The King's Pawn Game is any chess opening starting with the move: :1. e4 It is the most popular opening move in

chess Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to dist ...

, followed by the Queen's Pawn Game.

Details about the move and the game plan

White opens with the most popular of the twenty possible opening moves. Although effective in winning for White (54.25%), it is not quite as successful as the four next most common openings for White:

1.d4 Queen's Pawn Game broadly refers to any chess opening starting with the move 1.d4, which is the second most popular opening move after 1.e4 (King's Pawn Game). Terminology The term "Queen's Pawn Game" is usually used to describe openings begin ...

(55.95%), 1.Nf3 (55.8%), 1.c4 (56.3%), and 1.g3 (55.8%). Since nearly all openings beginning 1.e4 have names of their own, the term ''King's Pawn Game,'' unlike Queen's Pawn Game, is rarely used to describe the opening of the game. Advancing the king's pawn two squares is highly useful because it occupies a square, attacks the center square d5, and allows the of White's and

queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

. Chess grandmaster

Bobby Fischer Robert James Fischer (March 9, 1943January 17, 2008) was an American chess grandmaster and the eleventh World Chess Champion. A chess prodigy, he won his first of a record eight US Championships at the age of 14. In 1964, he won with an 1 ...

said that the King's Pawn Game is "Best by test", and proclaimed that "With 1.e4! I win."

Opening categorization and continuations

King's Pawn Games are further classified by whether Black responds with 1...e5 or not. Openings beginning with 1.e4 e5 are called ''Double King's Pawn Games'' (or ''Openings''), ''Symmetrical King's Pawn Games,'' or '' Open Games'' – these terms are equivalent. Openings where Black responds to 1.e4 with a move other than 1...e5 are called ''Asymmetrical King's Pawn Games'' or ''

Semi-Open Game A Semi-Open Game is a chess opening in which White plays 1.e4 and Black breaks symmetry immediately by replying with a move other than 1...e5. The Semi-Open Games are also called Single King Pawn, Asymmetrical King Pawn, or Half-Open Games (or Ope ...

s.'' The ''

Encyclopedia of Chess Openings The ''Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings'' () is a reference work describing the state of opening theory in chess, originally published in five volumes from 1974 to 1979 by the Serbian company Šahovski Informator ( Chess Informant). It is curren ...

'' (''ECO'') classifies all King's Pawn Games into volumes B or C: volume C if the game starts with 1.e4 e6 (the

French Defence The French Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. e4 e6 This is most commonly followed by 2.d4 d5, with Black intending ...c5 soon after, attacking White's and gaining on the . The French has a reputation for solidity ...

) or 1.e4 e5; volume B if Black answers 1.e4 with any other move. The rare instances where the opening does not fall into a more specific category than King's Pawn Game are included in codes B00 (includes the

Nimzowitsch Defence The Nimzowitsch Defence (named after Aron Nimzowitsch) is a somewhat unusual chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. e4 Nc6 This opening is an example of a hypermodern opening in which Black invites White to occupy the of the board a ...

and unusual moves after 1.e4), C20 (includes Alapin's Opening and unusual moves after 1.e4 e5), C40 (includes the

Latvian Gambit The Latvian Gambit (or Greco Countergambit) is a chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. e4 e5 :2. Nf3 f5 It is one of the oldest chess openings, having been analysed in the 17th century by Gioachino Greco, after whom it is sometimes ...

and unusual moves after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3), and C50 (includes the

Hungarian Defence The Hungarian Defense is a chess opening that begins with the moves: :1. e4 e5 :2. Nf3 Nc6 :3. Bc4 Be7 The Hungarian Defense is a line in the Italian Game typically chosen as a response to the aggressive 3.Bc4. With the move 3...Be7, Black ...

, the Giuoco Pianissimo, and unusual moves after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4). The Black responses which are given one or more chapters in the ''ECO'' are given below, ranked in order of popularity according to ChessBase.

Popular continuations

*1... c5, the Sicilian Defence, is the most common continuation in modern practice. The Sicilian Defence allows Black to fight for the center by preparing to meet a d2–d4 advance with ...cxd4. The Sicilian is among the sharpest and most analysed openings in chess, and it has eighty chapters, B20–B99, set aside for it in ''ECO''. *1... e5 leads to the classical

Open Game An Open Game (or Double King's Pawn Opening) is a chess opening that begins with the following moves: :1. e4 e5 White has moved the king's pawn two squares and Black has replied in kind. The result is an Open Game. Other responses to 1.e4 are t ...

s, which includes openings like the Ruy Lopez,

King's Gambit The King's Gambit is a chess opening that begins with the moves: :1. e4 e5 :2. f4 White offers a pawn to divert the black e-pawn. If Black accepts the gambit, White has two main plans. The first is to play d4 and Bxf4, regaining the gambit ...

Italian Game The Italian Game is a family of chess openings beginning with the moves: :1. e4 e5 :2. Nf3 Nc6 :3. Bc4 This opening is defined by the of the white bishop to c4 (the so-called ""), where it attacks Black's vulnerable f7-square. It is part ...

Scotch Game The Scotch Game, or Scotch Opening, is a chess opening that begins with the moves: :1. e4 e5 :2. Nf3 Nc6 :3. d4 Ercole del Rio, in his 1750 treatise ''Sopra il giuoco degli Scacchi, Osservazioni pratiche d’anonimo Autore Modenese'' ("On t ...

and Petrov's Defence. Also in this opening, Black is ready to meet a d2–d4 advance with exd4. These openings are covered in chapters C20–C99 in ''ECO''. *1... e6 is the

, covered in chapters C00–C19 in ''ECO''. Black's restrained response allows White to play 2.d4. This gives White a spatial advantage, with two pawns in the center to Black's one (after the usual 2... d5) and open lines for both of the bishops to black blocking in the light squared bishop and stopping it from developing. One or the other player will usually resolve the center tension, either by Black playing ...dxe4 or White advancing with e5. In the latter case, Black typically works to undermine White's pawn center with ...c5 and/or ...f6. *1... c6 is the

Caro–Kann Defence The Caro–Kann Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. e4 c6 The Caro–Kann is a common defence against the King's Pawn Opening. It is classified as a Semi-Open Game, like the Sicilian Defence and French Defence, althoug ...

, covered in chapters B10–B19 in ''ECO''. Like the French, this is also considered to be a solid reply, but Black will often need to surrender control over the center (e.g., after 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Black usually plays 3...dxe4). On the other hand, the light-squared bishop will usually not wind up trapped behind its own pawns, as is common in the French. *1... d6 is usually played with the intention of playing the

Pirc Defence The Pirc Defence (pronounced ) is a chess opening characterised by the response of Black to 1.e4 with 1...d6 and 2...Nf6, followed by ...g6 and ...Bg7, while allowing White to establish a with pawns on d4 and e4. It is named after the Slovenia ...

(1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6, ''ECO'' codes B07–B09), a hypermodern defence in which Black allows White to construct a dominant center, with the intention of subverting it later. It can also lead to the Modern Defence, Pribyl System or

Philidor Defence The Philidor Defence (or Philidor's Defence) is a chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. e4 e5 :2. Nf3 d6 The opening is named after the famous 18th-century player François-André Danican Philidor, who advocated it as an alternative ...

. *1... g6 is the Modern Defence. This is related to the Pirc Defence, which it can lead to. These openings allow White to build up a pawn center with 2.d4, but Black will develop the king's bishop to g7 and strike back at the center. These openings are covered in chapters B06–B09 in ''ECO'', with the Modern Defence covered in chapter B06. *1... d5, the Scandinavian Defence or Center Counter Defence, is a direct strike at the pawn at e4, forcing the situation in the center. After 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3, however, White gains time by attacking Black's prematurely developed

. Alternatively, Black can play 2...Nf6 (the Marshall Gambit), when White chooses between 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 with a spatial advantage, or 3.c4, when Black usually offers a

gambit A gambit (from Italian , the act of tripping someone with the leg to make them fall) is a chess opening in which a player sacrifices with the aim of achieving a subsequent advantage. The word '' gambit'' is also sometimes used to describe sim ...

with either 3...c6 or 3...e6. The Scandinavian is covered in chapter B01 in ''ECO''. *1... Nf6 is the Alekhine Defence, which invites White to attack the knight with 2.e5. Black is often forced to spend time moving the knight several times as it is chased around the board, all the while allowing White to build up a broad pawn center. Black counts on the pawns becoming overextended so that he can later undermine them. The Alekhine is covered in chapters B02–B05 of ''ECO''.

Uncommon continuations

Apart from these eight responses, all other replies from Black are covered together in ''ECO'' chapter B00 ("Uncommon King's Pawn Opening"). A few of these are not entirely obscure, and have received extensive analysis. *1... Nc6 is the

. After 2.d4, there are two distinctive main lines: 2...e5, favoured by

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

grandmaster

Tony Miles Anthony John Miles (23 April 1955 – 12 November 2001) was an English chess player and the first Englishman to earn the Grandmaster title. Early and personal life Miles was an only child, born 23 April 1955 in Edgbaston, a suburb of Birming ...

, and 2...d5, introduced and often played by the influential Latvian-

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player and writer

Aron Nimzowitsch Aron Nimzowitsch ( lv, Ārons Nimcovičs, russian: Аро́н Иса́евич Нимцо́вич, ''Aron Isayevich Nimtsovich''; 7 November 1886 – 16 March 1935) was a Latvian-born Danish chess player and writer. In the late 1920s, Nimz ...

(1886–1935). *1... b6 is Owen's Defence, preparing to develop Black's bishop to b7 to put pressure on White's center. *1... a6 is the St. George Defence. Black prepares to advance on the with 2...b5, but allows White to occupy the center with 2.d4. The opening gained some attention after Miles used it to defeat

Anatoly Karpov Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov ( rus, links=no, Анато́лий Евге́ньевич Ка́рпов, p=ɐnɐˈtolʲɪj jɪvˈɡʲenʲjɪvʲɪtɕ ˈkarpəf; born May 23, 1951) is a Russian and former Soviet chess grandmaster, former World Che ...

in 1980. *1... g5 is the Borg Defence ( "Grob" backwards) or Basman Defence, often played by IM

Michael Basman Michael John Basman (16 March 1946 – 26 October 2022) was an English chess player, chess author and International Master. He was awarded the International Master title in 1980. Basman was a prolific writer, who made many contributions to the ...

. The move weakens the severely, but according to ''

Modern Chess Openings ''Modern Chess Openings'' (usually called ) is a reference book on chess openings, first published in 1911 by the British players Richard Clewin Griffith (1872–1955) and John Herbert White (1880–1920). The fifteenth edition was published in ...

'' (''MCO''), Black is only somewhat worse.

Rare continuations

The remaining replies to 1.e4 are very rare, and have not received significant and serious attention by masters. ''MCO'' does not cover them, considering them so bad as not to merit discussion. These openings sometimes lead to wild and exciting games, and are occasionally employed by weaker players to get better trained opponents "out-of-book". Some have exotic names. Such openings are listed below along with instances where they have been used by strong players. * 1... h6, called the Carr Defence in ''Unorthodox Chess Openings''. This defence has also been used by Michael Basman, and is likely to transpose to the Borg Defence after 2.d4 g5. * 1... a5, the Corn Stalk Defence. United States chess player

Preston Ware Preston Ware Jr. (August 12, 1821 – January 29, 1890) was a US chess player. He is best known today for playing unorthodox chess openings. Ware was born in Wrentham, Massachusetts, and died in Boston, Massachusetts. Boston Mandarins Ware was a ...

played the Corn Stalk in eleven recorded tournament games from 1880 to 1882, winning four and losing seven. Its chief fault is the very early and therefore potentially unnecessary development of a peripheral piece. * 1... Na6, called the Lemming Defence in ''Unorthodox Chess Openings'', develops the knight to an inferior square. * 1... h5, the Goldsmith Defence or Pickering Defence. All this move achieves is to waste a tempo and weaken the kingside. It is the reversed version of the Kadas Opening. * 1... f6 is known as the Barnes Defence after Thomas Wilson Barnes. This move is clearly inferior, taking away the f6-square from the knight and weakening Black's kingside, although Barnes managed to defeat

Paul Morphy Paul Charles Morphy (June 22, 1837 – July 10, 1884) was an American chess player. He is considered to have been the greatest chess master of his era and is often considered the unofficial World Chess Champion. A chess prodigy, he was c ...

with this defence in 1858. * 1... f5 is called the Duras Gambit in ''Unorthodox Chess Openings''. This is a pawn sacrifice which gives Black a lead in development after 2.exf5 Nf6, but without much additional compensation for the sacrificed pawn. Another move in this position is 2...Kf7, but after the move 3.Qh5+, Black has to play g6 and totally wreck his kingside. The line was played three times in an exhibition match between

Ossip Bernstein Ossip Samoilovich Bernstein (20 September 1882 – 30 November 1962) was a Russian-French chess player and businessman. He was one of the inaugural recipients of the title International Grandmaster from FIDE in 1950. Biography Born in Zhytomyr, ...

and

Oldřich Duras Oldřich Duras (also Důras; 30 October 1882, Pchery, Bohemia, then Austria-Hungary – 5 January 1957, Prague, then Czechoslovakia) was a leading Czech chess master of the early 20th century. FIDE awarded him the title of International Gran ...

. * 1... Nh6, the Adams Defence or Wild Bull Defence. It can transpose to the old hippo system.

References