Chess opening guides

One guide per opening: the line club players actually play, two moves at a time with a diagram, Chessbook's note on every move, and the plans both sides follow from the position the line reaches. Most played first.

Openings for White

• ECO C50

  Italian Game

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4

• ECO D06

  Queen's Gambit

  1. d4 d5 2. c4

• ECO A10

  English Opening

  1. c4

• ECO C23

  Bishop's Opening

  1. e4 e5 2. Bc4

• ECO A04

  Zukertort Opening

  1. Nf3

• ECO C60

  Ruy Lopez

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5

• ECO D02

  London System

  1. d4 d5 2. Bf4

• ECO C30

  King's Gambit

  1. e4 e5 2. f4

• ECO C44

  Scotch Game

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4

• ECO C25

  Vienna Game

  1. e4 e5 2. Nc3

• ECO B20

  Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack

  1. e4 c5 2. Bc4

• ECO B32

  Open Sicilian

  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4

• ECO A01

  Nimzo-Larsen Attack

  1. b3

• ECO C02

  French Defense: Advance Variation

  1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5

• ECO B23

  Sicilian Defense: Closed

  1. e4 c5 2. Nc3

• ECO B12

  Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation

  1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5

• ECO C47

  Four Knights Game

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

• ECO B21

  Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack

  1. e4 c5 2. f4

• ECO C01

  French Defense: Exchange Variation

  1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5

• ECO B22

  Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation

  1. e4 c5 2. c3

• ECO B13

  Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation

  1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5

• ECO C55

  Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's Opening

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3

• ECO C21

  Danish Gambit

  1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3

• ECO C57

  Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5

• ECO C10

  French Defense: Paulsen Variation

  1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3

• ECO C44

  Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4

• ECO C44

  Ponziani Opening

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3

• ECO D00

  Blackmar-Diemer Gambit

  1. d4 d5 2. e4

• ECO B21

  Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit

  1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3

• ECO B30

  Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation

  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5

• ECO C50

  Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo

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

• ECO D04

  Colle System

  1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3

• ECO D01

  Jobava London System

  1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bf4

• ECO C20

  Wayward Queen Attack

  1. e4 e5 2. Qh5

• ECO C68

  Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6

• ECO C29

  Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit

  1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4

• ECO A07

  King's Indian Attack

  1. Nf3 d5 2. g3

• ECO A45

  Trompowsky Attack

  1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5

• ECO B10

  Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack

  1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3

• ECO C51

  Italian Game: Evans Gambit

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4

• ECO A09

  Réti Opening

  1. Nf3 d5 2. c4

• ECO C03

  French Defense: Tarrasch Variation

  1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2

• ECO B13

  Caro-Kann Defense: Panov Attack

  1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4

• ECO B51

  Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation

  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+

• ECO D00

  Stonewall Attack

  1. d4 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. Bd3

• ECO B23

  Sicilian Defense: Grand Prix Attack

  1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4

• ECO B20

  Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit

  1. e4 c5 2. b4

• ECO C57

  Italian Game: Fried Liver Attack

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Nxf7

• ECO D01

  Richter-Veresov Attack

  1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bg5

• ECO B12

  Caro-Kann Defense: Fantasy Variation

  1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. f3

• ECO A46

  Torre Attack

  1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5

• ECO E00

  Catalan Opening

  1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3

Openings for Black

• ECO B20

  Sicilian Defense

  1. e4 c5

• ECO C00

  French Defense

  1. e4 e6

• ECO B01

  Scandinavian Defense

  1. e4 d5

• ECO B10

  Caro-Kann Defense

  1. e4 c6

• ECO B01

  Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation

  1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5

• ECO C41

  Philidor Defense

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6

• ECO B06

  Modern Defense

  1. e4 g6

• ECO C50

  Italian Game: Giuoco Piano

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5

• ECO C42

  Petrov's Defense

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6

• ECO D30

  Queen's Gambit Declined

  1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6

• ECO C55

  Italian Game: Two Knights Defense

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6

• ECO A40

  Englund Gambit

  1. d4 e5

• ECO B00

  Owen Defense

  1. e4 b6

• ECO D10

  Slav Defense

  1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6

• ECO A20

  English Opening: King's English Variation

  1. c4 e5

• ECO D20

  Queen's Gambit Accepted

  1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4

• ECO B01

  Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation

  1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6

• ECO C33

  King's Gambit Accepted

  1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4

• ECO B00

  Nimzowitsch Defense

  1. e4 Nc6

• ECO B02

  Alekhine Defense

  1. e4 Nf6

• ECO C70

  Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6

• ECO A80

  Dutch Defense

  1. d4 f5

• ECO E61

  King's Indian Defense

  1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7

• ECO C65

  Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6

• ECO A30

  English Opening: Symmetrical Variation

  1. c4 c5

• ECO B90

  Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation

  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6

• ECO C40

  Elephant Gambit

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5

• ECO B44

  Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation

  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6

• ECO B27

  Sicilian Defense: Hyperaccelerated Dragon

  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6

• ECO B07

  Pirc Defense

  1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6

• ECO B34

  Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon

  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6

• ECO E20

  Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

• ECO C42

  Petrov's Defense: Stafford Gambit

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6

• ECO A51

  Budapest Gambit

  1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5

• ECO D08

  Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit

  1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5

• ECO D43

  Semi-Slav Defense

  1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6

• ECO B18

  Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation

  1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5

• ECO D07

  Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense

  1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6

• ECO B41

  Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation

  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6

• ECO B70

  Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation

  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6

• ECO D80

  Grünfeld Defense

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

• ECO C15

  French Defense: Winawer Variation

  1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4

• ECO D32

  Tarrasch Defense

  1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5

• ECO B33

  Sicilian Defense: Sveshnikov Variation

  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5

• ECO C57

  Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5

• ECO A57

  Benko Gambit

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

• ECO A60

  Modern Benoni

  1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6

• ECO C63

  Ruy Lopez: Schliemann Defense

  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5

• ECO B80

  Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation

  1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6

• ECO E11

  Bogo-Indian Defense

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

• ECO E12

  Queen's Indian Defense

  1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6