Aims Of The Opening


1) To gain a central advantage and maintain it or, to eliminate your opponent's central advantage.
2) To gain an advantage in piece activity and maintain it or, to nullify your opponents advantage in piece activity.
3) To secure a superior pawn structure and maintain it or, to gain some form of compensation in return for an inferior pawn structure.
4) To obtain a material advantage or deliver checkmate.


An Openings Repertoire


A Repertoire For White

I am recommending 1. e4 for white since it is, as Fischer put it "best by test" (who am I to argue with him?). The main responses are e5, e6, g6, and c5, and I will concentrate on these. There are, (as always) some people who play ridiculous (and inferior) moves in the hope of making you fall in to some trivial trap so I have given little known lines for white to minimise the amount of material needed.

The Ruy Lopez.
The exchange variation was a feared weapon in the hands of Bobby Fischer. The strategic idea is to obtain a kings side pawn majority by playing d4 and exchanging for blacks e-pawn. Blacks queens side majority is difficult to mobilise.
1. e4 e5, 2. Nf3 Nf6, 3. Bb5 a6, 4. BxN dc, 5. d4 ed, 6. QxP QxQ, 7. NxQ +=

The closed Sicilian.
Experts in the closed Sicilian usually frown upon this particular system because it involves an early Nf3 without a preliminary f4. Its main advantage is that it can force black out of his normal set up. The loss of tempi involved in playing f4 has very little effect on the viability of the system.
1. e4 c5, 2. Nf3 d6, 3. Nc3 Nf6, 4. g3 g6, 5. Bg2 Bg7, 6. O-O O-O, 7. Ne1 +=
or 1. e4 c5, 2. Nf3 e6, 3. Nc3 d5, 4. ed ed, 5. d4 Nc6, 6. B-b5 Nf6, 7. O-O +=

The French Steinitz.
Although in this system white is giving up an important stronghold in the centre without compensation elsewhere it does leave the d4 square open for a knight and allows white to put pressure on the black centre! (Something French defence players may not be used to). Its other great advantage is that white can obtain an excellent game with simple but considered centralisation.
1. e4 e6, 2. d4 d5, 3. e5 c5, 4. dc BxP, 5. Nf3 Nc6, 6. Bd3 Nge7, 7. Qe2 =

The Modern defence
When wielded by someone with a creative mind this can be deadly. Only if white treads extremely carefully can he emerge with an edge.
1. e4 g6, 2. d4 Bg7, 3. c3 d6, 4. f4 Nf6, 5. Bd3 O-O, 6. Nf3 c5!, 7. dc! =

The Caro Kann
This is superficially similar to the French but the fact that the d5 pawn is not supported by another centre pawn (e6) means white can unbalance the position in his favour.
1. e4 c6?, 2. d4 d5, 3. ed cd, 4. c4 Nf6, 5. Nc3 Nc6, 6. Bg5 e6, 7. c5! +=

The Alekhine defence
This defence is intended to lure the white centre pawns into advancing in the hope they will become weak. However, black loses a great deal of time running round with the king's knight.
1. e4 Nf6, 2. e5 Nd5, 3. Nc3!? NxN, 4. dc! d6, 5. ed! cd, 6. Be3 g6, 7. Qd2 Bg7, 8. O-O-O +=

The Petroff
This can be very frustrating as it often leads to draws. The system I suggest does at least have the merit of unbalancing the position enough to give both sides chances of an advantage.
1. e4 e5, 2. Nf3 Nf6 =, 3. NxP d6 4. Nf3 NxP, 5. Nc3!? NxN, 6. dc! += (Ok, it's not really += but I still like white's position)


A Repertoire For Black

I am recommending 1. ... e6 for black as a universal response.

The French defence
This is the most logical response to 1. e4. it blocks attacks against f7 and prepares for a powerful attack on whites centre. Black can often emerge from the middlegame with the better pawn structure and sometimes an outpost on e4 or c4.

Advance Variation
1. e4 e6, 2. d4 d5, 3. e5 c5, 4. Nf3 Nc6, 5. Be2 Qb6, 6. O-O Nge7, 7. Re1 Nf5, =

Tarrasch Variation
1. e4 e6, 2. d4 d5, 3. Nd2 Be7, 4. Bd3 Nc6?!, 5. Ngf3 Nb4, 6.Be2 c5, =

Main line (3. Nc3)
1. e4 e6, 2. d4 d5, 3. Nc3 Be7, 4. Qg4 g6, 5. e5 c5, 6. Nf3 Nc6, 7. Be3 h5!, 8. Qf4 Nh6, 9. Be2 Nf5, =

The Nimzo-Indian defence.
The idea of this opening is to castle quickly and gain the better pawn structure to win a pawn for a decisive endgame advantage. As long as black does not succumb to a king's side attack he will have good chances.

Samisch Variation
1. d4 e6, 2. c4 (2. e4 d5, transposes to the French) Nf6, 3. Nc3 Bb4, 4. a3 BxN +, 5. bc c5, 6. e3 O-O, 7. Bd3 Nc6, 8. Ne2 b6, 8. e4 Ne8 =+

Rubinstein Variation
1. d4 e6, 2. c4 Nf6, 3. Nc3 Bb4, 4. e3 O-O, 5. Bd3 d6!, 6. Nf3 Nbd7, 7. e4 e5!, =

Classical Variation
1. d4 e6, 2. c4 Nf6, 3. Nc3 Bb4, 4. Qc2 c5, 5. dc O-O, 6. a3 BxP, =

Appendix

The above suggestions are summarised below.

W) 1. e4 e5, 2. Nf3 Nf6, 3. Bb5 a6, 4. BxN dc, 5. d4 ed, 6. QxP QxQ, 7. NxQ +=
1. e4 c5, 2. Nf3 d6, 3. Nc3 Nf6, 4. g3 g6, 5. Bg2 Bg7, 6. O-O O-O, 7. Ne1 +=
1. e4 c5, 2. Nf3 e6, 3. Nc3 d5, 4. ed ed, 5. d4 Nc6, 6. B-b5 Nf6, 7. O-O +=
1. e4 e6, 2. d4 d5, 3. e5 c5, 4. dc BxP, 5. Nf3 Nc6, 6. Bd3 Nge7, 7. Qe2 =
1. e4 g6, 2. d4 Bg7, 3. c3 d6, 4. f4 Nf6, 5. Bd3 O-O, 6. Nf3 c5!, 7. dc! =
1. e4 c6?, 2. d4 d5, 3. ed cd, 4. c4 Nf6, 5. Nc3 Nc6, 6. Bg5 e6, 7. c5! +=
1. e4 Nf6, 2. e5 Nd5, 3. Nc3!? NxN, 4. dc! d6, 5. ed! cd, 6. Be3 g6, 7. Qd2 Bg7, 8. O-O-O +=
1. e4 e5, 2. Nf3 Nf6=, 3. NxP d6 4. Nf3 NxP, 5. Nc3!? NxN, 6. dc! +=
B) 1. e4 e6, 2. d4 d5, 3. e5 c5, 4. Nf3 Nc6, 5. Be2 Qb6, 6. O-O Nge7, 7. Re1 Nf5, =
1. e4 e6, 2. d4 d5, 3. Nd2 Be7, 4. Bd3 Nc6?!, 5. Ngf3 Nb4, 6.Be2 c5, =
1. e4 e6, 2. d4 d5, 3. Nc3 Be7, 4. Qg4 g6, 5. e5 c5, 6. Nf3 Nc6, 7. Be3 h5!, 8. Qf4 Nh6, =
1. d4 e6, 2. c4 Nf6, 3. Nc3 Bb4, 4. a3 BxN+, 5. bc c5, 6. e3 O-O, 7. Bd3 Nc6, 8. Ne2 b6, =+
1. d4 e6, 2. c4 Nf6, 3. Nc3 Bb4, 4. e3 O-O, 5. Bd3 d6!, 6. Nf3 Nbd7, 7. e4 e5!, =
1. d4 e6, 2. c4 Nf6, 3. Nc3 Bb4, 4. Qc2 c5, 5. dc O-O, 6. a3 BxP, =

And Here Are Some Illustrative Games
(And some not so illsutrative!)

Games

Minatures:

Sicilian
1. e4 c5, 2. d4 cd, 3. Bc4 e5, 4. f4 d6, 5. Nf3 Nc6, 6. fe de, 7. O-O Be7, 8. Bxf7! KxB, 9. NxP Ke6, 10. Nf7 Qb6, 11. Qg4 mate.

Sicilian
1. e4 c5, 2. Nc3 d6, 3. Nf3 Nf6, 4. d4 Qa5, 5. dc NxP, 6. Bd2 NxB, 7. QxN dc, 8. O-O-O g6?, 10. Bb5 Bd7, 11. BxB NxB, 12. QxN mate.

Philidor
1.e4 e5, 2. Nf3 d6, 3. Bc4 h6?, 4. Nc3 Bg4, 5. NxP! BxQ, 6. BxP+ Ke7, 7. Nd5 mate.

Main Games:

Ivanchuk-Kasparov Linares 99
1. e4 c5, 2. Nf3 d6, 3. d4 cd, 4. NxP Nf6, 5. Nc3 a6, 6. Be3 Ng4, 7. Bg5 h6, 8. Bh4 g5, 9. Bg3 Bg7, 10. Qd2 Nc6, 11. Nb3 Nge5, 12. f3 b5, 13. Bf2 Rb8, 14. Nd4 b4!, 15. Nd1 NxN, 16. BxN d5, 17. ed?! Qxp, 18. c3 O-O, 19. Be2 Rd8, 20. Qe3 Bb7, 21. Nf2 bc, 22. BxP Qe6, 23. Kf1 Bd5, 24. b3 Rbc8, 25. Rd1 RxB!, 26. QxR Ng4, 27. Qa5 Ne3, 28. Kg1 Rc8?!, 29. QxP NxR, 30. QxQ BxQ, 31. BxN Rc1. White resigns!???!!!

Adams-Leko Linares 99
Caro Kann
e4 c6, d4 d5, Nd2 de, Nxp Bf5, Ng3 Bg6, h4 h6, Nf3 Nf6, Ne5 Bh7, Bd3 BxB, QxB e6, Bd2 Nbd7, f4 Be7, O-O-O O-O, Qe2 c5, dc NxP, Bc3 Qc7, f5 ef, NxP Rfe8, Qf3 Bf8, Nxh6 gh, Ng4 NxN, QxN Kh7, Qf5 Kg8, Qf6 Kh7, Qh8 Kg6, h5 Black resigned

French Steinitz
1. d4 e6, 2. e4 d5, 3. e5 c5, 4. dc BxP, 5. Qg4 g6, 6. Nf3 Qb6, 7. Qg3 Nc6, 8. c3 a5, 9. Bd3 Nge7, 10. O-O h6, 11. Nbd2 Nf5, 12. Qh3 Qh7, 13. Nb3 Bf8, 14. g4 Nfe7, 15. Nbd4 NxP, 16. Nb5 NxN, 17. QxN Qb8, 18. Qf6 Rg8, 19. Bf4 Bg7, 20. BxQ BxQ, 21. Nc7 Kf8, 22. NxR e5, 23. Nb6 BxP, 24. Bd6 Be6, 25. c4 e4, 26. cd Bh3, 27. BxP BxR, 28. Nd7 Kg7, 29. NxB KxN, 30. KxB NxP, 31. Rd1 Nb6, 32. Bc5 Ke5, 33. Bxb7 Black resigned