Openings

Know your first moves like your own name.

Pick a line and listen to why every move is played. Then play it from memory. Each line comes back right before you'd forget it, until you play it without thinking.

Play as White

  1. C54 · Starter · 16 moves

    Italian Game

    Giuoco Piano

    Develop fast, aim the bishop at f7, then hit the center with c3 and d4.

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 …

    Fight for the centerDevelop your pieces
    🔊 LearnDrill
  2. D02 · Starter · 15 moves

    London System

    Main setup

    The same calm setup against almost anything: bishop out to f4, pawns on d4, e3 and c3.

    1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nf6 3.e3 e6 …

    Develop your piecesPawn structure
    🔊 LearnDrill
  3. C45 · Starter · 15 moves

    Scotch Game

    Mieses Variation

    Open the center at once with d4 and use the space your e-pawn grabs.

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 …

    Fight for the centerPawn structure
    🔊 LearnDrill
  4. C84 · Club · 17 moves

    Ruy Lopez

    Closed

    Pressure the knight that guards e5, castle, then build the big center slowly.

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 …

    Fight for the centerCastle early
    🔊 LearnDrill
  5. D63 · Club · 17 moves

    Queen's Gambit Declined

    Orthodox

    Offer the c-pawn to pull Black's d-pawn away from the center, then develop with pressure.

    1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 …

    Fight for the centerDevelop your pieces
    🔊 LearnDrill

Play as Black

  1. C50 · Starter · 16 moves

    Italian Game for Black

    Giuoco Pianissimo

    Mirror White's calm setup: bishop to c5, knight to f6, castle, and tuck the bishop away on a7.

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 …

    Develop your piecesCastle early
    🔊 LearnDrill
  2. B01 · Starter · 14 moves

    Scandinavian Defense

    Main line

    Challenge e4 on move one, park the queen safely on a5 and develop the light bishop early.

    1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 …

    Queen out too earlyDevelop your pieces
    🔊 LearnDrill
  3. B18 · Club · 20 moves

    Caro-Kann Defense

    Classical

    Prepare d5 with c6, get the light bishop out before e6, and build a rock-solid position.

    1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 …

    Pawn structureDevelop your pieces
    🔊 LearnDrill
  4. C02 · Club · 14 moves

    French Defense

    Advance

    Let White grab space, then attack the pawn chain at its base with c5 and the queen on b6.

    1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 …

    Pawn structureMaking a plan
    🔊 LearnDrill
  5. D17 · Club · 16 moves

    Slav Defense

    Main line

    Hold d5 with the c-pawn so the light bishop can still come out to f5.

    1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 …

    Fight for the centerGood & bad bishops
    🔊 LearnDrill
  6. E97 · Advanced · 16 moves

    King's Indian Defense

    Classical

    Let White build a big center, castle quickly, then strike it with e5 and attack on the kingside.

    1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 …

    Pawn structureMaking a plan
    🔊 LearnDrill
  7. B90 · Advanced · 20 moves

    Sicilian Defense

    Najdorf, English Attack

    Trade a wing pawn for White's center pawn, then fight for d5 with e5 and develop for a sharp race.

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 …

    Pawn structureOutposts
    🔊 LearnDrill

Every line is checked move by move with Stockfish. More lines are on the way.