Opening Guides for Sub-1000 Players
Engine-verified refutations for the openings that trip up beginners most
After 1.e4 e5
Bishop Opening
C23
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 Bc5 4. Nf3
Center Game
C22
1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qe3 Nf6
Danish Gambit
C21
1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Bc4 cxb2 5. Bxb2 d5 6. Bxd5 Nf6
Elephant Gambit
C40
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 Bd6
Evans Gambit
C51
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O
Four Knights Game
C47
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. Nxe5
French Advance
C02
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. a3
French Defense
C00
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6
French Tarrasch
C03
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6
French Winawer
C15
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3
Fried Liver Attack
C57
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5
Giuoco Pianissimo
C50
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. c3 d6 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1
Giuoco Piano
C53
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2
Halloween Gambit
C46
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nxe5 Nxe5 5. d4 Nc6 6. d5 Ne5
Hungarian Defense
C50
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Be7 4. d4 d6 5. dxe5 dxe5
Italian Game
C50
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d5
Kings Gambit Accepted
C33
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 d6 4. d4 g5 5. h4
King's Gambit
C30
1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 exf4
Latvian Gambit
C40
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5 3. Nxe5 Qf6 4. d4 d6 5. Nc4
Petroff Defense
C42
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4
Philidor Defense
C41
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 exd4 5. Nxd4
Ponziani Opening
C44
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 d5 4. Qa4 f6
Ruy Lopez Berlin Defense
C65
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4
Ruy Lopez Closed
C84
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3
Ruy Lopez Exchange Variation
C68
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O f6 6. d4 exd4 7. Nxd4
Ruy Lopez Marshall Attack
C89
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5
Ruy Lopez
C60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7
Scotch Game
C44
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6
Stafford Gambit
C40
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bc5
Three Knights Game
C46
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nd5 Be7
Two Knights Defense
C55
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Re1
Vienna Gambit
C28
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5
After 1.e4, other replies
Alapin Sicilian
B22
1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 e6 6. Be2 Be7
Alekhine Defense
B02
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 Bg4
Caro-Kann Advance Variation
B12
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 Nd7
Caro-Kann Classical Variation
B18
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6
Caro-Kann Defense
B10
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6
Caro-Kann Exchange Variation
B13
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6
Grand Prix Attack
B23
1. e4 c5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 Nf6 4. Bb5+ Nbd7 5. c4
Hedgehog System
B41
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 b6 6. Be2 Bb7
Modern Defense
B06
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. f4
Nimzowitsch Defense
B00
1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Bd3 Bxd3 6. Qxd3
Owen Defense
B00
1. e4 b6 2. d4 Bb7 3. Bd3 e6 4. Nf3 c5 5. c3 Nf6 6. Qe2
Pirc Defense
B07
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4
Scandinavian Defense
B01
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Nxd5 4. c4
Scandinavian Defense Main Line
B01
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bf5
Scandinavian Portuguese Gambit
B01
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Bg4 4. f3 Bf5 5. c4 e6
Sicilian Accelerated Dragon
B35
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4
Sicilian Classical
B56
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5
Sicilian Defense
B20
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6
Sicilian Dragon Yugoslav Attack
B76
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4
Sicilian Dragon
B70
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4
Sicilian Kan
B43
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 b5 6. Bd3
Sicilian Najdorf
B90
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3
Sicilian Paulsen
B44
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3
Sicilian Rossolimo
B30
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d3
Sicilian Scheveningen
B80
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. g4
Sicilian Sveshnikov
B33
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6
Smith Morra Gambit
B21
1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 d6 6. Bc4 e6
St George Defense
B00
1. e4 a6 2. d4 b5 3. Nf3 Bb7 4. Bd3 e6 5. O-O c5 6. c3 Nf6
After 1.d4
Blackmar-Diemer Gambit
D00
1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. f3 exf3
Catalan Closed
E06
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qc2 a6
Catalan Open
E04
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Qc2 a6
Catalan Opening
E00
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Qa4+
Colle System
D04
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 c5 5. c3
Grunfeld Defense
D80
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3
King S Indian Averbakh
E73
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Bg5 c5
King S Indian Fianchetto
E62
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. Nc3 d6 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. O-O e5
King S Indian Four Pawns Attack
E76
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f4 O-O 6. Nf3 c5
King S Indian Samisch
E81
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5
Kings Indian Classical
E91
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O
King's Indian Defense
E60
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5
London System
D02
1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 Nf6 3. e3 c5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. c3 Qb6
Nimzo Indian Classical
E32
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3
Nimzo-Indian Defense
E20
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3
Nimzo Indian Samisch
E26
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 c5 6. e3 d5
Queens Gambit Accepted
D20
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4
Queens Gambit Chigorin
D07
1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. cxd5 Bxf3 5. gxf3 Qxd5 6. e3
Queens Gambit Declined
D30
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5
Queen's Gambit
D06
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O
Queens Indian Defense
E12
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2
Semi Slav Defense
D43
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5
Slav Defense
D10
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4
Stonewall Attack
D05
1. d4 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. Bd3 e6 4. f4 c5 5. c3
Flank and rare
Anti King S Indian
A48
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg5 Bg7 4. Nbd2 d5
Benko Gambit
A57
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 Bxa6 6. Nc3 d6 7. e4
Benoni Defense
A60
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f4
Bird Opening
A02
1. f4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 g6 4. Be2 Bg7 5. O-O O-O
Budapest Gambit Declined
A51
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. d5 Bc5 4. Nc3 d6 5. e4 O-O 6. Nf3
Budapest Gambit
A52
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ng4 4. Bf4 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bb4+ 6. Nbd2
Dutch Defense
A80
1. d4 f5 2. Bg5 h6 3. Bh4 g5 4. e3 Nf6 5. Bd3
Dutch Leningrad
A89
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nc3 Nc6
Dutch Stonewall
A84
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 d5 5. Nf3 c6
English Four Knights
A28
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2
English Opening
A10
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 d5
English Reversed Sicilian
A20
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bg2 Be6
English Symmetrical
A30
1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 e6 4. g3 b6 5. Bg2 Bb7
Grob Attack
A00
1. g4 d5 2. Bg2 Bxg4 3. c4 c6 4. Qb3 Nf6
Kings Fianchetto Opening
A00
1. g3 d5 2. Bg2 Nf6 3. Nf3 c6 4. O-O Bg4 5. d3 e6
Kings Indian Attack
A07
1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 c6 4. O-O Bg4
Nimzo Larsen Attack
A01
1. b3 e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. e3 d5 4. Bb5 Bd6
Polish Opening
A00
1. b4 e5 2. Bb2 Bxb4 3. Bxe5 Nf6 4. c4 O-O 5. e3 d5
Reti Kings Indian Attack
A05
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 c6 4. O-O Bg4 5. d3 e6 6. Nbd2
Reti Opening
A04
1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. b3
Scholar's Mate
A00
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nc6 3. Qh5 Nf6
Sokolsky Opening
A00
1. b4 d5 2. Bb2 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. a3 O-O
Stonewall Dutch
A90
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 d5 5. Nf3 Bd6 6. O-O O-O 7. b3
Torre Attack
A46
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5 c5 4. e3
Trompowsky Attack
A45
1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. Bf4 d5 4. e3
Van T Kruijs Opening
A00
1. e3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. Bd3 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 e6