Openings

Black: four useful responses

Initial plans against the Italian, Scotch, Queen’s Gambit and London. A starting point for your repertoire.

Club foundations · 1000–1400Intermediate · 1400–1600

4 lessons · 28 min estimated practice

Free · No game imports needed

♖1♔♕♗♘♖♙2♙♙♙♙♙♙3♘4♙♗5♟6♞♟7♟♟♟♟♟♟♜8h♞g♝f♚e♛d♝cb♜a

Black to move

Try the first position

Practise the …Bc5, …Nf6 and …d6 setup against the replies shown.

Italian: develop and support e5
Club foundations · 7 min
White aims at f7. You can develop actively without neglecting e5 and prepare to castle later.
Scotch: accept and counterattack
Intermediate · 7 min
The d4 break changes the centre. You can accept the pawn, develop with pressure on e4 and recapture on c6 toward the centre.
Queen’s Gambit: support the centre
Club foundations · 7 min
You can contest the centre with …d5 and support it with …e6. Developing the knight adds another defender to d5.
London: challenge the centre
Intermediate · 7 min
White develops the bishop before e3. Instead of chasing it without a reason, develop and prepare pressure on d4.