Every game on Just One Chess begins from one of 25 named opening positions, reached after eight moves by each side with White to move. The setup is randomised, so you rarely know in advance which one you will face. This page shows all 25 on a board, with the engine's evaluation, its preferred continuation, and the main plans for both sides.
How the analysis was made
Positions were analysed with the same engine family that plays in the arena (a single-thread search to depth 22; alternative first moves compared at depth 20). Evaluations are in pawns from White's point of view (+1.00 means White is better by about one pawn). They are engine estimates for one position, not a guarantee about how a human game will go.
All positions at a glance
Position by position
Ruy Lopez, Closed Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O
A main-line Closed Ruy Lopez. White has the bishop on b3, a pawn on c3 and a rook on e1; Black has castled and gained queenside space with ...a6 and ...b5.
White: White chooses between h3 (a useful waiting move that stops ...Bg4 and prepares Nbd2) and the immediate d4, which opens the centre while Black's pieces are still on their starting squares.
Black: Black wants to challenge the b3 bishop with ...Na5 or break in the centre with ...c5, while ...Bb7 and ...Re8 complete development.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. d4 Bb7 10. Qe2 Re8 11. Nbd2 Nd7 12. d5 Ncb8
Other strong first moves: h3 a4 a3
Italian Game, Giuoco Pianissimo
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 a6 8. Bb3 h6
A slow, manoeuvring Italian. White has played c3 and d3 instead of striking in the centre; Black has bishop on c5, knight on f6, and has castled.
White: White's usual plan is to reroute the b1 knight with Nbd2-f1-g3 (or e3) and prepare the d4 break once the pieces are well placed. h3 prevents ...Bg4 first.
Black: Black can retreat the bishop to a7 to keep it safe from d4, play ...Re8 and ...Be6, or reroute a knight to g6 via e7.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. h3 Bd7 10. Nbd2 Ba7 11. a4 Ne7 12. Nf1 Ng6
Other strong first moves: Nbd2 d4 a3
Scotch Game, Mieses Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8. c4 Ba6
After 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 White has a space-gaining pawn on e5 that Black attacks with ...Qe7 and ...Nd5. Black has doubled c-pawns, but the bishop on a6 pressures the c4 pawn and both sides have active pieces.
White: White supports the c4 pawn and develops with b3 and Bb2, then castles. The e5 pawn is a space asset, but it needs protecting and can become a target.
Black: Black undermines e5 with ...f6, and the engine's line continues ...f6 exf6 Nxf6 followed by long castling, using the open lines against White's king.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. b3 f6 10. exf6 Nxf6 11. Bb2 O-O-O 12. Nc3 Re8
Other strong first moves: g3 Nd2 a3
Four Knights Game, Spanish Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. Re1 Re8 7. d3 d6 8. Bxc6 bxc6
White has traded the b5 bishop for the c6 knight, so Black has doubled c-pawns but the bishop pair; the b4 bishop pins the c3 knight.
White: White should resolve the pin with Bd2 or h3 and then aim for a favourable pawn break on the queenside, since Black's doubled pawns are a long-term target.
Black: Black uses the bishop pair: ...c5 and ...Bxc3 or ...Ba5 keep the position dynamic, and ...Rb8 targets b2.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. Bd2 c5 10. b3 Rb8 11. a3 Ba5 12. Ne2 Bxd2
Other strong first moves: h3 Bg5 Rb1
Sicilian Najdorf, English Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. f3 Be6 8. Qd2 Nbd7
White has set up the English Attack with Be3, f3 and Qd2, while Black has played ...e5 and ...Be6, so the d4 knight and the d5 square are in focus.
White: The engine prefers 9.Nxe6 fxe6 10.Bc4, damaging Black's structure and hitting the e6 pawn, then castling long and pushing g4.
Black: Black's king is still in the centre, so the priority is to castle and use the f-file and the d5 break; delaying either lets White's attack arrive first.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. Nxe6 fxe6 10. Bc4 Qe7 11. a3 b5 12. Bb3 Qf7
Sicilian Dragon, Yugoslav Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6
The Yugoslav Attack: White plans long castling and a kingside pawn storm, and Black has the fianchettoed dragon bishop on g7 aimed at White's queenside.
White: White's standard plan is Bc4, O-O-O and then h4-h5, opening the h-file against Black's king.
Black: Black counters with ...Rc8, ...Nxd4 and ...Qa5, and often the thematic exchange sacrifice on c3; the d5 break frees the position.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. Be2 Nh5 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. O-O Rb8 12. Na4 Qc7
Other strong first moves: O-O-O Rd1 Nb3
Sicilian Sveshnikov
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5
A main-line Sveshnikov. Black accepts a backward d6 pawn and a hole on d5 in return for active pieces, while White's knights are aimed at d5.
White: White tries to occupy d5 with a knight (Nd5, or Bxf6 gxf6 Nd5) and aims at the weakened d6 pawn and the kingside structure.
Black: Black aims for ...Be6 and ...Be7, and after Bxf6 gxf6 uses the open g-file and the ...f5 break to fight for activity.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Nd5 Be6 11. Bd3 Bg7 12. c4 Qa5+
Other strong first moves: Nd5
Sicilian Taimanov / Paulsen
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be2 a6 7. O-O Nf6 8. Be3 b5
Black has a flexible set-up with ...Qc7, ...a6, ...Nf6 and ...b5, and has not yet decided where the king-side bishop belongs.
White: White chooses between waiting moves such as a3 and Qd2 or f4, and exchanging on c6 with Nxc6 to change the structure.
Black: Black develops with ...Bb7 and ...Be7, then decides between a solid ...d6 and a faster ...d5.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. Nxc6 dxc6 10. f4 Be7 11. e5 Nd5 12. Nxd5 cxd5
Other strong first moves: a3 h3 Qd3
French Defense, Steinitz Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nce2 Nc6 7. Be3 a6 8. Qd2 Qb6
A closed French. White has e5 and d4 supported by f4 and Be3, and Black is attacking the d4 pawn with ...c5 and ...Qb6.
White: White castles long, or strengthens the centre with c3, and uses the space the e5 pawn gives to cramp Black's pieces.
Black: Black adds pressure on d4 with ...cxd4 followed by ...Nc5 or ...Nb4, and aims for ...f6 to undermine the e5 pawn.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. c3 Be7 10. Nf3 O-O 11. g3 cxd4 12. Nfxd4 Nxd4
Other strong first moves: O-O-O Rb1
Caro-Kann Defense, Classical Variation
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5 Bh7
The main line of the Classical Caro-Kann: White has played h4-h5 to gain kingside space and drive the bishop back to h7, where it eyes White's kingside along the b1-h7 diagonal. Black's pawn structure is healthy.
White: The key idea is Bd3 to trade off Black's h7 bishop, after which Qxd3 and Bf4 develop with tempo; in the engine's line White then castles short and plays c4 to claim space.
Black: Black is happy to trade bishops, develops with ...Ngf6, ...e6 and ...Be7, castles, and relies on a solid structure and the ...c5 break.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Ngf6 11. Bf4 e6 12. O-O Be7
Other strong first moves: Bf4 a3 Bc4
Pirc Defense, Classical System
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2 O-O 6. O-O-O c6 7. f3 d5 8. e5 Nfd7
White has a broad centre with e5, d4 and f3, and has castled long. Black has castled short and hit the centre with ...c6 and ...d5.
White: White pushes h4 and h5 to open the h-file against Black's king while the centre stays protected.
Black: Black undermines the centre with ...f6 or ...Nb6, and looks to trade pieces to relieve the pressure.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. h4 c5 10. Nxd5 Nb6 11. dxc5 Nxd5 12. Qxd5 Qxd5
Other strong first moves: Bh6 Nge2
Queen's Gambit Declined, Tartakower Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 h6 7. Bh4 b6 8. cxd5 exd5
After the exchange on d5, Black has the half-open e-file and a bishop coming to b7, while White has the half-open c-file and a choice of ways to develop the kingside.
White: White develops with Be2 or Bd3 and castles, then uses Rc1 and the e4 break to put pressure on Black's centre.
Black: Black plays ...Bb7 and ...Nbd7, and uses the e-file and the ...c5 break to equalise.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. Be2 Bb7 10. O-O a5 11. Rc1 c6 12. Bg3 Nh5
Other strong first moves: Rc1 Bg3 h3
Slav Defense, Main Line
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. O-O Nbd7
Black has developed the bishop to f5 before playing ...e6 and pins the c3 knight with ...Bb4, while White has recovered the c4 pawn.
White: White challenges the pinning bishop with Bd2, Qe2 or Qb3 and keeps the central pawns flexible.
Black: Black castles, trades off the pinning bishop if needed, and prepares ...c5 to open the position.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. Bd2 O-O 10. Ne4 Bxd2 11. Nxf6+ Qxf6 12. Qxd2 a5
Other strong first moves: Qe2 Bd3 Nh4
Semi-Slav Defense, Meran Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6
A typical Meran: Black has captured the c4 pawn and expanded on the queenside with ...b5 and ...a6, while White has the e4 break in reserve.
White: White aims at e4, or hits the queenside with a4 to expose the b5 pawn.
Black: Black wants ...c5 and ...Bb7, using the extra space on the queenside.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. a4 b4 10. Ne4 c5 11. Nxf6+ Nxf6 12. dxc5 Bxc5
Other strong first moves: Ne4 e4 Qe2
King's Indian Defense, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. d5 Nbd7 8. O-O c6
The centre is closed with pawns on d5 and e5 / c6; White typically has a space advantage on the queenside and Black attacks on the kingside.
White: White tries to open the queenside with cxd5 or dxc6 and attacks on the queenside, with Be3 and Rc1 the natural improving moves.
Black: Black pushes the kingside pawns with ...Nh5 and ...f5, or reroutes the knight to c5.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. Be3 cxd5 10. cxd5 b6 11. Rc1 Bb7 12. Nd2 Qe7
Other strong first moves: dxc6 h3 Qc2
Nimzo-Indian Defense, Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 d5 7. Nf3 c5 8. e3 Nc6
White has the bishop pair after a3 and Qxc3 and a healthy pawn structure; Black has the lead in development and the two central pawns on d5 and c5.
White: White tries dxc5 and cxd5 to open the position for the bishops.
Black: Black fights for the c5 and d5 pawns, often with ...b6, ...a5 or ...Ne4, and relies on active pieces to make up for the bishop pair.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. dxc5 a5 10. b3 Ne4 11. Qc2 Nxc5 12. Bb2 Qb6
Grünfeld Defense, Exchange Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Be3 c5 8. Qd2 O-O
White has a broad pawn centre on c3, d4 and e4, and Black hits it with ...c5 and the g7 bishop.
White: White defends the centre with Nf3 and Bc4, or uses the Rb1 pressure against the b7 pawn.
Black: Black attacks the d4 pawn with ...Qa5, ...Nc6 and ...Bg4, aiming to show the centre is overextended.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. Nf3 Qa5 10. Rb1 a6 11. Bc4 Nc6 12. Bd5 Rd8
Other strong first moves: Rb1 Bc4 Rd1
English Opening, ...e5 with ...Bb4
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 Bb4 4. Bg2 O-O 5. e4 d6 6. Nge2 c6 7. O-O Re8 8. d4 exd4
Black has pushed ...e5 and then captured on d4, so the d4 pawn is the focus of the first move.
White: White recaptures on d4, with the queen or with the e2 knight, and then completes development; a3 can be used to question the b4 bishop.
Black: Black develops with ...Nbd7 and ...Bc5, hitting the d4 recapture with tempo.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. Qxd4 Nbd7 10. Qd1 Bc5 11. a3 a5 12. b3 h6
Other strong first moves: Nxd4
London System
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Bf4 e6 4. e3 Bd6 5. Bg3 O-O 6. Bd3 c5 7. O-O Nc6 8. c3 cxd4
White's bishop on g3 faces Black's d6 bishop, and the c5/d4 exchange has opened the c-file.
White: White recaptures on d4 with a pawn and plays Nc3 and Rc1 to pressure the c-file; hxg3 opens the h-file for the rook.
Black: Black swaps the bishops with ...Bxg3 and uses the bishop on d7 to develop the queenside.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. cxd4 Bxg3 10. hxg3 Bd7 11. Nbd2 h6 12. Nb3 Rc8
Other strong first moves: Bxd6 exd4
Open Catalan
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. Nbd2 b5
Black has held the c4 pawn with ...b5, and White has pressure on the long diagonal with the g2 bishop.
White: White aims at c4 with Nd2 and Qc2, or tries Ne5 and b3 to regain the pawn and open the long diagonal for the g2 bishop.
Black: Black defends the extra pawn with ...Nd5 and ...c3, and develops the queenside with ...Bb7.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. Ne5 Qxd4 10. Bxa8 Qxe5 11. Nf3 Qh5 12. Bf4 Bd6
Other strong first moves: Ng5 Ne4 Ne1
Dutch Defense, Leningrad-style set-up
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e6 4. Nf3 Bb4 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 d6 7. O-O Qe8 8. d5 e5
Black has ...f5 and ...e5 against White's d5 pawn, and the bishop on b4 pins the c3 knight.
White: White unpins with Bd2 and aims for the queenside with Qb3 or Nb5.
Black: Black keeps options with ...Bxc3 and ...Bc5, or the ...Na6-c5 manoeuvre.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. Bd2 Bc5 10. e3 a6 11. Rc1 h6 12. a3 Qf7
Other strong first moves: Nb5 Qc2 Nb1
Modern Benoni, Four Pawns Attack
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f4 Bg7 8. Nf3 O-O
White has the e4 and f4 pawns plus the d5 space advantage, and Black has the half-open e- and g-files with counterplay on the queenside.
White: White develops with Bd3, O-O and h3, then pushes e5 to open lines.
Black: Black can develop with ...Bg4, or play ...a6 and ...b5 for queenside counterplay, and aims at the e4 pawn.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. Bd3 Bg4 10. O-O Nbd7 11. h3 Bxf3 12. Qxf3 a6
Other strong first moves: Be2
Réti Opening
1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 d4 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 e5 5. O-O Nf6 6. d3 Be7 7. e3 O-O 8. exd4 exd4
After exd4 exd4 Black has an isolated pawn on d4 and White has traded the e-pawn, so the long diagonal and the d3 pawn are in play.
White: White aims at the isolated d4 pawn with Re1 and Bf4, and brings the knight from b1 into play.
Black: Black keeps the d4 pawn protected with ...Re8 and ...Nh5 or ...Bd6 ideas, and uses the active pieces to compensate.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. Re1 Re8 10. Bf4 h6 11. h3 Nh5 12. Bd2 Nf6
Other strong first moves: a3 Na3 h3
Trompowsky Attack
1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Ne4 3. Bh4 d5 4. Nd2 Bf5 5. e3 e6 6. Ngf3 Be7 7. Bxe7 Qxe7 8. c4 O-O
White has already exchanged on e7, and Black's knight on e4 and bishop on f5 are active, but the c4 break is on the board.
White: White develops with Rc1 and Be2 and uses c4 to open lines in the centre.
Black: Black can trade on d2 or retreat with ...Nd7, then uses ...c6 and ...dxc4 to simplify.
Engine's choice (depth 22): 9. Rc1 Nd7 10. a3 c6 11. Be2 h6 12. O-O Kh7
Other strong first moves: cxd5 a3 h3
Using this page to improve
After a game, download the PGN and look at the position you started from here. Ask which plan the engine preferred, and whether you followed it. Positions rated close to zero reward patient development; the few lopsided ones are better treated as defensive exercises, where the goal is to hold the position rather than to win it.