Universal Openings

Black declines the mirror.

• Sicilian…c59
  • Sicilian DefenseOpen · Trade a wing pawn for a center pawn, then use the c-file.
  • Sicilian NajdorfEnglish Attack · Play …e5 or …e6, then …b5 and a knight hop to c4 or b6.
  • Sicilian DragonYugoslav · Fianchetto, then …Rc8 and a sacrifice on c3.Train
  • Accelerated DragonMaroczy · Hit …d5 in one go if they skip c4.
  • Classical SicilianRichter · Develop naturally, then …a6 and a break with …d5 or …b5.
  • ScheveningenKeres · Keep the small center (d6/e6), then …b5 and a knight to c4.
  • Sveshnikov SicilianMain · Give the d5 hole, then use …f5 and the bishops.
  • Taimanov SicilianMain · …Qc7, …a6, and a later …b5. The c-file is yours.
  • Kan SicilianMain · Keep the pawns flexible. …b5 or …d5 when the moment is clean.
• vs SicilianWhite systems9
  • Alapin SicilianCenter · Play d4 and recapture with a pawn. A full classical center.Train
  • Smith–Morra GambitAccepted · Give a pawn for speed. Rooks on c and d, then e5.Train
  • Grand Prix AttackBishop · f5, Qe1-h4, and a bishop on c4. Their king is the target.Train
  • Closed SicilianFianchetto · f4-f5 and a kingside lift. The g2 bishop holds the house.
  • RossolimoTake · Double their c-pawns, then play against the dark squares.
  • Moscow VariationCheck · Check, trade, and clamp with c4. No Open Sicilian theory.
  • Open SicilianMain · Take the center, castle (often long), and storm the king.
  • Yugoslav AttackLong castle · Bh6, h4-h5, and open the h-file. Race their c-file.Train
  • Najdorf English AttackStorm · Castle long, then g4-h4. The Najdorf king is the target.
• French…e67
  • French DefenseAdvance · Chip the chain with …c5. The light-square bishop is the long job.
  • French WinawerAdvance · Give the bishop for a wrecked white queenside, then storm …c5.
  • French ClassicalSteinitz · …c5 and …f6 vs the e5 wedge. That's the French story.
  • French TarraschClosed · Avoid the Winawer pin. Build e5 and attack the king.
  • French AdvanceMain · Over-protect d4, then swing pieces toward the black king.
  • French ExchangeSymmetry · If you want a fight, play c4 and use the open files.
  • French King's Indian AttackSetup · Lock e5, then throw the h-pawn and a knight to h4.Train
• Caro-Kann…c67
  • Caro-KannClassical · Get the light-square bishop out, then chip …c5.Train
  • Caro-Kann ClassicalMain · Tuck the bishop, castle, then …c5 in the center.
  • Caro-Kann AdvanceShort · White wants a kingside bind. Black chips the base with …c5.Train
  • Caro-Kann FantasyTake · Open the f-file and point a bishop at f7.Train
  • Caro-Kann PanovIQP · Accept an IQP. Attack before the ending.
  • Caro-Kann Two KnightsMain · Skip the long Classical tree. Fast development and d4.
  • Caro-Kann Bronstein–LarsenOpen g · Accept the wrecked pawns. The g-file and bishop pair are the pay.
• Other semi-openPirc · Scandi · Lion7
  • Pirc DefenseClassical · Let them take the center, then strike …e5 or …c5.Train
  • Modern DefenseMain · Fianchetto first. Hit the big center when it overextends.
  • Alekhine DefenseFour Pawns · Lure the pawns forward, then chop the overextended center.Train
  • ScandinavianQa5 · Bring the queen home, then …Bf5 / …Bg4 and castle.Train
  • Nimzowitsch DefenseCenter · Pressure e4 and d4 with pieces, not a pawn wall.
  • Owen's DefenseFianchetto · The b7 bishop stares at e4. Chip with …c5.
  • Black LionCoil · Coil, then …Nh5 and …f5. The kingside opens for you.Train

Tension, then a break.

• Queen's Gambitc46
  • Queen's Gambit DeclinedOrthodox · Free the c8 bishop, then break …c5.
  • QGD ExchangeMinority · Minority attack: a- and b-pawns to wreck c6.Train
  • Queen's Gambit AcceptedMain · Give the pawn, finish development, then …c5 and …e5.
  • Tarrasch DefenseIQP · Accept the IQP. Activity on every file.
  • Chigorin DefenseMain · Use knights and pins. Don't build a pawn wall.
  • CatalanOpen · The g2 bishop rakes the queenside. Pressure c4 and b7.
• Slav…c64
  • Slav DefenseMain · Get the bishop out to f5 before …e6.Train
  • Semi-SlavMeran · Take on c4, then …b5 and …Bb7. The c-file opens.
  • Slav ExchangeSymmetry · Fight for c5 / …c4. The open c-file is the whole game.
  • Semi-Slav MeranMain · …b5, …a6, …c5. That's the Meran machine.
• d4 systemsLondon · Colle8
  • London SystemSetup · Bishop on f4, then Ne5 and a kingside lift.Train
  • Jobava LondonNb5 · Nb5, Qd2, and a kingside pawn storm if they castle short.Train
  • Colle SystemSetup · The e4 break is the whole opening. Time it after Bd3.
  • Torre AttackPin · Keep the pin, castle, and play e4 or Ne5.
  • TrompowskyTake · Ruin their kingside pawns or hop the knight around d2-c4.
  • Veresov AttackPin · Pin, then e4. Attack before they castle.
  • Blackmar–DiemerAccepted · Open the f-file and throw pieces at the king.
  • London vs King's IndianSetup · The London still works. Ne5 and a kingside lift.Train

Hypermodern answers.

• King's Indian…g63
  • King's IndianClassical · Close the center, then storm the king with …f5-f4.Train
  • King's Indian SämischMain · White: Qd2, O-O-O, and the h-pawn. Black: …f5 and a piece sac on the dark squares.Train
  • KID Mar del PlataStorm · …f5-f4, …g5, and a rook lift. Race their queenside.Train
• Nimzo family…e64
  • Nimzo-IndianRubinstein · Pin the knight, double their pawns, then attack the wreck.
  • Queen's IndianFianchetto · The b7 bishop bites the center. Break with …c5.
  • Bogo-IndianCheck · Check, castle, then …c5 or …d5. Simple and solid.
  • Nimzo RubinsteinMain · White wants e4 later. Black doubles the c-pawns or hits …c5.
• Grünfeld…d52
  • GrünfeldExchange · Let them build a big center, then hit it with …c5 and …Nc6.
  • Grünfeld ExchangeMain · Black chips the center. White uses the extra space to attack.
• Benoni & gambits…c55
  • Modern BenoniFianchetto · The queenside pawns roll. …b5 and the c-file.Train
  • Czech BenoniClosed · Lock the center, then …f5 on the king.
  • Benko GambitAccepted · Open the a- and b-files. The rooks do the work.Train
  • Budapest GambitAdler · Give a pawn for development and a pin on the queenside.Train
  • Old IndianMain · A solid wall. Then …e5 and a later …f5.
• Dutch…f53
  • Dutch LeningradSetup · …Qe8-h5 and the f-pawn already gained space.Train
  • Dutch StonewallWall · Park a knight on e4 and swing the queen to h5.
  • Dutch ClassicalMain · Castle, then …Qe8 and …e5. The f-pawn supports the break.

From the wing, or a surprise.

• Englishc43
  • English OpeningReversed Sicilian · Control d5. Then expand with b4 or break in the center.Train
  • English SymmetricalFour knights · The first one to break with d4 (or …d5) sets the story.
  • English BotvinnikClamp · The Botvinnik bind: pawns on c4 and e4. Sit on d5.Train
• Réti & flanksNf3 · f4 · b36
  • Réti OpeningMain · Chip the center from the side. The g2 bishop does the work.
  • King's Indian AttackSetup · Lock e5, then the h-pawn and a knight to h4.Train
  • Bird's OpeningFrom · A Dutch with an extra tempo. Use the f-file.
  • Larsen's OpeningFianchetto · The b2 bishop is the opening. Point it at e5 and g7.
  • Polish OpeningMain · Grab space on the queenside and keep the long diagonal.
  • Réti vs King's IndianDouble fianchetto · Control d5 from the flank. Don't rush a pawn storm.
• IrregularRare first moves4
  • GrobSpike · Shock value, then the g2 bishop. Don't hunt a mate on move six.
  • HippopotamusSetup · Look like you are doing nothing. Then break the center in one go.
  • St. GeorgeMain · …b5 and …Bb7. Bite e4 from the side.
  • Borg DefenseTake · A joke that can bite if they grab too much.