Chess openings
The most played openings, explained: what each one aims for, its plans and its main lines. Pick your colour and what you face, then continue with the course that covers it in depth.
With White
Openings to start the game: with 1.e4, 1.d4 and 1.c4.
Ruy Lopez (Spanish Opening): Ideas, Plans and Main Lines
What the Ruy Lopez is after, why the pressure on e5 lasts the whole game, and how to play the Exchange, the Steinitz, the Open, the Berlin and the main line.
Italian Game: Ideas, Plans, Gambits and the Fried Liver Attack
What the Italian Game is after, how the Fried Liver (Fegatello) Attack on f7 works, which gambits are worth knowing, and why the slow d3 lines dominate elite chess today.
Queen's Gambit Opening: Ideas, Main Lines and Plans
What the Queen's Gambit is, why it almost never costs a pawn, how Black answers it and the plans behind the Accepted, Orthodox, Slav and Exchange lines.
Catalan Opening: Ideas, Plans and Main Lines
What the Catalan is after, why the g2 bishop is the key, how to play against ...dxc4, ...b5, ...c5 and the Closed Catalan, and who this opening suits.
London System and Jobava: Ideas, Plans and How to Attack as White
How the London System works, which attacking plans it has, how to meet ...c5 and ...Qb6, and what the Jobava London adds as its more aggressive version with Nc3.
English Opening: Ideas, Plans and How to Play It as White
What the English Opening is after with 1.c4, how to play against 1...e5, 1...c5 and 1...Nf6, playing it with or without the fianchetto, and who it suits.
With Black against 1.e4
Defences for when White opens with the king's pawn.
Sicilian Najdorf: Ideas, Plans and the Six Main Systems
What the Najdorf is after with 5...a6, how Black plays with ...e5 and with ...e6, and what changes against 6.Bg5, 6.Be3, 6.Be2, 6.Bc4, 6.h3 and 6.Bd3.
French Defence: Ideas, Plans and Main Lines
How the French Defence works, what to do with the bad bishop, when to break with ...c5 and ...f6, and how to face the Tarrasch, the Classical, the Advance and the Winawer.
Caro-Kann Defence: Ideas, Main Lines and Plans for Black
What the Caro-Kann is after, how to play the Advance, Classical, Panov, Exchange and Two Knights, and why it is one of the most solid defences to 1.e4.
With Black against 1.d4
Defences for when White opens with the queen's pawn.
King's Indian Defence: Ideas, Plans and Main Lines
How the King's Indian works, why Black hands White the centre, the attack with ...f5, and what to do against the Classical, the Sämisch, the Four Pawns and the fianchetto.
Nimzo-Indian Defence: Ideas, Plans and Main Lines
Why the ...Bb4 pin is one of the best ideas against 1.d4, what to do about doubled pawns, and how to play against 4.e3, 4.Qc2, 4.Bd2 and the surprise systems.
Grünfeld Defence: Ideas, Plans and Main Lines
Why the Grünfeld lets White take the centre to attack it later, and how to meet the Exchange, the Russian System and the lines with Bf4, Bg5 and the fianchetto.
Stonewall Dutch: the Structure, the Plans and How to Play It
What the Stonewall structure of the Dutch Defence is, why e4 is the key square for Black and e5 for White, and how to play with the bishop on d6 or on e7.
More opening guides
The latest guides published.
Chess Opening Traps: 8 You Need to Know (and Avoid)
Scholar's Mate, Légal's Mate, the Lasker Trap, Noah's Ark, the Elephant Trap and more: how each chess opening trap works and how to avoid falling for it.
Dutch Defence: Stonewall, Leningrad and Classical Explained
What the Dutch Defence is after with 1...f5, how to play the Stonewall, Leningrad and Classical, and how to meet the Staunton Gambit and anti-Dutch lines.
Sicilian Defence: Main Lines, Plans and Which to Play
What 1...c5 is after, how the Open Sicilian and the anti-Sicilians divide up, and what the Najdorf, Dragon, Sveshnikov, Taimanov and Kan each offer.
Study your repertoire in depth
The guides lead to the course that covers each opening with the academy's grandmasters: videos, notes and annotated games to replay on the board. Courses are spoken in Spanish with English subtitles.