Every guide, opening, endgame and strategy article, newest first.
The Ruy Lopez, or Spanish Opening, is one of chess's most respected weapons. Explore the Berlin, Marshall, and Exchange variations and the famous 'Spanish torture'.
The Sicilian Defense is Black's sharpest reply to 1.e4. Meet the Najdorf, Dragon, and Sveshnikov, and learn why fighting players choose 1...c5 to play for the win.
The French Defense is a resilient reply to 1.e4 where Black counters White's center head-on. Learn its key variations, pawn breaks, and winning plans.
The Caro-Kann Defense is a rock-solid answer to 1.e4 that keeps Black's pieces active. Explore its main variations, plans, and why champions trust it.
The Queen's Gambit is one of chess's oldest and soundest openings. Learn the Accepted, Declined, and Slav, plus the pawn structures that decide it.
The King's Indian Defense is a bold, hypermodern answer to 1.d4. Discover its main variations and the thrilling kingside pawn storm that defines it.
The London System is a simple, solid 1.d4 opening you can play against almost anything. Learn the setup, the key plans, and how to attack with it.
New to the English Opening chess strategy? This flexible 1.c4 flank system suits patient, positional players. Explore its main lines and core plans.
The Scandinavian Defense answers 1.e4 with 1...d5, striking the center immediately. Learn the main lines, plans, and traps behind this bold, resilient opening.
The Vienna Game starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3, hiding sharp gambit ideas behind a calm move. Explore its attacking lines, famous traps, and plans for both colors.
The Scotch Game opens 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4, blasting open the center early. Learn its main lines, the Scotch Gambit, and clear plans to play it well.
The King's Gambit sacrifices a pawn with 1.e4 e5 2.f4 for a fast attack. Discover why this romantic opening still wins games and how to handle both sides.
The Slav Defense meets 1.d4 d5 2.c4 with 2...c6, a rock-solid reply that keeps the light-squared bishop free. Learn its main lines, structures, and plans.
The Nimzo-Indian Defense answers 1.d4 with 1...Nf6 and an early ...Bb4, pinning the knight to fight for e4. Learn its main systems, plans, and pawn structures.
Learn the most common chess opening traps, from Scholar's Mate to the Fried Liver, so you can spring them on opponents and never fall for one yourself.
Some chess openings to avoid quietly wreck your position before move ten. Here are the worst offenders for beginners and the solid systems to play instead.
Master the essential chess tactics for beginners, from forks and pins to skewers and discovered attacks, with clear examples that help you win material fast.
The fork chess tactic lets one piece attack two targets at once. Learn knight forks, pawn forks, and royal forks, plus how to spot and defend them.
