Specific Alternative Openings

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The specific alternative openings that will be investigated are outlined in the alternative openings forum.

Any suggestions for additional openings to consider should be posted there.

Professor Filius Flitwick, Ph.D.

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Réti Opening

 
This article is about the system of moves commonly beginning with 1.Nf3. For the initial move 1.Nf3 itself, see Zukertort Opening.

The Réti Opening is a hypermodern chess opening whose "traditional" or "classic method" begins with the moves:[1]

Réti Opening
 
  b c d e f g h  
8 Moves 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4            
  ECO A04–A09            
  Origin Réti–Rubinstein, Carlsbad, 1923            
  Named after Richard Réti            
  Parent Zukertort Opening            
  Synonym(s) Réti System
Réti–Zukertort Opening
           
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Réti Opening

 
1.Nf3
 
1.Nf3 develops a piece instead of moving a pawn to begin the game. The knight develops to a good square that controls the center while keeping flexible options with the central pawns. A later d2-d4 move may transpose to a 1.d4 opening (while avoiding certain lines), while a later c2-c4 move might transpose to the English Opening.
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https://www.chess.com/openings/Alekhines-Defensem

Alekhine's Defense

 
1.e4 Nf6
Alekhine's Defense is a hypermodern response to 1.e4. Black lets White establish a presence in the center with the goal of proving it overextended. Although 1...Nf6 is only Black's eighth-most popular response to 1.e4, it scores as well as some much more common moves like the #3 French (1...e6) and #5 Pirc (1...d6).
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Réti Opening: Réti Gambit

 
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4
In the Reti - named for Richard Reti, one of the founders of Hypermodernism - White combines the move Nf3 and the fianchetto of the king's-bishop with the flank blow c2-c4. Thus he is trying to attack the black center from the side.
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King's Indian Attack

 
1.Nf3 d5 2.g3

https://www.chess.com/openings/Kings-Indian-Attack

The fastest way to fianchetto the king's bishop and castle is the King's Indian Attack (KIA), the reverse of the King's Indian Defense. White just plays Nf3, g3, Bg2, and 0-0, before seeing how to proceed.

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King's Indian Defense: Four Pawns Attack

 
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f4
Originally considered almost a refutation of the King's Indian, the Four Pawns Attack creates a huge pawn center ranging from the c-file to the f-file. White seeks to run Black over by his central pawns, but in practice Black can easily break up the pawns, and the game settles down into some other kind of structure.
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Nimzowitsch Defense

 
1.e4 Nc6

https://www.chess.com/openings/Nimzowitsch-Defense

Because in "theory", you're supposed to push pawns to the center. With the knight you can control 1 of opponents center square, d4, but your opponent's e-pawn can control 3 center spaces. the e4 its on, the d5, space it threatens or it can move into e5 or obstruct your e-pawn's movements by not moving.

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Grünfeld Defense:

Exchange Variation

 
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd 
The Exchange Variation of the Gruenfeld is considered one of White's most critical attempts. Since the d5 pawn is not defended by another pawn, White is able to capture it and remove Black's central pawn, leaving White able to build a strong pawn center, which Black tries to pressure with pieces.
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The King's Indian Defence (or KID) is a common chess opening. It is defined by the following moves: