Common chess openings (revision 1.

0, last edited: 2021-01-03) Page 1

1 Open games
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rZbl0skZ 8
rZbj0a0s 8
rZblkZ0s 8
rZblka0s 8
rZblkans
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Z0o0apop 7
opo0Zpop 7
opopZpop 7
opo0Zpop 7
opopZpop
6
pZno0m0Z 6
0ZpZ0Z0Z 6
0ZnZ0m0Z 6
0Z0Z0m0Z 6
0ZnZ0Z0Z
5
ZpZ0o0Z0 5
Z0Z0OnZ0 5
Z0a0o0Z0 5
m0ZPo0M0 5
Z0Z0Z0Z0
4
0Z0ZPZ0Z 4
0Z0Z0Z0Z 4
0ZBZPZ0Z 4
0ZBZ0Z0Z 4
0Z0MPZ0Z
3
ZBO0ZNZ0 3
Z0Z0ZNZ0 3
Z0OPZNZ0 3
Z0Z0Z0Z0 3
Z0Z0Z0Z0
2
PO0O0OPO 2
POPZ0OPO 2
PO0Z0OPO 2
POPO0OPO 2
POPZ0OPO
1
SNAQS0J0 1
SNA0ZRJ0 1
SNAQJ0ZR 1
SNAQJ0ZR 1
SNAQJBZR
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

Ruy Lopez: 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Ruy Lopez: 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Italian Game: 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 Italian game: 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 Scotch game: 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6
Bb5. Morphy Defence: 3...a6. Bb5. Berlin Defence: 3...Nf6. 3 Bc4. Giuoco Piano: 3...Bc5. 3 Bc4. Two Knights Defence: 3 d4 eXd4. Main line: 4 NXd4
Main line: 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 O-O Main line: 4 O-O NXe4 5 d4 Giuoco Pianissimo: 4 c3 Nf6 5 d3 3...Nf6. Main line: 4 Ng5 d5 5 (diagram), followed by
Be7 6 Re1 b5 7 Bb3 d6 8 c3 Nd6 6 BXc6 dXc6 7 dXe5 Nf5 (diagram) or Evans Gambit: 4 b4 eXd5 Na5 (diagram). Modern Classical: 4...Bc5 or Schmidt
O-O (diagram). 8 QXd8+ KXd8 (diagram). followed by 4...BXb4 5 c3. Bishop’s Opening: 4 d3 followed Variation: 4...Nf6. Other lines:
by 4...Be7 5 O-O O-O 6 Re1 d6. Scotch Gambit 4 Bc4, Göring
Gambit 4 c3.
8
rZblkZ0s 8
rZblkZ0s 8
rmblka0s 8
rmblkans 8
rmblkans
7
opopZpop 7
o0opZpop 7
opo0Zpop 7
opo0Z0op 7
opopZpZp
6
0ZnZ0m0Z 6
0ZpZ0m0Z 6
0Z0o0Z0Z 6
0Z0o0Z0Z 6
0Z0Z0Z0Z
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ZBZ0o0Z0 5
Z0Z0Z0Z0 5
Z0Z0Z0Z0 5
Z0Z0opZ0 5
Z0Z0Z0o0
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0a0ZPZ0Z 4
0a0ZPZ0Z 4
0Z0ZnZ0Z 4
0Z0OPZ0Z 4
0Z0ZPo0O
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Z0M0ZNZ0 3
Z0MBZ0Z0 3
Z0Z0ZNZ0 3
Z0Z0ZNZ0 3
Z0Z0ZNZ0
2
POPO0OPO 2
POPZ0OPO 2
POPO0OPO 2
POPZ0OPO 2
POPO0ZPZ
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S0AQJ0ZR 1
S0AQJ0ZR 1
SNAQJBZR 1
SNAQJBZR 1
SNAQJBZR
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

Four Knights Game: 1 e4 e5 2 Four Knights Game: 1 e4 e5 2 Petrov’s Defence: 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Philidor Defence: 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 King’s Gambit Accepted: 1 e4 e5 2
Nf3 Nc6 3 Nc3 Nf6. Spanish Nf3 Nc6 3 Nc3 Nf6. Scotch Nf6. Classical Variation: 3 d6. Main line: 3 d4 followed by f4 eXf4. Paris Attack: 3 Nf3 g5 4
lines: Double Spanish 4 Bb5 Four Knights Game: 4 d4, main NXe5 followed by 3...d6 4 Nf3 Philidor Countergambit 3...f5 h4 (diagram). Other lines: 4
Bb4 (diagram), Rubinstein line: 4...eXd4 5 NXd4 Bb4 6 NXe4 (diagram). Steinitz (diagram). Other lines: Bc4, 4 Nc3. Modern Defence:
4...Nd4 or Classical Variation NXc6 bXc6 7 Bd3 (diagram). Attack: 3 d4 followed by Exchange 3...eXd4, Nimzowitch 3...d5. Bishop’s Gambit: 3 Bc4
4...Bc5. 3...NXe4 or 3...eXd4 4 e5 3...Nf6 or Hanham Variation followed by 3...Nf6 or 3...d5.
Ne4. 3...Nd7.
8
rmblkans 8
rZblkans 8
rmblkans
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opo0Zpop 7
opopZpop 7
opopZpop
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0Z0Z0Z0Z 6
0ZnZ0Z0Z 6
0Z0Z0Z0Z
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Z0ZPo0Z0 5
Z0Z0Z0Z0 5
Z0Z0Z0Z0
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0Z0Z0O0Z 4
0Z0ZPZ0Z 4
0Z0ZPZ0Z
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Z0Z0Z0Z0 3
Z0Z0L0Z0 3
Z0M0Z0Z0
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POPO0ZPO 2
POPZ0OPO 2
PO0Z0OPO
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SNAQJBMR 1
SNA0JBMR 1
S0AQJBMR
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

King’s Gambit Declined: 1 e4 e5 2 Center Game: 1 e4 e5 2 d4 eXd4. Danish gambit accepted: 1 e4 e5 2

f4. Falkbeer Countergambit:
2...d5 3 eXd5 (diagram)
followed by 3...e4 or 3...c6.
Classical Variation: 2...Bc5 3
Nf3 d6.
Universal sequence is 3 QXd4
Nc6 and Paulsen’s attack: 4 Qe3
(diagram).
d4 eXd4 3 c3 dXc3. Alekhine
variation: 4 NXc3 (diagram).
Lindehn’s continuation 4 Bc4.
3...d6, 3...Qe7 or 3...d5 to
decline.

2 Closed games
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rmblka0s 8
rmblkZ0s 8
rmblka0s 8
rZblka0s 8
rZbl0skZ
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ZpZ0Zpop 7
opo0apop 7
opZ0opop 7
opZ0opop 7
opZ0Zpop
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pZ0Zpm0Z 6
0Z0Zpm0Z 6
0ZpZ0m0Z 6
0ZnZ0m0Z 6
0Znapm0Z
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Z0o0Z0Z0 5
Z0ZpZ0A0 5
Z0ZpZ0Z0 5
Z0opZ0Z0 5
Z0opZ0Z0
4
0ZBO0Z0Z 4
0ZPO0Z0Z 4
0ZPO0Z0Z 4
0Z0O0O0Z 4
0Z0O0Z0Z
3
Z0Z0ONZ0 3
Z0M0ZNZ0 3
Z0Z0ZNZ0 3
Z0OBO0Z0 3
Z0OBONZ0
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PO0Z0OPO 2
PO0ZPOPO 2
PO0ZPOPO 2
PO0Z0ZPO 2
PO0M0OPO
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SNAQZRJ0 1
S0ZQJBZR 1
SNAQJBZR 1
SNAQJ0MR 1
S0AQS0J0
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

Queen’s Gambit Accepted: 1 d4 d5
2 c4 dXc4, main line: 3 Nf3
Nf6 4 e3 e6 5 BXc4 c5 6 ZZ0-0
a6 (diagram).
Queen’s Gambit Declined: 1 d4 d5
2 c4 e6, main line: 3 Nc3 Nf6 4
Bg5 Be7 5 Nf3 (diagram).
Slav Defence: 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6,
main line: 3 Nf3 Nf6 (diagram)
followed by 4 e3 or 4 Nc3.
Stonewall Attack: 1 d4 d5 2 e3
Nf6 3 Bd3 c5 4 c3 Nc6 5 f4
(regardless of how Black
defends!).
Colle System: 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 d5
3 e3 e6 4 Bd3 c5 5 O-O Nc6 6
Re1 Bd6 7 c3 O-O 8 Nbd2
(regardless of how Black
defends!).

Source: https://github.com/remigiusz-suwalski/theory-of-chess
Common chess openings (revision 1.0, last edited: 2021-01-03) Page 2

3 Semi-open games
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rmblka0s 8
rZblkans 8
rmblkans 8
rZbl0skZ 8
rmblkZns
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opZ0opop 7
opZpopop 7
opZpZpop 7
opZ0opap 7
opZ0Zpop
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0Z0o0m0Z 6
0ZnZ0Z0Z 6
0Z0ZpZ0Z 6
0Zno0mpZ 6
0Z0ZpZ0Z
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Z0Z0Z0Z0 5
Z0Z0Z0Z0 5
Z0Z0Z0Z0 5
Z0Z0Z0Z0 5
Z0opO0Z0
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0Z0MPZ0Z 4
0Z0MPZ0Z 4
0Z0MPZ0Z 4
0ZBMPZ0Z 4
0Z0O0Z0Z
3
Z0M0Z0Z0 3
Z0Z0Z0Z0 3
Z0Z0Z0Z0 3
Z0M0APZ0 3
O0O0Z0Z0
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POPZ0OPO 2
POPZ0OPO 2
POPZ0OPO 2
POPL0ZPO 2
0ZPZ0OPO
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S0AQJBZR 1
SNAQJBZR 1
SNAQJBZR 1
S0Z0J0ZR 1
S0AQJBMR
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

Sicilian Defence: 1 e4 c5, usually
followed by 2 Nf3. After 2...d6
3 d4 cXd4 4 NXd4 Nf6 5 Nc3
(diagram) Black can choose
between four major variations:
Najdorf 5...a6, Dragon 5...g6,
Classical 5...Nc6 or
Scheveningen 5...e6.
Sicilian Defence: 1 e4 c5. After 2
Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cXd4 4 NXd4
(diagram) common move is
4...Nf6. Other important
moves are: transposed Taimanov
Variation 4...e6, Accelerated
Dragon 4...g6 and Kalashnikov
Variation 4...e5.
Sicilian Defence: 1 e4 c5. After 2
Nf3 e6 3 d4 cXd4 4 NXd4
(diagram) Black has three main
moves: Taimanov Variation
4...Nc6, Kan Variation 4...a6
and 4...Nf6.
Sicilian Defence: 1 e4 c5. Dragon
Variation: 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cXd4 4
NXd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 g6. Yugoslav
Attack: 6 Be3 Bg7 7 f3 O-O 8
Qd2 Nc6 9 Bc4. Main line:
9...Bd7 10 ZZ0-0-0 Rc8 11
Bb3 Ne5 12 Kb1 Re8
(diagram).
French Defence: 1 e4 e6, usually
followed by 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3.
Black has three options:
Winawer 3...Bb4, main line
then is: 4 e5 c5 5 a3 BXc3+ 6
bXc3 (diagram); Classical
3...Nf6; Rubinstein 3...dXe4.

8
rmblkZ0s 8
rmblkans 8
rmbl0skZ 8
rmbZkans 8
rm0lkZns
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opo0Zpop 7
opZ0opop 7
opo0opap 7
opo0opop 7
opZ0opap
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0Z0Zpa0Z 6
0ZpZ0Z0Z 6
0Z0o0mpZ 6
0Z0Z0Z0Z 6
0Zpo0ZpZ
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Z0Z0Z0Z0 5
Z0ZpZ0Z0 5
Z0Z0Z0Z0 5
l0Z0Z0Z0 5
Z0Z0Z0Z0
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0Z0ONZ0Z 4
0Z0OPZ0Z 4
0Z0OPO0Z 4
0Z0Z0Z0Z 4
0Z0OPObZ
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Z0Z0ZNZ0 3
Z0M0Z0Z0 3
Z0M0ZNZ0 3
Z0M0Z0Z0 3
Z0M0ZNZ0
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POPZ0OPO 2
POPZ0OPO 2
POPZ0ZPO 2
POPO0OPO 2
POPZ0ZPO
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S0ZQJBZR 1
S0AQJBMR 1
S0AQJBZR 1
S0AQJBMR 1
S0AQJBZR
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

French Defence: 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3
Nc3. Burn variation is a line in
classical variation: 3...Nf6 4
Bg5 dXe4 5 NXe4, usually
followed by 5...Be7 6 BXf6
BXf6 7 Nf3 (diagram).
Caro-Kann Defence: 1 e4 c6, after
2 d4 d5 common moves are 3
Nc3 (diagram), 3 Nd2, 3 eXd5
and 3 e5.
Pirc Defence: 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3
Nc3 g6 followed by 4 f4 Bg7 5
Nf3 O-O (Austrian attack,
diagram) or 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Be2
O-O 6 O-O (two knights system).
Scandinavian Defence: 1 e4 d5 2 Modern Defence: 1 e4 g6
eXd5 followed by 2...QXd5 3 followed by 2 d4 Bg7 3 Nc3 d6
Nc3 and then 3...Qa5 4 f4 c6 5 Nf3 Bg4.
(diagram) or 3...Qd8 or
3...Qd6. Another main
branch is 2...Nf6 3 d4 NXd5 4
c4,

4 Indian defences
8
rmblka0s 8
rmblka0s 8
rm0lka0s 8
rmbl0skZ 8
rm0lka0s
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opZ0ZpZp 7
opZ0ZpZp 7
Z0Zpopop 7
opZ0Zpop 7
o0opZpop
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0Z0o0mpZ 6
0Z0o0mpZ 6
bZ0Z0m0Z 6
0Z0Zpm0Z 6
bo0Zpm0Z
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Z0oPZ0Z0 5
Z0oPZ0Z0 5
Z0oPZ0Z0 5
Z0opZ0Z0 5
Z0Z0Z0Z0
4
0Z0Z0Z0Z 4
0Z0ZPZ0Z 4
0Z0Z0Z0Z 4
0aPO0Z0Z 4
0ZPO0Z0Z
3
Z0M0ZNZ0 3
Z0M0Z0Z0 3
Z0Z0Z0Z0 3
Z0MBONZ0 3
Z0Z0ZNO0
2
PO0ZPOPO 2
PO0Z0OPO 2
PO0ZPOPO 2
PO0Z0OPO 2
PO0ZPO0O
1
S0AQJBZR 1
S0AQJBMR 1
SNAQJBMR 1
S0AQZRJ0 1
SNAQJBZR
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

Modern Benoni: 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 Modern Benoni: 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 Benko/Volga Gambit: 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nimzo-Indian Defence: 1 d4 Nf6 Queen’s Indian Defence: 1 d4 Nf6
3 d5 e6, can be followed by 4 3 d5 e6, can be followed by 4 c4 c5 3 d5 b5, main line: 4 cXb5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4, common 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6, main line: 4
Nc3 eXd5 5 cXd5 d6 6 Nf3 g6 Nc3 eXd5 5 cXd5 d6 6 e4 g6 a6 5 bXa6 BXa6 (diagram). reply is Rubinstein System: 4 e3 g3 Ba6 (diagram).
and then classical: 7 Nf3 Bg7 8 (diagram). with main line: 4...O-O 5 Bd3
Be2 O-O 9 O-O (diagram) or d5 6 Nf3 c5 7 O-O (diagram).
modern main line: 7 Nf3 Bg7 8
h3 O-O 9 Bd3.
8
rmblkZ0s 8
rmblka0s 8
rmbl0skZ 8
rmbl0skZ 8
rmbl0skZ
7
opo0apop 7
opo0opZp 7
opo0opap 7
opo0Zpap 7
opo0opap
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0Z0Zpm0Z 6
0Z0Z0ZpZ 6
0Z0Z0mpZ 6
0Z0o0mpZ 6
0Z0o0mpZ
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Z0Z0Z0Z0 5
Z0Z0Z0Z0 5
Z0Z0Z0Z0 5
Z0Z0o0Z0 5
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0ZpO0Z0Z 4
0Z0OPZ0Z 4
0ZQOPZ0Z 4
0ZPOPZ0Z 4
0ZPO0Z0Z
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Z0Z0ZNO0 3
Z0O0Z0Z0 3
Z0M0ZNZ0 3
Z0M0ZNZ0 3
Z0Z0ZNO0
2
PO0ZPOBO 2
PZ0Z0OPO 2
PO0Z0OPO 2
PO0ZBOPO 2
PO0ZPOBO
1
SNAQJ0ZR 1
S0AQJBMR 1
S0A0JBZR 1
S0AQJ0ZR 1
SNAQZRJ0
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

Catalan Opening: 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4
e6 3 g3 with classical line:
3...d5 4 Bg2 dXc4 5 Nf3 Be7
(diagram).
Grünfeld Defence: 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4
g6 3 Nc3 d5. Exchange
Variation: 4 cXd5 NXd5 5 e4
NXc3 6 bXc3 (diagram).
Grünfeld Defence: 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4
g6 3 Nc3 d5. Russian system: 4
Nf3 Bg7 5 Qb3 dXc4 6 QXc4
ZZ0-0 7 e4 (diagram). Another
is Taimanov’s Variation 4 Nf3
Bg7 5 Bg5.
King’s Indian Defence: 1 d4 Nf6 King’s Indian Defence: 1 d4 Nf6
2 c4 g6, Classical Variation: 3 2 c4 g6, Fianchetto Variation: 3
Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 O-O 6 Nf3 Bg7 4 g3 O-O 5 Bg2 d6 6
Be2 e5 (diagram). O-O (diagram).

Source: https://github.com/remigiusz-suwalski/theory-of-chess