The best chess openings for beginners
Which opening should you play? Six questions, three cards: one opening with White and two with Black, picked for your style.
Chess openings, explained
Each opening: its main lines checked by Stockfish, its plans, and the mistakes players really make at every level.
Should you change your chess opening?
Give your chess.com or Lichess username: your real score with each opening you play, and whether to keep it or try something new.
Caro-Kann Defense
The Caro-Kann Defense (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5) explained: the Advance, Classical and Exchange lines, plans for both sides and a famous trap, checked by Stockfish.
French Defense
The French Defense (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5) explained: the Advance, Winawer, Classical, Tarrasch and Exchange lines, plans for both sides and a famous trap, checked by Stockfish.
Italian Game
The Italian Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4) explained: the Giuoco Piano, the Two Knights and the Fried Liver, the Evans Gambit, and the famous traps, checked by Stockfish.
King’s Indian Defense
The King’s Indian Defense (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6) explained: the Classical with the f5 attack, the Sämisch, the Four Pawns Attack and a famous trap, checked by Stockfish.
London System
The London System (1.d4 d5 2.Bf4) explained: the setup, Black’s main plans with ...c5, ...Qb6 and ...Bd6, the King’s Indian setup and a famous trap, checked by Stockfish.
Queen’s Gambit
The Queen’s Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4) explained: Accepted, Declined and the Slav, plans for both sides and the Elephant trap, checked by Stockfish.
Ruy Lopez
The Ruy Lopez (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5) explained: the Morphy Defense, the Berlin and the Exchange Variation, plans for both sides and the Noah’s Ark trap, checked by Stockfish.
Scandinavian Defense
The Scandinavian Defense (1.e4 d5) explained: 3...Qa5, 3...Qd6 and 3...Qd8, the 2...Nf6 Modern Variation, the plans for both sides and a classic trap.
Scotch Game
The Scotch Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4) explained: the main lines checked by Stockfish, the plans for both sides, and the traps players fall into at every level.
Sicilian Defense
The Sicilian Defense (1.e4 c5) explained: the Open Sicilian with the Najdorf and Dragon, the Alapin, the Grand Prix, plans for both sides and a famous trap, checked by Stockfish.
Slav Defense
The Slav Defense (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6) explained: the main line with a4 and Bf5, the Exchange Slav, the Semi-Slav and a classic trap, checked by Stockfish.
Vienna Game
The Vienna Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nc3) explained: the Vienna Gambit, the quiet Bc4 and g3 lines, Black’s main replies and the Frankenstein-Dracula, checked by Stockfish.