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You've now learned a lot about OPEN GAMES - openings starting 1. e2-e4 e7-e5. You've also learned about the FRENCH DEFENSE, the SICILIAN DEFENSE and the QUEEN'S GAMBIT. But there are many more openings you might like to learn - and as you get stronger and play stronger opponents you're more likely to meet them. We'll introduce you to some of them in this lesson. 
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This is the CARO-KANN DEFENSE. The starting moves are 1. e2-e4 c7-c6 2. d2-d4 d7-d5. Like in the FRENCH DEFENSE, Black attacks the White pawn on e4. The advantage is that Black's not blocking in his Queen's Bishop - the disadvantage that he's taking a square away from his Knight. The CARO-KANN has a reputation as a safe and solid opening for Black.
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White has the same decision to make as in the French: to exchange, advance or defend. Again, 3. e4-e5 is the ADVANCE VARIATION. 3. e4xd5 is the EXCHANGE VARIATION, in which a good line for White is 4. c2-c4 (the PANOV-BOTVINNIK ATTACK). Or White can defend with 3. Nb1-c3 (or Nb1-d2). Unlike in the French, Black almost always plays d5xe4 in reply to a Knight move. White then plays Nc3(d2)xe4 and Black can choose from Bc8-f5, Nb8-d7 or Ng8-f6.
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The CENTER COUNTER or SCANDINAVIAN DEFENSE is another way for Black to THREATEN the White e-pawn. This is another popular and fairly solid opening for Black. There's no reason for White to do anything other than take the pawn at once, when Black will lose a bit of time with one of his pieces.
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After White takes the pawn Black has a choice. He can recapture at once: Qd8xd5, when White can gain time by threatening the Queen with Nb1-c3. Black's most usual reply is Qd5-a5. Black's alternative is to play Ng8-f6, planning to take back with the Knight. A simple move for White in reply is d2-d4, intending, if Black plays Nf6xd5 (Bc8-g4 is an alternative) to play c2-c4 and drive the Knight back.
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Now we move on to a family of openings where Black FIANCHETTOES his King's Bishop - playing g7-g6 and Bf8-g7. This is the PIRC DEFENSE - it's pronounced PEERTS, not PERK! White has to defend his e-pawn here - usually he'll choose Nb1-c3. Black will then play g7-g6 followed by Bf8-g7 and attack on the DARK SQUARES, often playing either c7-c5 or e7-e5 at some point.
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White has a wide choice of set-ups here. A solid plan is to play Ng1-f3, Bf1-e2, 0-0 and Bc1-e3 - simple development without creating any targets for Black. A more ambitious approach is to play f2-f4, then Ng1-f3 and 0-0, maybe hoping to play e4-e5 at some point.
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We start with 1. e2-e4 g7-g6 2. d2-d4 Bf8-g7. Now both sides have a very wide choice. White could bring out a Knight - when the game might turn into a PIRC. Alternatively, he could play c2-c4, when it might turn into a KING'S INDIAN DEFENSE (see later in the lesson).
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This is ALEKHINE'S DEFENSE (you met Alekhine in the last lesson) - a very provocative opening. White's pawn immediately comes under attack. What should he do about it?
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Again White has a choice - defend or advance. Nb1-c3 is OK - but Black can play e7-e5 with a VIENNA GAME, or attack the pawn again with d7-d5. More challenging is to play e4-e5, THREATENING the Knight. (You should be used to this idea by now!) Black should then play Nf6-d5, when White can drive the Knight back again with c2-c4 (Nd5-b6 is the reply to this). Or White can play more cautiously with d2-d4, when Black will play d7-d6.
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Briefly: Nb8-c6 is the NIMZOWITSCH DEFENSE - Black can play either d7-d5 or e7-e5 next move. b7-b6 is OWEN'S DEFENSE - Black plans to FIANCHETTO his Queen's Bishop and put pressure on the e-pawn. a7-a6 is the ST GEORGE'S DEFENSE - Black plays b7-b5 and Bc8-b7 with a similar idea.
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Now a quick look at openings starting 1. d2-d4 d7-d5 where White does something other than d2-d4. Don't forget that Queen's Pawn openings are not just left-handed King's Pawn openings. If you try to play them like that you'll get very little from the opening. White CAN play 2. Nb1-c3 Ng8-f6 3. Bf1-b5 (the RICHER-VERESOV ATTACK) but it's not dangerous for Black: a good reply is Nb8-d7 to avoid DOUBLED PAWNS.
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More popular for White is to play 2. Ng1-f3 followed by e2-e3, c2-c3, Bf1-d3, Nb1-d2 and 0-0 followed by playing for e3-e4. This is called the COLLE SYSTEM - it's an easy opening to learn and will usually give you a good position. If White goes for a similar setup but with his Queen's Bishop on g5 it's the TORRE ATTACK, and if he plays his Queen's Bishop to f4 instead it's the LONDON SYSTEM.
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This comes from, for example, 1. d2-d4 d7-d5 2. c2-c4 e7-e6 3. Ng1-f3 Ng8-f6 4. g2-g3. It's a sort of QUEEN'S GAMBIT where White FIANCHETTOES his King's Bishop. This is called the CATALAN OPENING - a sophisticated opening quite popular with stronger players. Briefly, two other moves for Black after 1. d2-d4 d7-d5 2. c2-c4. Firstly, Nb8-c6 is the CHIGORIN DEFENSE to the Queen's Gambit - tricky but not easy to play. Secondly, e7-e5, planning to meet d4xe5 with d5-d4 (gaining space and taking c3 away from the White Knight) is the ALBIN COUNTER-GAMBIT - well worth playing if you like GAMBITS.
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Instead of d7-d5 Black can equally well reply to d2-d4 with Ng8-f6 (in fact at higher levels it's a lot more popular), which also prevents e2-e4. White will then usually play c2-c4. Openings starting like this are known as INDIAN DEFENSES. Let's have a look at some of them.
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After the moves 1. d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2. c2-c4 e7-e6 3. Nb1-c3 Bf8-b4 we reach this position. This is known as the NIMZO-INDIAN DEFENSE. Black prevents e2-e4 again by PINNING the White Knight.
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The two most popular are e2-e3 and Qd1-c2. It seems strange to block in the Bishop with e2-e3 (the RUBINSTEIN VARIATION) but, believe me, it's a good move. White will continue with moves like Bf1-d3, Ng1-f3 and 0-0 to complete his King-side development quickly. The main alternative, Qd1-c2, is played to prevent DOUBLED PAWNS should Black choose to take on c3 at some point. He will usually only do this if White provokes him with a2-a3. The NIMZO-INDIAN is a popular and strong defense for Black.
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If White doesn't want his Knight PINNED he can play Ng1-f3 on move 3 instead. Here Black has two main choices (of course he can go back into a QUEEN'S GAMBIT with d7-d5 if he chooses. He can still play Bf8-b4+, which is the BOGO-INDIAN DEFENSE. Or he can prepare to FIANCHETTO his Queen's Bishop with b7-b6 - the QUEEN'S INDIAN DEFENSE. Again both strong and safe choices for Black.
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Another important 2nd move for Black is g7-g6, planning a FIANCHETTO. White will now develop a Knight, probably playing Nb1-c3. Why that one? Simply because it threatens to play e2-e4 with three pawns in the middle. This move will give Black a choice.
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On his third move Black can complete his FIANCHETTO with Bf8-g7, giving White the opportunity (which he usually takes) to grab a lot of space in the center with e2-e4. A very interesting and aggressive choice for Black. He will play d7-d6, 0-0 and then attack the White center with either e7-e5 or c7-c5, depending on where White puts his pieces.
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Black's other choice on move 3 is to play d7-d5, the GRÜNFELD DEFENSE. Another provocative opening: White can set up a strong center with the sequence 4. c4xd5 Nf6xd5 5. e2-e4 Nd5xc3 6. b2xc3. This looks pretty scary but Black can attack it with Bf8-g7 and c7-c5. If White doesn't want to risk this he can just develop - Ng1-f3 - instead.
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Another important second move for Black is c7-c5, challenging White's center at once. Now d4xc5 isn't dangerous - e7-e6 is fine for Black. So White can defend with Ng1-f3 or, more interestingly, push on with d4-d5.
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Here Black has a choice of two openings - both very complicated. He can play e7-e6 (the MODERN BENONI) - play usually continues 4. Nb1-c3 e6xd5 5. c4xd5 d7-d6 followed by g7-g6 and Bf8-g7. He can also SACRIFICE a pawn with b7-b5 (the BENKO GAMBIT), meeting c4xb5 with a7-a6 and again usually following up with a King-side FIANCHETTO. Black gets open lines on the Queen side and a strong King's Bishop for the pawn.
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In this position Black has two other choices: d7-d6 is the OLD INDIAN DEFENSE - Black plans Nb8-d7, e7-e5 and Bf8-e7. Or if you like GAMBITS you could try e7-e5 (the BUDAPEST GAMBIT), meeting d4xe5 with Nf6-g4.
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1. d2-d4 d7-d5 2. Bc1-g5 is also sometimes played.
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This is a good choice for players who like attacking on the King-side. White usually FIANCHETTOES his King's Bishop early on in this opening, but many other ideas are also possible.
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He can play e7-e6, Ng8-f6, Bf8-e7 and d7-d6 - the CLASSICAL DUTCH. Black plans to play e6-e5 at some point. He can play e7-e6, Ng8-f6 and d7-d5 - the DUTCH STONEWALL - popular and gives good attacking chances but has the disadvantage of leaving a hole on e5. He can play d7-d6, Ng8-f6, g7-g6 and Bf8-g7 - the LENINGRAD (ST PETERSBURG if you prefer) DUTCH Again Black is trying for e7-e5.
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This - 1. c2-c4 - is the ENGLISH OPENING. White's usual idea is to play Nb1-c3, g2-g3 and Bf1-g2 (another FIANCHETTO) to control the central white squares. The ENGLISH OPENING is very popular at higher levels of play.
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The most popular is e7-e5, which is a reversed SICILIAN DEFENSE. He could also play c7-c5, the SYMMETRICAL ENGLISH. Of course he could also play Ng8-f6, when White could revert to a Queen's Pawn opening with c2-c4.
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He could play d2-d3 and leave his e-pawn unmoved. He could play d2-d3 and e2-e3. He could play d2-d3 and e2-e4. He could play e2-e3 and d2-d4. He could play for a quick d2-d4 without moving his e-pawn. What he decides to do will partly depend on what Black does. There's a lot of scope for different ideas in this opening.
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One word of warning - it's probably NOT a good idea for Black to play Nb8-c6, hoping for e2-e4. White will probably play d2-d4 instead. White's plan is usually to play g2-g3 and Bf1-g2. If Black replies d7-d5 White will often attack this pawn with c2-c4. Games starting with this move often turn into an ENGLISH OPENING or some sort of QUEEN'S PAWN OPENING.
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1. g2-g3 (BENKO OPENING) - White plans a King-side FIANCHETTO. This may turn into an ENGLISH or RÉTI, or a reversed KING'S INDIAN DEFENSE or PIRC DEFENSE. 1. b2-b3 (NIMZO-LARSEN ATTACK) - White plans a Queen-side FIANCHETTO. 1. b2-b4 (SOKOLSKY OPENING) - Again White plans Bc1-b2, and also to gain space on the Queen side. 1. Nb1-c3 (DUNST OPENING amongst other names) - White may plan to meet d7-d5 with e2-e4 - or could transpose into something else.
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 Caro-Kann Defense Scandinavian Defense Pirc Defense Alekhine's Defense
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Caro-Kann Defense Scandinavian Defense Pirc Defense Alekhine's Defense
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Caro-Kann Defense Scandinavian Defense Pirc Defense Alekhine's Defense
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Caro-Kann Defense Scandinavian Defense Pirc Defense Alekhine's Defense
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Nimzo-Indian Defense King's Indian Defense Dutch Defense Grünfeld Defense
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Nimzo-Indian Defense King's Indian Defense Dutch Defense Grünfeld Defense
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Nimzo-Indian Defense King's Indian Defense Dutch Defense Grünfeld Defense
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Nimzo-Indian Defense King's Indian Defense Dutch Defense Grünfeld Defense
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English Opening Welsh Opening Scottish Opening Irish Opening
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Béti Opening Léti Opening Réti Opening Yéti Opening
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Congratulations!! You have now completed the OTHER OPENINGS assignment.  
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