Openings for White

Bird's Opening

White will fianchetto the queen bishop and blockade the a1-h8 diagonal while attacking black's center with the c-pawn.

1.f4
Bishop's Opening

An attempt by white to reach a quick, favorable development.

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4
Catalan Opening

Inhibits the development of black's queenside and thus avoids thq Queen's Indian Defense. The last move of the white night avoids the Nimzo-Indian Defense.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3
Center Game

A primitive attempt to control the central squares and get the queen out early. Ooga Booga!

1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4
Danish Gambit br> A two-pawn gambit for a strong development for white and a totally chaotic, open board game. You'd better have something up your sleeve!

1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.bc4 cxb2 5.Bxb2
English Opening

Characterized by fluid pawn formations and battles for control of the center. White will attempt to control the white squares by fianchettoing the bishop.

1.c4
Guioco Piano

An attempt to advance the center and start a quick attack in a wild and crazy open board game.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3
Guioco Pianissimo

Quieter, but more solid developing version of the Guioco Piano.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3
Goring Gambit

Sacrifices a pawn to clear away black's central pawn and facilitate white's development (similar to Danish Gambit).

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.c3
Grob's Attack

Spikes the king's side center of the board. Be prepared for Black to attack you on the very first move! Don't try this at home, kids.

1.g4??
King's Fianchetto Opeining

Transposes itself to any other opening (usually hypermodern) where white fianchettos the white bishop. Be careful though because that pawn can't go backwards and you are committed to a fianchetto!

1.g3
Kings Gambit

Gambles a pawn for a dominating center, better development, and a rapid attack on f7 using the KB file.

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4
King's Indian Attack

Passive but solid hypermodern opening for white. It is a path to follow based on different openings depending on black's play.

1.Nf3 2.g3 3.Bg2 4.0-0 5.d3 6.Nbd2 7.e4
Larsen's Opening

Instantly fianchettos the queens bishop. Just add water.

1.b3?!
Lisitsin Gambit

Attacks f5 and makes black's king side uncomfortable.

1.Nf3 f5 2.e4
Nimzowitch Attack

Using hypermodern restraing on his center pawns, white creates subtle pressure on black's center.

1.Nf3 d5 2.b3
Ponziani's Opening

Strives for a strong, two-pawn center and easy development.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3
Queen's Gambit

An attempt to occupy the center with pawns and undermine black's outpost in the center.

1.d4 d5 2.c4
Queen's Knight Attack

Flexible opening which allows transposition into other modern openings.

1.Nc3
Reti Opening

Opening demonstrating the hypermodern strategies of flexible restraint of the center pawns and the fianchetto of both bishops.

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4
Ruy Lopez

Puts pressure on black's center by putting pressure on the e- pawn. Also called the Spanish Opening.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
Scotch Game

Opens lines for white's development and takes away black's central outpost.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4
Sokolsky Opening

For players seeking tactics outside the norm. Creates pressure on the queenside. Also known as the Orangatang for obvious reasons.

1.b4?!
Vienna Game

Develops naturally, prevents d5, keeps the d1-h5 diagonal open, and fortifies the e-pawn.

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3
Miscellaneous Openings

Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: 1.d4 d5 2.e4
Richter-Veresov Attack: code>1.d4 d5 2.Nc3
Queen's Bishop Attack: 1.d4 d5 2.Bg5
Stonewall Variation: 1.d4 d5 2.e3
Torre Attack: 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5


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Defenses for Black

Alkheline's Defense

An attempt to provoke an advance of the center and use that as target practice once the attack subsides.

1.e4 Nf6
Baker Defense

Unusual king's pawn defense. Try this against an opponent at least 800 points weaker than you.

1.e4 a6??!
Basman Defense

Aims to provide a potential dagger against white's kingside and to open a diagonal versus white's queenside.

1.e4 g5?!
Benko Gambit

Black's knight pawn takes the dive for a slight lead in development, better pawn structure, and pressure along the a and b files.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5
Benoni Defense

Black obtains active pieces and a queenside pawn majority at toe cost of allowing white to expand in the center.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6
Bogo-Indian Defense

Black deploys the king's knight so that he has flexibility in deploying his pawns. There is no fianchetto involved.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+
Budapest Gambit

Gambles away a pawn for fast development and daring, open board play.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5
Caro-Kann Defense

Establishes a porcupine-like defense, attacking the center without blocking the queen's bishop.

1.e4 c6
Dutch Defense

Controls the e4 square and unbalances the position. Black can advance the kingside pawns, gain space and begin an attack.

1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.g3 e6
Four Knights Game

When you want to defeat your opponen by putting him to sleep.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6
French Defense

An attack on the light central squares. Although a maintenance headache, the isolated queen's pawn eventually causes havoc among white's forces. However, Your queen's bishop will never see the light of day.

1.e4 e6
Grunfeld Defense

Black allows white to establish a classical pawn center, and attacks the central squares from the flanks.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5
Hungarian Defense

A safe but passive defense for black, which avoids tactical play at the cost of allowing white more mobility.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7
King's Indian Defense

Black initially cedes the cener to white, but will attack it once he gets his pieces into the game.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6
Latvian Gambit

King's gambit with the colors reversed.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5
Leningrad Dutch Defense

Controls the e4 square and unbalances the position. Black's fiancettoed biship eyes the center and helps protect the kingside.

1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.g3 g6
Nimzo-Indian Defense

Black exerts pressure on the queenside and on the center, reducing white's influence in the center. Black looks to equalize with compensating strengths.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4
Nimzowitch Defense

An opening away from the trodden path that encourages defensive maneuvering.

1.e4 Nc6
Old Indian Defense

A flexible opening which allows black to place his pieces and pawns in many different configurations.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c6 d6
Owen's Defense

Add water for a queenside fianchetto.

1.e4 b6
Petrov's Defense

Counters white e-pawn threat with a threat of its own.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6
Philidor's Defense

Defense for patiente players who are content with a cramped but solid defense.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6
Pirc Defense

Hypermodern defense which immediately creates tense positional and tactical situations.

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6
Polish Defense Deferred

Loosens the queenside attack and quenches any hypermodern opening.

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 b5
Queens Indian Defense

Black looks for good squares for his pieces to fight for the central squares.

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 b6
Robatsch Defense

Immediately statrs a queenside attack by playing archery with the center pawns. It delays Nf6.

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7
Scandinavian Defense

Permits black to choose from the start a familiar defense and an immediate attack on the center

1.e4 d5
Sicillian Defense

An independant, civilized, and peaceful development, attacking the center from the flanks.

1.e4 c5
Slav Defense

Used against the queen's gambit. Aims at bolstering black's queen pawn without hemming in black's queen's bishop.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6
Tarrasch Defense

Used against the queen's gambit. Gives black immediate activity.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6
Three Knights Game

An attempt by black to avoid the boring lines of the Four Knights Game.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 g6 (or Bb4, Bc5)
Two Knights Defense

Invites white to attack the f7 pawn and then throws d5 into the bishop's face for a counterattack on the center.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6
Miscellaneous Defenses:

Polish Defense: 1.d4 b5
Queen's Knight Defense: 1.d4 Nc6
Albin Counter Gambit: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5
Blumenfeld Counter Gambit: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5

Source:
DeFermian, Nick and Korn, Walter, Modern Chess Openings, 13th ed., David McKay Co. Inc., 1990.

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