205 Chess Openings
Only the moves are written down. Every board, diagram and label below comes from actually playing those moves out.
By first move
By family
Open Game
60 linesEverything that starts 1.e4 e5.
King's Pawn Openinge4Open Gamee4 e5Bishop's Openinge4 e5 Bc4King's Gambite4 e5 f4Vienna Gamee4 e5 Nc3Damiano Defencee4 e5 Nf3 f6Elephant Gambite4 e5 Nf3 d5King's Gambit, Falkbeer Countergambite4 e5 f4 d5King's Gambit, Accepted Variatione4 e5 f4 exf4King's Gambit, Declined Variatione4 e5 f4 Bc5Latvian Gambite4 e5 Nf3 f5Petrov Defencee4 e5 Nf3 Nf6Philidor Defencee4 e5 Nf3 d6Vienna Game, Main Variatione4 e5 Nc3 Nf6Danish Gambite4 e5 d4 exd4 c3Italian Gamee4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4Ponziani Openinge4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 c3Ruy Lopeze4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bb5Scotch Gamee4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 d4Vienna Gambite4 e5 Nc3 Nf6 f4Blackburne Shilling Gambite4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4Four Knights Gamee4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Nc3Italian Game, Hungarian Defencee4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4Italian Game, Classical Variatione4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4King's Gambit, Fischer Defencee4 e5 f4 exf4 Nf3King's Gambit, Modern Variatione4 e5 f4 exf4 Nf3Philidor Defence, Hanham Variatione4 e5 Nf3 d6 d4Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defencee4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bb5Ruy Lopez, Classical Variatione4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bb5Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defencee4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bb5Ruy Lopez, Steinitz Defencee4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bb5Petrov Defence, Stafford Gambite4 e5 Nf3 Nf6 Nxe5Three Knights Gamee4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Nc3Italian Game, Two Knights Defencee4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4Vienna Gambit, Accepted Variatione4 e5 Nc3 Nf6 f4Centre Gamee4 e5 d4 exd4 Qxd4Petrov Defence, Cochrane Gambite4 e5 Nf3 Nf6 Nxe5Italian Game, Evans Gambite4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4Four Knights Game, Scotch Variatione4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Nc3Four Knights Game, Spanish Variatione4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Nc3Halloween Gambite4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Nc3Philidor Defence, Exchange Variatione4 e5 Nf3 d6 d4Ruy Lopez, Morphy Defencee4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bb5Scholar's Matee4 e5 Bc4 Bc5 Qh5Scotch Gambite4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 d4Scotch Game, Main Variatione4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 d4Ruy Lopez, Exchange Variatione4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bb5Scotch Game, Classical Variatione4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 d4Scotch Game, Steinitz Defencee4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 d4Italian Game, Traxler Variatione4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4King's Gambit, Muzio Gambite4 e5 f4 exf4 Nf3Petrov Defence, Classical Variatione4 e5 Nf3 Nf6 Nxe5Ruy Lopez, Open Variatione4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bb5Italian Game, Fried Liver Attacke4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4Italian Game, Giuoco Pianissimoe4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4Scotch Game, Mieses Variatione4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 d4Italian Game, Giuoco Pianoe4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4Légal Trape4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4Ruy Lopez, Closed Variatione4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bb5Ruy Lopez, Marshall Attacke4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bb5
Semi-Open Game
60 lines1.e4 met by anything other than 1…e5.
Alekhine's Defencee4 Nf6Caro-Kann Defencee4 c6French Defencee4 e6Modern Defencee4 g6Nimzowitsch Defencee4 Nc6Owen's Defencee4 b6Scandinavian Defencee4 d5Sicilian Defencee4 c5St. George Defencee4 a6Scandinavian Defence, Declined Variatione4 d5 Nc3Sicilian Defence, Alapin Variatione4 c5 c3Sicilian Defence, Wing Gambite4 c5 b4Scandinavian Defence, Modern Variatione4 d5 exd5 Nf6Sicilian Defence, Hyper-Accelerated Dragone4 c5 Nf3 g6Sicilian Defence, Nimzowitsch Variatione4 c5 Nf3 Nf6Caro-Kann Defence, Advance Variatione4 c6 d4 d5 e5Caro-Kann Defence, Fantasy Variatione4 c6 d4 d5 f3Caro-Kann Defence, Two Knights Defencee4 c6 Nc3 d5 Nf3French Defence, Advance Variatione4 e6 d4 d5 e5French Defence, King's Indian Attacke4 e6 d3 d5 Nd2French Defence, Tarrasch Variatione4 e6 d4 d5 Nd2Sicilian Defence, Closed Variatione4 c5 Nc3 Nc6 g3Sicilian Defence, Grand Prix Attacke4 c5 Nc3 Nc6 f4Sicilian Defence, Moscow Variatione4 c5 Nf3 d6 Bb5Sicilian Defence, Rossolimo Variatione4 c5 Nf3 Nc6 Bb5Sicilian Defence, Smith-Morra Gambite4 c5 d4 cxd4 c3French Defence, Classical Variatione4 e6 d4 d5 Nc3French Defence, Exchange Variatione4 e6 d4 d5 exd5French Defence, Rubinstein Variatione4 e6 d4 d5 Nc3French Defence, Winawer Variatione4 e6 d4 d5 Nc3Pirc Defencee4 d6 d4 Nf6 Nc3Scandinavian Defence, Main Variatione4 d5 exd5 Qxd5 Nc3Alekhine's Defence, Modern Variatione4 Nf6 e5 Nd5 d4Caro-Kann Defence, Exchange Variatione4 c6 d4 d5 exd5Caro-Kann Defence, Main Variatione4 c6 d4 d5 Nc3Caro-Kann Defence, Panov Attacke4 c6 d4 d5 exd5Modern Defence, Austrian Attacke4 g6 d4 Bg7 Nc3Pirc Defence, Austrian Attacke4 d6 d4 Nf6 Nc3Pirc Defence, Fianchetto Variatione4 d6 d4 Nf6 Nc3Alekhine's Defence, Classical Variatione4 Nf6 e5 Nd5 d4Caro-Kann Defence, Classical Variatione4 c6 d4 d5 Nc3Caro-Kann Defence, Karpov Variatione4 c6 d4 d5 Nc3French Defence, Steinitz Defencee4 e6 d4 d5 Nc3Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Dragone4 c5 Nf3 Nc6 d4Sicilian Defence, Kalashnikov Variatione4 c5 Nf3 Nc6 d4Sicilian Defence, Kan Variatione4 c5 Nf3 e6 d4Sicilian Defence, Taimanov Variatione4 c5 Nf3 e6 d4Alekhine's Defence, Exchange Variatione4 Nf6 e5 Nd5 d4Alekhine's Defence, Four Pawns Attacke4 Nf6 e5 Nd5 d4Pirc Defence, Classical Variatione4 d6 d4 Nf6 Nc3Sicilian Defence, Open Variatione4 c5 Nf3 d6 d4Sicilian Defence, Classical Variatione4 c5 Nf3 d6 d4Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variatione4 c5 Nf3 d6 d4Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variatione4 c5 Nf3 d6 d4Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variatione4 c5 Nf3 d6 d4Sicilian Defence, Sveshnikov Variatione4 c5 Nf3 Nc6 d4Sicilian Defence, Richter-Rauzer Attacke4 c5 Nf3 d6 d4Sicilian Defence, Poisoned Pawn Variatione4 c5 Nf3 d6 d4Sicilian Defence, English Attacke4 c5 Nf3 d6 d4Sicilian Defence, Yugoslav Attacke4 c5 Nf3 d6 d4
Closed Game
20 lines1.d4 d5, queen’s pawns facing each other.
Queen's Pawn Openingd4London Systemd4 d5 Bf4Queen's Gambitd4 d5 c4Albin Countergambitd4 d5 c4 e5Baltic Defenced4 d5 c4 Bf5Chigorin Defenced4 d5 c4 Nc6Queen's Gambit, Accepted Variationd4 d5 c4 dxc4Queen's Gambit, Declined Variationd4 d5 c4 e6Slav Defenced4 d5 c4 c6Blackmar-Diemer Gambitd4 d5 e4 dxe4 Nc3Colle Systemd4 d5 Nf3 Nf6 e3Richter-Veresov Attackd4 d5 Nc3 Nf6 Bg5Queen's Gambit, Tarrasch Variationd4 d5 c4 e6 Nc3Slav Defence, Exchange Variationd4 d5 c4 c6 cxd5Stonewall Attackd4 d5 e3 Nf6 Bd3Queen's Gambit, Exchange Variationd4 d5 c4 e6 Nc3Queen's Gambit, Orthodox Defenced4 d5 c4 e6 Nc3Semi-Slav Defenced4 d5 c4 c6 Nf3Slav Defence, Main Variationd4 d5 c4 c6 Nf3Semi-Slav Defence, Main Variationd4 d5 c4 c6 Nf3
Indian Defence
36 lines1.d4 Nf6, hitting the centre later instead of occupying it now.
Indian Defenced4 Nf6Trompowsky Attackd4 Nf6 Bg5Budapest Gambitd4 Nf6 c4 e5Old Indian Defenced4 Nf6 c4 d6Benoni Defenced4 Nf6 c4 c5 d5Budapest Gambit, Accepted Variationd4 Nf6 c4 e5 dxe5Catalan Openingd4 Nf6 c4 e6 g3Torre Attackd4 Nf6 Nf3 e6 Bg5Benko Gambitd4 Nf6 c4 c5 d5Bogo-Indian Defenced4 Nf6 c4 e6 Nf3Grünfeld Defenced4 Nf6 c4 g6 Nc3King's Indian Defenced4 Nf6 c4 g6 Nc3Nimzo-Indian Defenced4 Nf6 c4 e6 Nc3Old Indian Defence, Classical Variationd4 Nf6 c4 d6 Nc3Queen's Indian Defenced4 Nf6 c4 e6 Nf3Bogo-Indian Defence, Main Variationd4 Nf6 c4 e6 Nf3King's Indian Defence, Fianchetto Variationd4 Nf6 c4 g6 Nc3Nimzo-Indian Defence, Classical Variationd4 Nf6 c4 e6 Nc3Nimzo-Indian Defence, Fianchetto Variationd4 Nf6 c4 e6 Nc3Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein Variationd4 Nf6 c4 e6 Nc3Nimzo-Indian Defence, Sämisch Variationd4 Nf6 c4 e6 Nc3Catalan Opening, Main Variationd4 Nf6 c4 e6 g3Catalan Opening, Open Variationd4 Nf6 c4 e6 g3Queen's Indian Defence, Fianchetto Variationd4 Nf6 c4 e6 Nf3Grünfeld Defence, Russian Variationd4 Nf6 c4 g6 Nc3King's Indian Defence, Four Pawns Attackd4 Nf6 c4 g6 Nc3King's Indian Defence, Sämisch Variationd4 Nf6 c4 g6 Nc3Benoni Defence, Modern Variationd4 Nf6 c4 c5 d5Queen's Indian Defence, Classical Variationd4 Nf6 c4 e6 Nf3Catalan Opening, Closed Variationd4 Nf6 c4 e6 g3Grünfeld Defence, Exchange Variationd4 Nf6 c4 g6 Nc3Grünfeld Defence, Fianchetto Variationd4 Nf6 c4 g6 Nc3King's Indian Defence, Classical Variationd4 Nf6 c4 g6 Nc3Benoni Defence, Four Pawns Attackd4 Nf6 c4 c5 d5Benoni Defence, Fianchetto Variationd4 Nf6 c4 c5 d5Benoni Defence, Classical Variationd4 Nf6 c4 c5 d5
Flank Opening
29 linesFirst moves other than e4 and d4, aiming at the centre from the wing.
Amar OpeningNh3Anderssen Openinga3Barnes Openingf3Benko Openingg3Bird Openingf4Dunst OpeningNc3English Openingc4Grob Openingg4Larsen Openingb3Mieses Openingd3Saragossa Openingc3Sokolsky Openingb4Van 't Kruijs Openinge3Ware Openinga4Zukertort OpeningNf3Dutch Defenced4 f5English Opening, Anglo-Indian Defencec4 Nf6English Opening, Reversed Sicilianc4 e5English Opening, Symmetrical Variationc4 c5Englund Gambitd4 e5From Gambitf4 e5Polish Defenced4 b5King's Indian AttackNf3 d5 g3Réti OpeningNf3 d5 c4Fool's Matef3 e5 g4 Qh4Dutch Defence, Leningrad Variationd4 f5 c4 Nf6 g3Dutch Defence, Classical Variationd4 f5 c4 Nf6 g3Dutch Defence, Stonewall Variationd4 f5 c4 Nf6 g3English Opening, Closed Variationc4 e5 Nc3 Nc6 g3
Common questions
QHow many openings are listed here?
205. They split into 60 Open Games, 60 Semi-Open Games, 20 Closed Games, 36 Indian Defences and 29 Flank Openings.
QWhat decides which family an opening goes into?
The first two moves. 1.e4 e5 is an Open Game, other answers to 1.e4 are Semi-Open, 1.d4 d5 is Closed, 1.d4 Nf6 is an Indian Defence and any other first move is a Flank Opening.
QHow do I read the move notation?
The piece letters are the English ones — N knight, B bishop, R rook, Q queen, K king. A pawn move is just the square. x means a capture, O-O is kingside castling, O-O-O queenside, + is check and # is mate.