Chess Openings

The most popular Chess Openings are as follows (by the white pieces):

1. Ruy Lopez opening consists of 1. e4, e5; 2. Nf3, Nc6; and 3. Bb5. Defenses are often the Morphy defense, Steinitz defense, and the Berlin defense.
2. Giuoco Piano aka The Italian Game or the quiet game: 1. e4, e5; 2. Nf3, Nc6; and 3. Bc4 (or increasingly Bb5).
3. Sicilian Defense
4. French Defense
5. Caro-Kann Defense
6. Pirc Defense
7. Queen's Gambit, which is c4 after the traditional opening defense of d4 and d5. The is for black to capture the pawn but give up the center of the board in the process.
8. Indian Defenses starts with Nf6 as a response to d4, following by the king's Indian defense, queen's Indian defense, Nimzo-Indian defense, or the Grunfeld defense.
9. English Opening is c4
10. Reti Opening is Nf3, and is named after the chess great Richard Reti

Most popular white opening move

1. e4, which is typically followed by the Roy Lopez opening (also known as the Spanish opening)
2. d4
3. c4
4. Nf3

During the Match of the Century between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky, Fischer surprised Spassky by opening with c4 after Spassky had been extensively coached to expect e4 or d4 openings from Fischer.

See also

• Top 60 Openings