For active players, who prefer complications and are […]

Sicilian Defense is black’s most popular response to 1.e4. It is an opening employed at every level, from club players to top Grandmasters. There are many ways to play the Sicilian Defense and the resulting positions can be very different, which makes it a great opening choice for any player, regardless of their style. In […]

The Catalan Opening has been one of the most fashionable systems in recent years. White fianchettos the light-squared bishop and gains space on the queenside and the center with the pawns. This strategy puts Black under serious pressure and often leads to a risk-free advantage for White. Magnus Carlsen made the Catalan his main weapon […]

The rise of the Berlin Defense is one of the most notable changes chess theory has experienced in the 21st century. This opening was considered dubious about 20 years ago, but now almost every top grandmaster has it in their repertoire. Same as the Petroff Defense, the Berlin has caused a lot of headaches to […]

Want to master an opening preparation? Probably every chess player at some point starts wondering how the champions of different generations would play against each other if time-traveling existed. Would Jose Raul Capablanca or Alexander Alekhine be able to beat the current top players? What about Robert Fischer? People also wonder how a modern grandmaster […]

The London System for a long time was considered to be a harmless and unconventional opening for lazy players. Things have changed once the current world champion Magnus Carlsen started using it to beat the best players in the world. It immediately caught everyone’s attention, and the opening got a huge boost of popularity. Nowadays […]