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An Open Game (or Double King's Pawn Opening) is a generic term for a family of chess openings beginning with the 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 termed
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. Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 365. ''semi-open game''. The Semi-Open Games are also called Single King Pawn, ...
s or Single King's Pawn Games. When written in lowercase, the term "open game" refers to a chess position where , and are open, and tending to more tactical gameplay. It is possible that an Open Game may lead to a .


Analysis

White opens by playing 1.e4, which is the most popular opening move and has many strengths – it immediately stakes a claim in the , and frees two pieces (the
queen Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...
and king's
bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
) for action. The oldest openings in chess follow 1.e4.
Bobby Fischer Robert James Fischer (March 9, 1943January 17, 2008) was an American Grandmaster (chess), chess grandmaster and the eleventh World Chess Championship, World Chess Champion. A chess prodigy, he won his first of a record eight US Chess Champi ...
wrote that 1.e4 is "Best by test." On the negative side, 1.e4 places a pawn on an undefended square and weakens the squares d4 and f4. If Black keeps the symmetry by replying 1...e5, the result is an Open Game .


Variations


2.Nf3

The most popular second move for White is 2.Nf3 (the
King's Knight Opening The King's Knight Opening is a chess opening consisting of the moves: :1. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4, e4 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5, e5 :2. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3, Nf3 White's second move attacks the e-pawn. Black ...
), attacking Black's king pawn, preparing to
castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...
, and preparing for d2–d4.


2...Nc6

Black's most common reply to 2.Nf3 is 2...Nc6. This can lead to the
Ruy Lopez The Ruy Lopez (; ), also called the Spanish Opening or Spanish Game, is a chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. e4 e5 :2. Nf3 Nc6 :3. Bb5 The Ruy Lopez remains one of the most popular chess openings, featuring many variations. In ...
(3.Bb5), one of the most popular openings at all levels of chess, and one of the most extensively analyzed. The
Italian Game The Italian Game is a family of chess openings beginning with the moves: :1. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4, e4 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5, e5 :2. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3, Nf3 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3 ...
(3.Bc4) is a popular alternative, usually leading to either the Giuoco Piano (3...Bc5) or the Two Knights Defense (3...Nf6). The Scotch Game (3.d4) was popular in the 19th century and remains so at amateur level. After 3...exd4 White may either recapture with 4.Nxd4, usually leading to an equal game, or play the Scotch Gambit (4.Bc4), a dangerous tactical line against an unprepared opponent. 3.Nc3 Nf6, the Four Knights Game, was often played in the late 19th to early 20th century. Less commonly, 3....g6 or ...Bb4, (the Three Knights Game), are possible. The
Ponziani Opening The Ponziani Opening is a chess opening that begins with the moves: :1. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4, e4 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5, e5 :2. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3, Nf3 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc ...
(3.c3) has never achieved widespread popularity but is occasionally used as a surprise weapon. Other third moves for White such as the Konstantinopolsky Opening (3.g3), and Inverted Hungarian Opening (3.Be2) are rarely played and offer White no advantage.


Other second moves for Black

Black's most popular alternative to 2...Nc6 is 2...Nf6, usually leading to
Petrov's Defense Petrov's Defence or the Petrov Defence (also called Petroff Defence, Petrov's Game, Russian Defence, or Russian Game ">/nowiki> is a chess opening characterised by the following moves: :1. e4 e5 :2. Nf3 Nf6 Though this response has a long ...
, though White can avoid the extensive theory of the Petrov by playing 3.Nc3. The Philidor Defense (2...d6) has the disadvantage of restricting the mobility of Black's king's bishop, and typically leads to solid but passive positions for Black. For this reason, it largely fell out of favor by the early 20th century as Black players sought more dynamic options; however, it is still occasionally seen at grandmaster level. The Gunderam Defense (2...Qe7) is an offbeat choice which blocks the development of the king's bishop, and has never achieved widespread popularity. The Elephant Gambit (2...d5) and 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 16th century by Giulio Cesare Polerio and then the 17th cent ...
(2...f5) are considered very risky for Black, with the latter usually seen only in correspondence play. The Damiano Defense (2...f6) may be met by either 3.Nxe5 or 3.Bc4 with advantage and is almost never seen.


Other second moves for White

The most popular alternatives to 2.Nf3 are 2.f4 (the
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 may play d4 and Bxf4, regaining the gambit pawn with domination, or direc ...
), 2.Nc3 (the Vienna Game), and 2.Bc4 (the
Bishop's Opening The Bishop's Opening is a chess opening that begins with the moves: :1. e4 e5 :2. Bc4 White attacks Black's f7-square and prevents Black from advancing the d-pawn to d5. By ignoring the beginner's maxim "develop knights before bishops", White ...
). These three openings have some similarities; some of the quieter lines in the Vienna and Bishop's Opening can
transpose In linear algebra, the transpose of a Matrix (mathematics), matrix is an operator which flips a matrix over its diagonal; that is, it switches the row and column indices of the matrix by producing another matrix, often denoted by (among other ...
to positional variations of the King's Gambit Declined, when White plays f2–f4 before playing Nf3. The King's Gambit was popular in the nineteenth century with grandmaster and amateur alike. White offers a pawn for speedy development, as well as to attack Black's central outpost. The Vienna Game also frequently features attacks on the Black center by means of f2–f4. In the Center Game (2.d4), White immediately opens the center, though if the pawn is to be recovered after 2...exd4, White must prematurely develop their queen. An alternative is to
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one or two pawns by offering the Danish Gambit (3.c3). The early development of the queen in the Danvers Opening, also known as the Parham Attack (2.Qh5), is usually played only by amateurs, though Hikaru Nakamura has experimented with it in grandmaster tournaments and was able to achieve a reasonable position. The Napoleon Opening, 2.Qf3, has even less to recommend it as Black can easily block any mating threats without compromising their development. The Portuguese Opening (2.Bb5) and Alapin's Opening (2.Ne2) are offbeat tries for White, but neither gain any advantage against correct play. The Bongcloud Attack (2.Ke2) is considered a joke opening.


Examples of Open Games

* 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
Ruy Lopez The Ruy Lopez (; ), also called the Spanish Opening or Spanish Game, is a chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. e4 e5 :2. Nf3 Nc6 :3. Bb5 The Ruy Lopez remains one of the most popular chess openings, featuring many variations. In ...
* 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4
Italian Game The Italian Game is a family of chess openings beginning with the moves: :1. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4, e4 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5, e5 :2. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3, Nf3 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3 ...
* 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 Giuoco Piano * 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Evans Gambit * 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 Two Knights Defense * 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7
Hungarian Defense The Hungarian Defense is a chess opening that begins with the moves: :1. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4, e4 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5, e5 :2. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3, Nf3 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc ...
* 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 without 3...Nf6 Three Knights Game * 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 Four Knights Game * 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 Scotch Game * 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3
Ponziani Opening The Ponziani Opening is a chess opening that begins with the moves: :1. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4, e4 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5, e5 :2. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3, Nf3 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc ...
* 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.g3 Konstantinopolsky Opening * 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Be2 Inverted Hungarian Opening * 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 Petrov's Defence * 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 Philidor Defence * 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5
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 16th century by Giulio Cesare Polerio and then the 17th cent ...
* 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 Elephant Gambit * 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Qf6 Greco Defense * 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6 Damiano Defense * 1.e4 e5 2.f4
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 may play d4 and Bxf4, regaining the gambit pawn with domination, or direc ...
* 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Vienna Game * 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4
Bishop's Opening The Bishop's Opening is a chess opening that begins with the moves: :1. e4 e5 :2. Bc4 White attacks Black's f7-square and prevents Black from advancing the d-pawn to d5. By ignoring the beginner's maxim "develop knights before bishops", White ...
* 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 Center Game * 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 Danish Gambit * 1.e4 e5 2.c3 Centre Pawn Opening * 1.e4 e5 2.Ne2 Alapin's Opening * 1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Danvers Opening * 1.e4 e5 2.Qf3 Napoleon Opening * 1.e4 e5 2.Bb5 Portuguese Opening


Diagrams


See also

* Closed Game (1.d4 d5) *
Flank opening A flank opening is a chess opening played by White and typified by play on one or both (the portion of the chessboard outside the central d- and e-). White often plays in hypermodern style, attacking the from the flanks with rather than occupyi ...
(1.c4, 1.Nf3, 1.f4, and others) *
Irregular chess opening In chess, an irregular opening is an opening considered unusual or unorthodox. In the early 19th century the term was used for any opening not beginning with 1.e4 e5 (the Open Game) or 1.d4 d5 (the Closed Game). As opening theory has developed ...
*
King's Pawn Game The King's Pawn Game is any chess opening starting with the move: : 1. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4, e4 It is the most popular opening move in chess, followed by 1.d4, the Queen's Pawn Game. Principles White opens with the most popular of the ...
*
List of chess openings This is a list of chess openings, organised by the ''Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings'' (''ECO'') code classification system. The chess openings are categorised into five broad areas ("A" through "E"), with each of those broken up into one hundred ...
*
Semi-Closed Game A Semi-Closed Game (or Semi-Closed Opening) is a chess opening in which White plays 1.d4 but Black does not make the symmetrical reply 1...d5.Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 365. ''semi-close game''. (The openings starting 1.d4 d5 are the Closed Games.) ...
(1.d4 other) *
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. Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 365. ''semi-open game''. The Semi-Open Games are also called Single King Pawn, ...
(1.e4 other)


References

Bibliography * *


Further reading

* * * * * * * * {{Authority control *Open Game Chess terminology