Open games

	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H
8th									8th
7th									7th
6th									6th
5									5
4th									4th
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H

Trains

1. e2 – e4 e7 – e5

ECO key

C20-C99

Named after

often rapid line openings

The Open Games are a group of openings in the game of chess . These openings begin with White's move 1. e2 – e4, followed by Black's answer move 1.… e7 – e5. Its name is derived from the frequent rapid line openings . In the ECO codes , the open games are classified under the keys C20 to C99. The two most popular systems are the Italian game and the Spanish game .

It is recommended for beginners to learn the art of chess with the open games, because - with exceptions - the open games allow particularly easy access to basic chess strategies. Elementary tactical expressions such as bondage (a basic element of the Spanish game, for example) can also be learned very easily in the open games.

history

The open games are among the oldest openings in the game of chess. A work by the Spanish monk Ruy López de Segura appeared as early as 1561 , in which he provides explanations of some of the openings that are still popular today, for example the Spanish part. Although numerous other opening moves had already been analyzed and tested, the overwhelming majority of the games began with these moves, during the romantic era of chess in the 19th century, another opening combination was considered downright dishonorable. With the emergence of the so-called hypermodern chess school , a boom began in openings such as the Sicilian Defense (2.… c7 – c5) or various Indian systems (1. d2 – d4 Ng8 – f6 2. c2 – c4), so that the classic 1. e2 –E4 e7 – e5 lost much of its former popularity. However, this beginning of the game has always retained a certain number of supporters over the years and even in today's world-class chess is 1.… e7 – e5, mostly in connection with the Spanish opening, which after 2. Ng1 – f3 Nb8 – c6 3. Bf1 – b5 emerges, after the Sicilian Defense (1.… c7 – c5) the most frequently chosen answer to 1. e2 – e4.

Opening ideas

With the first move, White tries to set up the pawn center : He wants to place pawns on both e4 and d4, which is considered advantageous. Black prevents this with 1.… e7 – e5 because he can swap the d-pawn after 2. d2 – d4. The only other move that prevents White from building the pawn center is 1.… c7 – c5, the Sicilian Defense.

White's first move has advantages and disadvantages: it occupies part of the center and attacks another (the d5-square). He also opens diagonals for the queen and bishop f1. So White comes to castling faster than after the popular 1. d2 – d4. However, the pawn is not protected on e4. In addition, the squares d4 and f4 are somewhat weakened, which would be covered by the pawn after e2 – e3, but not after e2 – e4. Black prevents the planned d2 – d4 with e7 – e5. The same advantages and disadvantages apply to black. Two weaknesses are particularly important in Black's position: the unprotected e5 pawn and the f7 pawn which is only defended by the king.

If White attacks the pawn f7 with Bf1 – c4, Black can no longer move the e-pawn to e6 in order to block the bishop's view of the f7 square. White's attack on f7 can be reinforced by Ng1 – f3 – g5 / e5, Qd1 – f3 / h5 and by a rook on the f-file if White's f-pawn is missing. White can then place a rook on the f-file by short castling. Sometimes tactical tricks that involve sacrificing f7 are possible. After Bc4xf7 + the king sometimes has to move and after Nxf7 the knight attacks the black queen and rook a8 at the same time (so-called knight fork ), provided they have not yet moved. Probably the best-known mate attack, the shepherd mate, includes the attack on f7 with queen and bishop as an essential motif. He can also be found in the Italian game and the King's Gambit .
The e5 pawn can be attacked with Ng1 – f3, f2 – f4, d2 – d4 and (rarely) Qd1 – h5. White can try to conquer the pawn with the attack and can then set up the pawn center with d2 – d4. Black often defends the pawn with Nb8 – c6. White can then attack the knight with Bf1 – b5. If it is exchanged, the e5-pawn is again undefended. This motif is characteristic of the Spanish game. However, White can also use f2 – f4 to tempt Black to capture with the e-pawn: After… exf4, black won a pawn, but the d4-square is no longer defended. This motif is characteristic of the King's Gambit.

Other important moves and ideas:

c2 – c3: Serves as preparation for d2 – d4. If Black then plays with ... exd4 White can retaliate with the c-pawn and keep a pawn on d4, thus establishing the pawn center. c2 – c3 can be played immediately on move 2, or later, for example, in the Ponziani opening . The move is also common in the Spanish and Italian games. The disadvantage of this move is that he neither develops a piece nor attacks a black piece and even blocks the best square c3 for the knight b1. Black can therefore go over to a counterattack, for example with… Ng8 – f6 with an attack on e4.
d2 – d4: Is the thematic move to build the pawn center; it comes in many varieties. It is especially strong when Black cannot capture the pawn. If so, White can either win the pawn back with Qd1xd4, c3xd4 (after previous c2 – c3) and Nf3xd4 (after previous Ng1 – f3) or he can sacrifice the pawn by simply developing a piece.

Openings

The following openings are the most common answers to black e7 – e5. They give White the opportunity to play an active role:

King knight game : 2. Ng1 – f3 By far the most frequently played move. He develops a piece, prepares short castling and attacks the e5 pawn, so that Black's sensible answers are limited. The only disadvantage is that the knight on f3 blocks the pawn on f2. The popular opening systems of the Spanish and Italian game are part of the king knight game.
King's Gambit : 2. f2 – f4 This was the most popular method at the time of Ruy Lopez, but now it is rarely found at grandmaster tournaments because it involves a certain risk. However, some first-class chess players (e.g. the former world champion Boris Spasski ) are loyal to the King's Gambit. The move attacks the pawn e5 and at the same time offers the pawn f4 as a sacrifice. If Black captures with 2.… e5xf4 White can soon set up a pawn center with d2 – d4.
Bishop game : 2. Bf1 – c4
Middle Gambit : 2. d2 – d4
Vienna game : 2. Nb1 – c3

Due to the suit advantage of the white man, almost all other legal moves are possible in addition to these answers. However, they are almost never to be found, as they often only mean a loss of speed. For example, if White answers with an “indifferent” move like a2 – a3, Black could continue with Ng8 – f6 and thus basically takes over White's right to move.

Less common or less promising continuations of 1. e2 – e4 e7 – e5 are

Alapin opening : 2. Ng1 – e2
Portuguese opening : 2. Bf1 – b5
Parham's attack : 2. Qd1 – h5
Damiano's defense : 2. Ng1 – f3 f7 – f6 ?!
Sicilian in suit : 2. c2 – c4

White's other second moves have no independent character. Possibilities such as 2. a2 – a3 or edge jumps are harmless and allow the black to equalize the position quickly, since white does without his draw advantage and does not make any immediate threats.

For the sake of completeness, the demonstration with 2. Qd1 – f3 should be mentioned. ( Napoleon's attack ) Emperor Napoleon I is said to have used this move in an alleged game against the chess-playing Turks . This opening violates the guidelines of the opening strategy , for example not to bring the queen into the game too early and to develop the minor pieces first . The move 2. Qd1 – f3 occurs mainly in players at the beginner stage, because it is intended to “prepare” for the shepherd's mat .

literature

Nikolaos Ntirlis: Playing 1. e4 e5 - A Classical Repertoire , Quality Chess UK, 2016. ISBN 9781784830144 .