DOUBLE KING PAWN OPENINGS
(P-K4 followed by P-K4)
 

    2) P-Q4   2) PxP

Center Game:    1) P-K4     P-K4
                             2) P-Q4    PxP
                             3) QxP     N-QB3
                             4) Q-K3   N-B3

Notes: this one is supposedly not very good for White.
 

            3) P-QB3   3) PxP

Danish Gambit:1) P-K4      P-K4
                             2) P-Q4     PxP
                             3) P-QB3   PxP
                             4) B-QB4   PxP

Notes: I dunno about this one. White has sacrificed a LOT of material.
 

    2) P-KB4   2) P-Q4

Falkbeer Counter Gambit:
                           1) P-K4       P-K4
                           2) P-KB4     P-Q4
                           3) KPxP      P-K5
                           4) P-Q3!      N-KB3
Notes: This one will kick Black's butt if he takes the bait.
 

    2) P-KB4   2) PxP

King's Bishop's Gambit:
                                     1) P-K4        P-K4
                                     2) P-KB4      PxP
                                     3) B-B4        N-KB3
                                     4) N-QB3     P-B3
Notes: A nice strong opening for Black
 

            3) N-KB3   3) N-KB3

King's Knight's Gambit:
                                      1) P-K4          P-K4
                                      2) P-KB4       PxP
                                      3) N-KB3      N-KB3
                                      4) N-B3         P-Q4
Notes: A lot of initiative for Black.
 

            3) N-KB3   3) P-KN4

King's Knight's Gambit var:
                                      1) P-K4        P-K4
                                      2) P-KB4      PxP
                                      3) N-KB3     P-KN4
                                      4) B-B4        B-N2

            the Muzio Gambit is:

            1) P-K4       P-K4
            2) P-KB4     PxP
            3) N-KB3    P-KN4
            4) B-B4       P-N5
            5) O-O        PxN
            6) QxP
Notes: White gets some leverage here ·
 

Kieseritzsky Gambit:
                                      1) P-K4           P-K4
                                      2) P-KB4        PxP
                                      3) N-KB3       P-KN4
                                      4) P-KR4        P-N5

Notes: This is not somewhere you want to be if you are playing white, as the typical followups are:

                                      5) N-K5         N-KB3
                                      6) B-B4         -Q4

Or the Allgaier Gambit, which is not a good idea:

                                     5) N-N5        P-KR3
                                     6) NxP          KxN
 
 

    2) N-KB3 2) P-KB4

Greco Counter Gambit:
                            1) P-K4            P-K4
                            2) N-KB3         P-KB4
                            3) NxP             Q-B3
                            4) P-Q4            P-Q3

Notes: The better of this one goes to White, for sure.
 

    2) N-KB3 2) P-Q3

Philidor's Defense:
                            1) P-K4            P-K4
                            2) N-KB3         P-Q3
                            3) P-Q4            PxP
                            4) QxP             N-QB3

Notes: White will develop a strong center and good development all around.
 

Philidor's Defense var:
                            1) P-K4            P-K4
                            2) N-KB3         P-Q3
                            3) P-Q4            N-Q2
                            4) B-QB4         P-QB3

Notes: This don't look too good for Black.
 

    2) P-KB4 2) B-B4

King's Gambit Declined:
                            1) P-K4             P-K4
                            2) P-KB4          B-B4
                            3) N-KB3          P-Q3
                            4) B-B4             N-KB3

Notes: This is good for black, far better than snapping at the PxP bait in the second move.
 

    2) N-QB3 2) N-KB3

Vienna Game:   1) P-K4        P-K4
                               2) N-QB3    N-KB3
                               3) P-B4       P-Q4
                               4) BPxP      NxP

Notes: A good one for Black
 
 

            3) B-B4 3) N-B3

Vienna Game var:
                             1) P-K4      P-K4
                                2) N-QB3  N-KB3
                                3) B-B4     N-B3
                                4) P-Q3     N-QR4

Notes: Pretty good for Black as well
 
 

    2) N-KB3 2) N-QB3

Scotch Game:    1) P-K4         P-K4
                               2) N-KB3     N-QB3
                               3) P-Q4        PxP
                               4) NxP         N-B3

Notes: White is advancing too fast in the center and black can do well on this one.
 

Scotch Game var:
                               1) P-K4           P-K4
                               2) N-KB3     N-QB3
                               3) P-Q4        PxP
                               4) NxP         B-B4

Notes: This may be even better than the other. Definitely leads to a good game for Black.
 
 

            3) P-B3 3) N-B3

Ponziani's Opening:
                               1) P-K4        P-K4
                               2) N-KB3     N-QB3
                               3) P-B3        N-B3
                               4) P-Q4        P-Q4
Notes: In this one, white lost the advantage on move three. A very bland opening.
 
 

            3) B-N5 3) P-QR3

Ruy Lopez:        1) P-K4         P-K4
                                2) N-KB3     N-QB3
                                3) B-N5        P-QR3
                                4) B-R4        N-B3

Notes: A popular one and one that is well mapped out to the 14th or 15th move!!!
 

Ruy Lopez, Steinitz Defense Deferred:
                                1) P-K4        P-K4
                                2) N-KB3     N-QB3
                                3) B-N5        P-QR3
                                4) B-R4        P-Q3

Notes: Good for white, and enables the famous "Noah's Ark" trap ·
 

Four Knights' Game:
                                1) P-K4        P-K4
                                2) N-KB3     N-QB3
                                3) N-B3        N-B3
                                4) B-N5        B-N5
                                5) O-O          O-O

Notes: Willya just LOOK at that boring, symmetrical opening!?
 

Four Knights' Game Rubenstein variation:
                                1) P-K4        P-K4
                                2) N-KB3     N-QB3
                                3) N-B3        N-B3
                                4) B-N5        N-Q5
                                5) NxP          Q-K2

Notes: Trying to break the tedium of this opening, Black has exposed himself to some bad bad things.
 
 

            3) N-B3 3) B-N5

Three Knights' Game:
                                1) P-K4        P-K4
                                2) N-KB3     N-QB3
                                3) N-B3        B-N5
                                4) N-Q5        N-B3

Notes: This here opening will even things up for Black, rather than allowing things to turn into the Four Knights' game.
 
 

            3) B-B4 3) N-B3

Two Knights' Defense:
                                1) P-K4        P-K4
                                2) N-KB3     N-QB3
                                3) B-B4        N-B3
                                4) N-N5       P-Q4

Notes: This is a good one for white. Black can salvage some advantage and it always leads to lively play.
 
 

Two Knights Defense Max Lange Attack Variation:
                                1) P-K4        P-K4
                                2) N-KB3     N-QB3
                                3) B-B4        N-B3
                                4) P-Q4        PxP
                                5) O-O         B-B4

Notes: The Reinfeld book calls this "one of the most complicated chess openings" and it looks very very good after about move 12 for White. But a 12 move opening!!!
 
 

            3) B-B4 3) B-K2

Hungarian Defense:
                                1) P-K4        P-K4
                                2) N-KB3     N-QB3
                                3) B-B4        B-K2
                                4) P-Q4        P-Q3

Notes: This one leaves Black in a lurch, constricted and limited.
 
 

            3) B-B4 3) B-B4

Giuoco Piano:
                                1) P-K4        P-K4
                                2) N-KB3     N-QB3
                                3) B-B4        B-B4
                                4) P-B3        N-B3

Notes: Despite the name, which means "quiet game", this one can lead to lively play. It is a nicely balanced position.
 
 

Evans Gambit:     1) P-K4        P-K4
                                2) N-KB3    N-QB3
                                3) B-B4       B-B4
                                4) P-QN4    BxNP

Evans Gambit Declined:
                                4) P-QN4    B-N3

Notes: It does not matter how you play it, if toss out that Evans gambit, it is like handing Black a big stick and saying "hit me!"
 
 

    2) N-KB3 2) N-KB3

Petroff's Defense:
                                1) P-K4        P-K4
                                2) N-KB3    N-KB3
                                3) NxP         P-Q3
                                4) N-KB3    NxP

Notes: This is a pretty good one for Black.
 

    2) B-B4 2) N-KB3

Bishop's Opening:
                                1) P-K4        P-K4
                                2) B-B4        N-KB3
                                3) P-Q3        P-B3
                                4) P-B4        PxP

Notes: WOW! Black is killin em!




  Back to MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS                               Back to CHESS INTRO