A Semi-Open Game is a
chess opening
The opening is the initial stage of a chess game. It usually consists of established Chess_theory#Opening_theory, theory. The other phases are the chess middlegame, middlegame and the chess endgame, endgame. Many opening sequences, known as ''op ...
in which White plays 1.e4 and Black breaks symmetry immediately by replying with a move other than 1...e5.
[ Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 365. ''semi-open game''.] The Semi-Open Games are also called Single King Pawn, Asymmetrical King Pawn, or Half-Open Games (or Openings), and are the complement of the
Open Games or Double King Pawn Games which begin 1.e4 e5.
Popular defenses
The most popular Black defense to 1.e4 is the
Sicilian, but the
French and the
Caro–Kann are also very popular. The
Pirc and the
Modern are also commonly seen, while the
Alekhine and the
Scandinavian have made occasional appearances in
World Chess Championship
The World Chess Championship is played to determine the world champion in chess. The current world champion is Gukesh Dommaraju, who defeated the previous champion Ding Liren in the World Chess Championship 2024, 2024 World Chess Championship. ...
games. The
Nimzowitsch is playable but rare, as is
Owen's Defense. The
Borg Defense and the
St. George Defense are oddities, although
Tony Miles once used St. George's Defense to defeat then World Champion
Anatoly Karpov
Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov (, ; born May 23, 1951) is a Russian and former Soviet Grandmaster (chess), chess grandmaster, former World Chess Championship, World Chess Champion, and politician. He was the 12th World Chess Champion from 1975 ...
.
The Sicilian and French Defenses lead to unbalanced positions that can offer exciting play with both sides having chances to win. The Caro-Kann Defense is solid as Black intends to use his c-pawn to support his center (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5). Alekhine's, the Pirc and the Modern are
hypermodern openings in which Black tempts White to build a large center with the goal of attacking it.
List
* 1.e4 a5
Corn Stalk Defense
* 1.e4 a6
St. George Defence
* 1.e4 Na6
Lemming Defense
The King's Pawn Game is any chess opening starting with the move:
: 1. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4, e4
It is the most popular opening move in chess, followed by 1.d4, the Queen's Pawn Game.
Principles
White opens with the most popular of the ...
* 1.e4 b6
Owen's Defence
* 1.e4 c5
Sicilian Defense
* 1.e4 c6
Caro-Kann Defense
* 1.e4 Nc6
Nimzowitch Defense
* 1.e4 d5
Scandinavian Defense
* 1.e4 d6 2.d4 f5
Balogh Defense
* 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6
Czech Defense
* 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6
Pirc Defense
* 1.e4 e6
French Defense
* 1.e4 f5
Fred Defense
* 1.e4 f6
Barnes Defence
* 1.e4 Nf6
Alehkine's Defense
* 1.e4 g5
Borg Opening
* 1.e4 g6
Modern Defense
The Modern Defense (also known as the Robatsch Defence after Karl Robatsch) is a hypermodern chess opening in which Black allows White to occupy the with pawns on d4 and e4, then proceeds to attack and undermine this "ideal" center without att ...
* 1.e4 h5
Goldsmith Defense
* 1.e4 h6
Carr Defense
* 1.e4 Nh6
Adams Defense
See also
*
Open Game (1.e4 e5)
*
Closed Game (1.d4 d5)
*
Semi-Closed Game
A Semi-Closed Game (or Semi-Closed Opening) is a chess opening in which White plays 1.d4 but Black does not make the symmetrical reply 1...d5.Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 365. ''semi-close game''. (The openings starting 1.d4 d5 are the Closed Games.)
...
(1.d4 other)
*
Flank opening
A flank opening is a chess opening played by White and typified by play on one or both (the portion of the chessboard outside the central d- and e-). White often plays in hypermodern style, attacking the from the flanks with rather than occupyi ...
(1.c4, 1.Nf3, 1.f4, and others)
*
Irregular chess opening
References
Bibliography
*
*
{{Chess
*Semi-Open Game
Chess terminology