The Chess Opening Codex Encyclopedia

12 Flagship Club & Tournament Openings

• C50 · Italian Game (Giuoco Piano · C50) (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5) — Aim your c4-Bishop directly at Black’s weakest starting square f7 while preparing c3 + d4 to seize the center.
• C70 · Ruy Lopez · Spanish Game (Morphy Defense · C70) (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6) — 3. Bb5 doesn’t threaten to win e5 on move 4—it applies lasting strategic pressure on the c6 defender while clearing kingside castling.
• C57 · Fried Liver Attack (Two Knights · C57) (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Nxf7) — When Black recaptures 5...Nxd5?!, sacrificing 6. Nxf7!! drags the Black King to e6 under direct fire from Qf3+ and Nc3!
• C29 · Vienna Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 · C29) (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4) — Think of the Vienna Gambit as an upgraded, sounder King’s Gambit: c3 guards e4 first so 3...exf4?! runs straight into 4. e5!.
• B90 · Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation (B90) (1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6) — 5...a6! is the ultimate multi-purpose move: it keeps White pieces out of b5, prepares ...b5 queenside expansion, and waits to see White’s setup before choosing ...e5 or ...e6.
• C02 · French Defense: Advance Counterattack (C02) (1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5) — Nimzowitsch’s pawn-chain law rules the French: never passively stare at e5—immediately torpedo the base d4 with 3...c5!, ...Nc6, and ...Qb6!
• B12 · Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation (B12) (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5) — The secret charm of the Caro-Kann: get your light-squared c8-Bishop outside the pawn chain to f5 FIRST (3...Bf5! or 3...c5!), then close the door with ...e6!
• D30 · Queen's Gambit Declined (Classical D30) (1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6) — 2. c4 isn’t a real pawn sacrifice—if Black grabs 2...dxc4, White smoothly recovers the pawn while dominating the e4/d4 center!
• D10 · Slav Defense (1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 · D10) (1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6) — 2...c6 gives you the best of both worlds against 1. d4: rock-solid pawn support for d5 WITHOUT blocking your light-squared c8-Bishop!
• D02 · London System (1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 · D02) (1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4) — Deploy your dark-squared Bishop to f4 BEFORE playing e3, build the c3–d4–e3 pyramid, and plant a powerhouse Knight on the e5 outpost!
• E92 · King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Mainline (E92) (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5) — Invite White to build a giant center, lock it shut with d4–d5, then race your kingside pawn storm (...Ne8/Nh5 -> ...f5 -> ...f4 -> ...g5) straight at White’s King!
• A30 · English Opening: Symmetrical Variation (A30) (1. c4 c5 2. Nf3) — 1. c4 fights for the critical d5 center square from the flank while keeping maximum flexibility—often acting as a Reversed Sicilian with an extra tempo!