Every opening guide, in one place
36 openings for White and Black, grouped by the first move. Each guide explains the ideas and the lines players at your rating actually meet on Lichess, and each one has a matching Coach so you can practice it move by move. Free during the open beta.
White: 1.e4 against 1...e5 8
Open games. Fast development, early attacks on f7 and plenty of traps at club level.
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Italian Game
Learn the Italian Game from 131 million Lichess games at 1000 to 1600: the replies you'll actually face, how to answer each one, and the traps that win games.
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Scotch Game
Learn the Scotch Game from 73 million Lichess games at 900 to 1800: the replies you'll really face after 3.d4, how to punish the common 4...Nxd4 mistakes.
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Vienna Game
Learn the Vienna Game from 64 million Lichess games at 800 to 1800: the replies to 2.Nc3, when to push f4, and the 4...Qe7 trap a quarter of players fall for.
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Ponziani Opening
Learn the Ponziani Opening from 12 million Lichess games at 600 to 1500: Black's real replies to 3.c3, the big-center plan, and the Qa4+ trap that catches 70%.
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Bishop's Opening
Learn the Bishop's Opening from 143 million Lichess games at 500 to 2000: Black's real replies to 2.Bc4, the d3-Nf3-c3 setup, and a Bxf7+ shot few players find.
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Danish Gambit
Learn the Danish Gambit from 17 million Lichess games at 900 to 2000: how often Black accepts, why this guide recaptures 4.Nxc3, and the 3...Nd4 knight trap.
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King's Gambit
Learn the King's Gambit from 78 million Lichess games at 900 to 2200: every common reply to 2.f4, the ...Qh4+ tricks to avoid, and where Black goes wrong.
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Ruy Lopez (Closed)
Learn the Closed Ruy Lopez from 58 million Lichess games at 1600 to 2400: the c3-h3-d4 plan, the Marshall, the Berlin, and the Kf1 trick most players miss.
White: 1.e4 against other defenses 4
Your plan when Black answers 1.e4 with the Sicilian, French or Caro-Kann.
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Alapin Variation
Play the Alapin (2.c3) against the Sicilian using 27 million Lichess games at 900 to 2200: the replies you'll face, your answers, and the d4-d5 knight traps.
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Sicilian Dragon: Yugoslav Attack
Beat the Sicilian Dragon with the Yugoslav Attack, built from 2 million Lichess games at 1700 to 2400: Black's real replies, the ...d5 move order and the traps.
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French Defense: Advance Variation
Play the Advance French (3.e5) with 30 million Lichess games at 900 to 1800: Black's real replies, how to keep d4 safe, and when not to castle. Free practice.
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Caro-Kann Advance (White)
Beat the Caro-Kann with 3.e5, using 24 million Lichess games at 900 to 1800: Black's real replies, one calm setup, and the c4 break that wins most games.
White: 1.d4 systems and flank openings 7
Set-ups you can play against almost anything, from the London to the English and Réti.
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London System
Learn the London System from 35 million Lichess games at 400 to 1400: the replies you'll really face, one setup against all of them, and the Englund trap.
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Torre Attack
Learn the Torre Attack from 19 million Lichess games at 400 to 1800: what Black plays against 3.Bg5, one setup for every reply, and when to keep the bishop.
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Trompowsky Attack
Learn the Trompowsky Attack from 4.2 million Lichess games at 900 to 1800: Black's real replies to 2.Bg5, when to take on f6, and the traps worth knowing.
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Queen's Gambit Declined (Orthodox)
Learn the Queen's Gambit as White from 177 million Lichess games at 1300 to 2200: the Declined main line with Bg5, the Slav, the Accepted and the Englund trap.
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Catalan Opening
Learn the Catalan from about 939,000 Lichess games at 1400 to 2200: Black's real replies to 3.g3, how to win back the c4 pawn, and the ...b5 mistakes to punish.
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English Opening
Learn the English Opening from 147 million Lichess games at 1000 to 2400: one setup with Nc3, g3 and Bg2, Black's real replies to 1.c4, and the f2 traps.
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Reti Opening
Learn the Reti Opening from 4.8 million Lichess games at 1000 to 2000: Black's real replies to 2.c4, how to win back the c4 pawn, and the ...b5 mistake.
Black: answering 1.e4 7
Solid, sharp and hypermodern replies to the most popular first move.
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Scandinavian Defense
Play the Scandinavian Defense as Black using 94 million Lichess games at 400 to 1400: White's real replies, one simple setup, and the queen trap to avoid.
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Caro-Kann: Advance Variation
Meet the Caro-Kann Advance as Black with a plan built from 37 million Lichess games at 800 to 2200: White's real 4th moves, the h4 and g4 tries, and traps.
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Petroff Defense
Play the Petroff Defense as Black with lines built from 98 million Lichess games at 800 to 2400: White's real third moves, the 3...d6 rule and the fork trick.
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Pirc Defense
Learn the Pirc Defense as Black from 63 million Lichess games at 750 to 1800: White's real replies, the setup to use, and how to punish early e5 pushes.
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Modern Defense
Play the Modern Defense (1.e4 g6) as Black using 54 million Lichess games at 900 to 1800: White's real replies, early e5 pushes, and the attacks on f7.
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Alekhine's Defense
Play Alekhine's Defense as Black using 29 million Lichess games at 1200 to 2000: the Exchange, Four Pawns and Chase lines, 2.Nc3, and the traps to avoid.
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Sicilian Najdorf
Play the Sicilian Najdorf as Black with lines from 17 million Lichess games at 1600 to 2400: 6.Bg5, the English Attack, the Smith-Morra and other sidelines.
Black: answering 1.d4 10
From the rock-solid Slav to gambits like the Budapest and Benko.
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Slav Defense
Learn the Slav Defense from 26 million Lichess games at 700 to 1700: what White really plays after 1.d4 d5, the Semi-Slav setup, and the bishop traps to avoid.
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Queen's Gambit Accepted
Learn the Queen's Gambit Accepted from 41 million Lichess games at 900 to 1800: White's real replies to 2...dxc4, the ...c5 and ...e5 strikes and what to avoid.
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Dutch Defense
Learn the Dutch Defense from 16 million Lichess games at 1200 to 2000: the ...Bb4 setup against 2.c4, the Leningrad, the London lines and the traps to avoid.
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Budapest Gambit
Learn the Budapest Gambit from 8.1 million Lichess games at 900 to 2100: how to win the e5 pawn back, White's real replies and the ...Nd3 mate that catches 42%.
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King's Indian Defense
Learn the King's Indian Defense from 183 million Lichess games at 1400 to 2200: the ...e5 and ...c5 strikes, White's real systems, and the traps to avoid.
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Nimzo-Indian Defense
Play the Nimzo-Indian as Black using 11 million Lichess games at 1400 to 2200: White's six common replies, your answer to each, and the traps to avoid.
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Queen's Indian Defense
Learn the Queen's Indian as Black from 1.5 million Lichess games at 1400 to 2200: White's real replies to 3...b6, your answer to each, and the free pawn on e4.
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Bogo-Indian Defense
Play the Bogo-Indian as Black with a plan built from 1 million Lichess games at 1200 to 2000: 4...Qe7, then ...d6 and ...e5 against White's real replies.
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Grunfeld Defense
Learn the Grunfeld as Black from 4.9 million Lichess games at 1800 to 2400: White's real replies to 3...d5, how to hit d4 in each line, and the traps to know.
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Benko Gambit
Learn the Benko Gambit from 3.4 million Lichess games at 1300 to 2100: how White really answers 3...b5, your setup in every line, and the traps on both sides.
Not sure where to start?
Our strategy articles compare openings side by side and help you pick a repertoire.