Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6

From Wikibooks, open books for an open world
Jump to: navigation, search
Open Game
a b c d e f g h
8 {{{square}}} black rook {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black bishop {{{square}}} black queen {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black bishop {{{square}}} black knight {{{square}}} black rook 8
7 {{{square}}} black pawn {{{square}}} black pawn {{{square}}} black pawn {{{square}}} black pawn {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black pawn {{{square}}} black pawn {{{square}}} black pawn 7
6 {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black knight {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king 6
5 {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black pawn {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king 5
4 {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} white pawn {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king 4
3 {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} white knight {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king 3
2 {{{square}}} white pawn {{{square}}} white pawn {{{square}}} white pawn {{{square}}} white pawn {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} white pawn {{{square}}} white pawn {{{square}}} white pawn 2
1 {{{square}}} white rook {{{square}}} white knight {{{square}}} white bishop {{{square}}} white queen {{{square}}} white king {{{square}}} white bishop {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} white rook 1
a b c d e f g h
Common moves:
3. Bb5 - Ruy Lopez
3. Bc4 - (towards) Italian Game
3. d4 - Scotch Opening
3. Nc3 - Three Knights' Opening
3. c3 - Ponziani Opening

King's Knight Opening[edit]

2... Nc6[edit]

White has multiple choices here which can lead to very different games.

  • 3. Bb5 is the most played. White puts pressure on the knight defending the pawn.
  • 3. Bc4 is quieter. Instead of attacking the knight, White chooses to target the weak f7 pawn.
  • 3. d4 is aggressive. Subsequent play may result in a very open game.
  • 3. Nc3 is the quietest common continuation.
  • 3. c3 the Ponziani opening, opens the white diagonal for the queen, allows for an eventual d4 pawn push, and controls d4 and b4 (possible plants by the black knight) at the expense of hemming in the knight.

Some more uncommon moves:

  • 3. Nxe5 the Irish Gambit, sacrificing a knight for a pawn.
  • 3. g3 the rarely seen Konstantinopolsky Opening
  • 3. Be2 a passive reply called the Inverted Hungarian Opening or Tayler Opening.

Statistics[edit]

Estimated next move popularity
Bb5 48%, Bc4 26%, d4 14%, Nc3 9%, c3 1%, all other less than 1%

Theory table[edit]

For explanation of theory tables see theory table and for notation see algebraic notation.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6

3 4 5
Ruy Lopez Bb5
a6		 Ba4
Nf6		 O-O
Be7		 =
Italian Game Bc4
Bc5		 c3
Nf6		 d4
exd4		 =
Scotch Game d4
exd4		 Nxd4
Bc5		 Nb3
Bb4+		 =
Four Knights Game Nc3
Nf6		 d4
exd4		 Nxd4
Bb4		 =
Ponziani Opening c3
d5		 Bb5
dxe4		 Nxe5
Qg5		 =

When contributing to this Wikibook, please follow the Conventions for organization.

Wikipedia-logo.png

Wikipedia has related information at King's Knight Opening

References[edit]

  • Nunn's Chess Openings. 1999. John Nunn (Editor), Graham Burgess, John Emms, Joe Gallagher. ISBN 1-8574-4221-0.
  • Batsford Chess Openings 2 (1989, 1994). Garry Kasparov, Raymond Keene. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.
v • d • e
 
Chess Openings
1. e4 e5 Chess King
1. e4 c5
1. e4 other
1. d4 Nf6
1. d4 d5
1. d4 other
1.
a3 · Na3 · a4 · b3 · b4 · c3 · Nc3 · c4 · d3 · d4 · e3 · e4 · f3 · Nf3 · f4 · g3 · g4 · h3 · Nh3 · h4
Retrieved from "https://en.wikibooks.org/w/index.php?title=Chess_Opening_Theory/1._e4/1...e5/2._Nf3/2...Nc6&oldid=3204250"