Courses

The Alekhine Defence is a hypermodern opening. Instead of occupying the centre, Black invites White's pawns forward and then attacks the centre they create.

11 chapters · 110 lines · 281 moves to learn

The Caro-Kann is a solid, classical defence. Black supports ...d5 with ...c6 and fights for the centre with pawns, aiming for a sound structure and active pieces rather than early complications.

10 chapters · 106 lines · 269 moves to learn

The Jobava London is a London System with the knight on c3 instead of f3. The c3-knight and the f4-bishop both aim at c7, so Nb5 is a threat from move three on, and Black has to react to it. The games are usually closed or semi-open, but sharper than in the normal London: f3 with e4, or g4 and h4 against a bishop on g6, are common plans.

13 chapters · 106 lines · 238 moves to learn

The Ruy Lopez, or Spanish Game, is White's most respected answer to 1...e5. Instead of an early fight for f7, White puts slow, lasting pressure on the knight that guards e5, then builds the centre with c3 and d4.

10 chapters · 115 lines · 251 moves to learn

The Hyper-Accelerated Dragon is a Sicilian where Black fianchettoes the king's bishop on move two. The g7-bishop pressures d4 and the long diagonal from the start, and Black keeps ...d6 in reserve, often playing ...d5 in one go instead.

11 chapters · 117 lines · 252 moves to learn

The Slav is one of Black's most solid answers to the Queen's Gambit. Black holds d5 with a pawn instead of ...e6, so the light-squared bishop is not shut in, and the structure stays sound deep into the endgame. Against the main line this course turns into the Semi-Slav.

12 chapters · 108 lines · 247 moves to learn

The Vienna Gambit is a King's Gambit with the knight already on c3: e4 is protected, so after f4 White threatens fxe5, chasing the f6-knight away. The games are open and sharp, and Black has many natural moves that already lose.

13 chapters · 114 lines · 217 moves to learn