The opening is the initial stage of a chess game. It usually consists of established theory. The other phases are the middlegame and the endgame. Many opening sequences, known as openings, have standard names such as "Sicilian Defense". The Oxford Companion to Chess lists 1,327 named openings and variants, and there are many others with varying degrees of common usage.
The Nimzo-Indian Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
The Grünfeld Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
The Modern Defense is a hypermodern chess opening in which Black allows White to occupy the center with pawns on d4 and e4, then proceeds to attack and undermine this "ideal" center without attempting to occupy it. The opening has been most notably used by British grandmasters Nigel Davies and Colin McNab.
The English Opening is a chess opening that begins with the move:
Bird's Opening is a chess opening characterised by the move:
The Caro–Kann Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
The Dunst Opening is a chess opening in which White opens with the move:
The Queen's Pawn Game is any chess opening starting with the move 1.d4, which is the second-most popular opening move after 1.e4.
The Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack is a chess opening typically starting with the move: 1.b3 but sometimes introduced by the move order 1.Nf3 and then 2.b3. The flank opening move 1.b3 prepares to fianchetto the queen's bishop where it will help control the central squares in hypermodern fashion and put pressure on Black's kingside.
In chess, an exchange variation is a type of opening in which there is an early, voluntary exchange of pawns or pieces. Such variations are often quieter than other lines because the early release of tension minimizes the possibility of surprise tactics or sharp, forcing lines, particularly where it results in a symmetrical pawn structure.
In the game of chess, Indian Defence or Indian Game is a broad term for a group of openings characterised by the moves:
The Taimanov Variation can refer to variations of four different chess openings, all named after Mark Taimanov:
In chess, the Maróczy Bind is a term alternately used to refer to an opening or its associated pawn structure, named for the Hungarian grandmaster Géza Maróczy. When the Bind is discussed as an opening, it is defined as 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.c4. The Maróczy Bind opening is a continuation of the Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Dragon, where 5.c4 is the characteristic move.
A Semi-Closed Game is a chess opening in which White plays 1.d4 but Black does not make the symmetrical reply 1...d5.
A Steinitz Variation is any of several chess openings introduced and practiced, or adopted and advocated by Wilhelm Steinitz, the first officially recognized World Chess Champion.
The Nadanian Variation of the Grünfeld Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
