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Courses

43 opening courses, every line derived from the corpus rather than written out. Pick one and work through it a chapter at a time.

Answers the most on its own

Share of your games each one covers without needing a second course.

London System

solid

1.d4

The same setup against almost anything Black plays. The least theory of any serious first move, and the reason it is everywhere below master level.

6 chapters

Nimzo-Larsen Attack

attacking

1.b3

Almost no theory and almost nobody prepares for it. You aim the bishop down the long diagonal and play chess.

9 chapters

English Opening

positional

1.c4

Flank play and a lot of transpositions. Rewards understanding structures over memorising lines.

8 chapters

Caro-Kann Defence

solid

1.e4 c6

Solid, structurally sound, and unusually self-contained: it answers more of what White can throw at it than almost any other defence.

5 chapters

Réti / 1.Nf3

positional

1.Nf3

Keeps every option open and sidesteps most prepared defences by transposing later.

6 chapters

French Defence

counterattacking

1.e4 e6

Give up some space, aim at d4, and accept a bad bishop you spend the game solving. Very consistent plans.

5 chapters

Scandinavian Defence

solid

1.e4 d5

You reach your structure by move three, every game. The least theory of any sound answer to 1.e4.

3 chapters

Italian Game

attacking

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4

Natural development, an early bishop at Black's weakest square, and slow build-up or a quick d4 depending on taste.

4 chapters

White openings

1.d4

positional

1.d4

Slower and more structural. Fewer forcing lines to memorise than 1.e4, and you keep a space edge for longer.

6 chapters

1.e4

attacking

1.e4

The most played move in chess. You get open positions and fast development, and you answer whatever Black chooses.

8 chapters

Alapin

positional

1.e4 c5 2.c3

Build the big centre and refuse the whole Open Sicilian argument. One system covers every Sicilian Black plays.

6 chapters

Caro-Kann: Advance

attacking

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5

Gain space and go after the bishop Black has just developed outside the pawn chain.

2 chapters

Caro-Kann: Panov

attacking

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4

An isolated queen's pawn and open lines. Turns the most solid defence in chess into a fight.

3 chapters

Catalan

positional

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3

A fianchetto and a long squeeze. Positions repeat, so understanding compounds instead of expiring.

3 chapters

Closed Sicilian

attacking

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3

A setup rather than a line: g3, Bg2, f4 and a kingside attack, with almost nothing to memorise.

5 chapters

English Opening

positional

1.c4

Flank play and a lot of transpositions. Rewards understanding structures over memorising lines.

8 chapters

French: Advance

positional

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5

Take the space and lock the centre. The plans repeat, which is why it costs so little to learn.

2 chapters

French: Tarrasch

positional

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2

3.Nd2, sidestepping the Winawer entirely. Flexible and much less sharp than 3.Nc3.

6 chapters

Italian Game

attacking

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4

Natural development, an early bishop at Black's weakest square, and slow build-up or a quick d4 depending on taste.

4 chapters

King's Gambit

attacking

1.e4 e5 2.f4

A pawn for the centre and the initiative. Objectively fine and practically terrifying to face without preparation.

6 chapters

London System

solid

1.d4

The same setup against almost anything Black plays. The least theory of any serious first move, and the reason it is everywhere below master level.

6 chapters

Nimzo-Larsen Attack

attacking

1.b3

Almost no theory and almost nobody prepares for it. You aim the bishop down the long diagonal and play chess.

9 chapters

Open Sicilian

attacking

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3

The critical test, and the most theory in the game: Black gets several systems and you need an answer to each.

5 chapters

Play c4 against the Indians

positional

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4

The principled move. It also invites the Nimzo-Indian, King's Indian and Grünfeld, which are three separate answers.

4 chapters

Queen's Gambit

positional

1.d4 d5 2.c4

The main line against 1...d5, and the most respected. Black gets several defences and each needs an answer.

5 chapters

Réti / 1.Nf3

positional

1.Nf3

Keeps every option open and sidesteps most prepared defences by transposing later.

6 chapters

Rossolimo

positional

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5

Meet 2...Nc6 with an early Bb5. A fraction of the Open Sicilian's theory for a real, lasting pull. It does not answer 2...d6, which is a separate decision.

8 chapters

Ruy Lopez

positional

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5

The deepest body of theory in chess and the most respected try for an edge. Expensive to learn, permanent once learned.

2 chapters

Scotch Game

attacking

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4

Open the centre immediately. Far less theory than the Ruy Lopez and the play is concrete rather than manoeuvring.

4 chapters

Trompowsky

attacking

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5

Second move, and Black's entire Indian preparation is already off the board.

5 chapters

Vienna Game

attacking

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3

A quiet-looking move that hides a very sharp f4 plan. Cheap to learn and rarely met with real preparation.

3 chapters

Black openings

1...d5 against 1.Nf3

solid

1.Nf3 d5

Stake the centre at once. Most 1.Nf3 games transpose to a queen's pawn opening from here.

5 chapters

1...e5

solid

1.e4 e5

The classical reply. Be clear that it is one move and not a repertoire: White has six real tries and each needs its own answer.

4 chapters

1...Nf6 against 1.Nf3

positional

1.Nf3 Nf6

The most flexible reply, and the one most likely to transpose into your existing 1.d4 defence.

5 chapters

1...Nf6 against the English

positional

1.c4 Nf6

Keep every option open and let White commit first. Often transposes straight into whatever you already play against 1.d4.

4 chapters

Caro-Kann Defence

solid

1.e4 c6

Solid, structurally sound, and unusually self-contained: it answers more of what White can throw at it than almost any other defence.

5 chapters

Dutch Defence

attacking

1.d4 f5

An immediate kingside imbalance. Rare enough that most 1.d4 players have no prepared answer.

7 chapters

French Defence

counterattacking

1.e4 e6

Give up some space, aim at d4, and accept a bad bishop you spend the game solving. Very consistent plans.

5 chapters

Grünfeld Defence

counterattacking

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5

Invite the big centre and shoot at it from the side. Sharp, principled, and it leaves the whole 2.Bf4 / 2.Bg5 world unanswered.

5 chapters

King's Indian Defence

attacking

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7

Concede the centre, castle, and throw the kingside pawns at White's king. The most direct winning attempt against 1.d4.

3 chapters

Nimzo-Indian Defence

positional

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4

Pin the knight, trade it for structure, and play against the doubled pawns. The most respected answer to 1.d4.

8 chapters

Pirc Defence

counterattacking

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6

Let White build the centre and then hit it. Cheap in theory, demanding in understanding.

11 chapters

Queen's Gambit Declined

solid

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6

The old reliable. You will not be blown off the board, and the plans are the same every game.

3 chapters

Reversed Sicilian

counterattacking

1.c4 e5

Meet the English by taking the centre yourself, with a tempo more than White has in the Sicilian.

6 chapters

Scandinavian Defence

solid

1.e4 d5

You reach your structure by move three, every game. The least theory of any sound answer to 1.e4.

3 chapters

Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon

counterattacking

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6

Dragon ideas at a fraction of the theory, at the cost of allowing the Maróczy bind.

4 chapters

Sicilian: Dragon

attacking

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6

Opposite-side castling and a race. Whoever knows the line further usually wins, which cuts both ways.

7 chapters

Sicilian: Kan

counterattacking

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6

Flexible and light on forced lines. You keep the structure fluid and decide what to be later.

6 chapters

Sicilian: Najdorf

counterattacking

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6

The most analysed defence in chess and the most ambitious. You play for a win with Black, and you pay for it in study hours.

8 chapters

Slav Defence

solid

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6

Hold the centre without shutting in the light-squared bishop, which is the one thing the QGD cannot do.

4 chapters

Tarrasch Defence

counterattacking

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5

Answer the Queen's Gambit by striking at the centre with ...c5 straight away, and accept an isolated queen's pawn for free piece play.

3 chapters