Lexicon
This lexicon contains all 21 chess openings available in the trainer. For each opening you will find a brief summary of the strategic idea, typical continuations, and a note on which player type it suits best. The openings range from classical systems such as the Spanish Game and the Italian Game to modern hypermodern defences like the King's Indian and the Grünfeld. Click on an opening to read the full description — or head straight to the trainer to practise the move sequences interactively.
- Spanish Game (Ruy Lopez)Positional / strategic — for players who enjoy long-term pressure and strategic complexity.Learn more
- Italian GameUniversal / beginner-friendly — Pianissimo for quiet players, Two Knights for tactically minded beginners.Learn more
- Sicilian DefenseAggressive / dynamic — for players who want unbalanced positions with winning chances on both sides.Learn more
- Queen's Gambit & SlavPositional / solid — for players who favour structural advantages and quiet strategic play.Learn more
- French DefenseStrategic / counter-attacking — for players who prefer a robust defence with their own counterattack.Learn more
- Caro-Kann DefensePositional / solid — for players who prefer structurally sound positions and safe endgames.Learn more
- Scandinavian DefenseSurprise weapon / beginner-friendly — for players who value clear structures and minimal theory.Learn more
- King's Indian DefenseAggressive / dynamic — for players who prefer complex positions and double-edged attacks.Learn more
- English OpeningPositional / strategic — for players who want to exploit flexibility and transpositions.Learn more
- Nimzo-Indian DefenseStrategic / positional — for players who place structural advantage and piece activity above material equality.Learn more
- Queen's Indian DefenseSolid / positional — for players who prefer quiet strategic games and want to avoid complicated tactics.Learn more
- Grünfeld DefenseComplex / aggressive — for players willing to give White the centre and then actively fight to destroy it.Learn more
- Benoni DefenseAggressive / risk-taking — for players who seek unbalanced positions with their own counterattack.Learn more
- Dutch DefenseAggressive (Leningrad) or solid (Stonewall) — for players with surprise ambitions or a taste for fortress structures.Learn more
- Pirc DefenseDynamic / flexible — for players who want to explore hypermodern ideas without extreme theoretical demands.Learn more
- Alekhine DefenseAggressive / surprise weapon — for players who enjoy unconventional ideas and provocative strategy.Learn more
- Modern DefensePositional / flexible — for players who want to learn little theory and react flexibly to any White setup.Learn more
- London SystemSolid / beginner-friendly — for players who want to learn little theory and prefer simple, solid structures.Learn more
- Catalan OpeningPositional / technical — for players who prefer long-term piece pressure and solid setups.Learn more
- Réti OpeningFlexible / experienced — for players who want to exploit transpositions and avoid extensive theory.Learn more
- Trompowsky AttackSurprise weapon / theory avoidance — for players who want to lure the opponent away from familiar paths.Learn more