Bishop's Opening

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This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.
Bishop's Opening
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a7 pd b7 pd c7 pd d7 pd e7 f7 pd g7 pd h7 pd
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 pd f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 bl d4 e4 pl f4 g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3
a2 pl b2 pl c2 pl d2 pl e2 f2 pl g2 pl h2 pl
a1 rl b1 nl c1 bl d1 ql e1 kl f1 g1 nl h1 rl
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Moves 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4
ECO C23-C24
Origin  ??
Named after Bishop in 2.Bc4
Parent Open Game
Chessgames.com opening explorer

The Bishop's Opening is a chess opening that begins with the moves

1. e4 e5
2. Bc4

The Bishop's Opening is one of the oldest openings to be analyzed; it was studied by Lucena and Ruy Lopez. Later it was played by Philidor. Larsen was one of the few grandmasters to play it often, after first using it at the 1964 Interzonal Tournament. Although the Bishop's Opening is uncommon today, it has been used occasionally as a surprise by players such as Kasparov. Nunn uses it to avoid Petrov's Defence (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6),[1] and Lékó played it in the 2007 World Championship against Kramnik, known to consistently play the Petrov.

White attacks Black's f7-square and prevents Black from advancing his d-pawn to d5. By ignoring the beginner's rule, "develop knights before bishops", White leaves his f-pawn unblocked allowing the possibility of playing f4. This gives the Bishop's Opening an affinity to the King's Gambit and the Vienna Game, two openings that share this characteristic. In fact, the Bishop's Opening can transpose into the King's Gambit or the Vienna Game, and transpositions into Giuoco Piano and Two Knights Defense and other openings are also possible. In particular, White should remain alert for any chance to transpose into a favorable variation of the King's Gambit, but with careful play Black can avoid this danger.

Weaver W. Adams in his classic work "White to Play and Win" claimed that the Bishop's Opening was a win for White by force from the second move.[2] However, he was unable to prove this by defeating players stronger than himself. Adams, whom Grandmaster Larry Evans described as "linked to the radical right wing of chess," later abandoned the Bishop's Opening for the Vienna Game, claiming that the latter opening, rather than the Bishop's Opening, led to a win for White.[3] Grandmaster Nick de Firmian, in the 14th edition of Modern Chess Openings concludes that the Bishop's Opening leads to equality with best play by both sides.[4] and notes that, "Among modern players only Bent Larsen has played it much."[5]

Contents

[edit] Main variations

Because White's second move makes no direct threats, Black has many possible responses on the second move. As shown below, the Bishop's Opening offers opportunities to transpose to several other open games.

The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings assigns Bishop's Opening the ECO codes C23 and C24.

After 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4, Black's choice of a second move can be divided into three categories.

  • 2...Nf6 (Berlin Defense)
  • 2...Bc5 (Classical Defense)
  • 2...other

[edit] Berlin Defense (2...Nf6)

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a7 pd b7 pd c7 pd d7 pd e7 f7 pd g7 pd h7 pd
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 nd g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 pd f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 bl d4 e4 pl f4 g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 d3 pl e3 f3 g3 h3
a2 pl b2 pl c2 pl d2 e2 f2 pl g2 pl h2 pl
a1 rl b1 nl c1 bl d1 ql e1 kl f1 g1 nl h1 rl
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3.d3
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a7 pd b7 pd c7 pd d7 pd e7 f7 pd g7 pd h7 pd
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 nd g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 pd f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 bl d4 pl e4 pl f4 g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3
a2 pl b2 pl c2 pl d2 e2 f2 pl g2 pl h2 pl
a1 rl b1 nl c1 bl d1 ql e1 kl f1 g1 nl h1 rl
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Ponziani's Gambit 3.d4
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a7 pd b7 pd c7 pd d7 pd e7 f7 pd g7 pd h7 pd
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 nd g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 pd f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 bl d4 e4 pl f4 pl g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3
a2 pl b2 pl c2 pl d2 pl e2 f2 g2 pl h2 pl
a1 rl b1 nl c1 bl d1 ql e1 kl f1 g1 nl h1 rl
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Greco Gambit 3.f4

Probably Black's most popular second move is 2...Nf6, forcing White to decide how to defend his e-pawn. After 3.d3 Black must be careful not to drift into an inferior variation of the King's Gambit Declined. One continuation that avoids this pitfall is 2...Nf6 3.d3 c6 4.Nf3 d5 5.Bb3 Bd6. Also possible is 3...d6 (instead of 3...c6) 4.f4 exf4 5.Bxf4 Be6! neutralizing White's king bishop.

White sometimes chooses the Bishop's Opening move order to transpose into the Giuoco Piano while preventing Black from playing Petrov's Defense. For example, 2...Nf6 3.d3 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bc5 reaches the quiet Giuoco Pianissimo.

The Urusov Gambit is named after Russian Prince Sergey Semyonovich Urusov (August 3, 1827–November 20, 1897). Black can decline the Urusov Gambit and transpose into the Two Knights Defense with 2...Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nf3 Nc6. If Black accepts the gambit, White gets some initiative, e.g. 4...Nxe4 5.Qxd4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Bg5, typically followed by 0-0-0. Less common move orders are 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 and 2.d4 exd4 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nf3.

The Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit was suggested by Lionel Kieseritzky in 1848. English player and chess writer Samuel Boden published the first analysis of it in 1851. Opening theoreticians consider that after 2...Nf6 3.Nf3 Nxe4 4.Nc3 Nxc3 5.dxc3 f6, White's attack is not quite worth a pawn. The game may continue 6.0-0 Nc6 (not 6...Be7? 7.Nxe5! with a tremendous attack, but 6...d6 is also playable) 7.Nh4 g6 8.f4 f5 9.Nf3 (9.Nxf5? d5!) e4 10.Ng5 (10.Ne5 Qe7! threatening Qc5+ is strong) Bc5+. In practice, Black's lack of development and inability to castle kingside can prove very problematic.

Safer for Black are Morphy's solid 5...c6 6.Nxe5 d5, returning the pawn with equality, and 4...Nc6!? (instead of 4...Nxc3) 5.0-0 (5.Nxe4 d5) Nxc3 6.dxc3 Qe7! when, according to Fischer in My 60 Memorable Games, "White has no compensation for the Pawn."[6]

Black can also decline the pawn with 3...Nc6, transposing into the Two Knights Defense. He must, however, be willing to offer a gambit himself after 4.Ng5. White may invite an offshoot of the Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit with 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Nc3.

Irregular move orders are 2.Nc3 (Vienna) Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Nf3 and 2.Nf3 Nf6 (Russian or Petrov Defence) 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Nf3.

[edit] Classical Defense (2...Bc5)

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a7 pd b7 pd c7 pd d7 pd e7 f7 pd g7 pd h7 pd
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 bd d5 e5 pd f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 pl c4 bl d4 e4 pl f4 g4 h4
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a2 pl b2 c2 pl d2 pl e2 f2 pl g2 pl h2 pl
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Wing Gambit 3.b4
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a7 pd b7 pd c7 pd d7 pd e7 f7 pd g7 pd h7 pd
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 bd d5 e5 pd f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 bl d4 e4 pl f4 g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 pl d3 e3 f3 g3 h3
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Philidor Variation 3.c3
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a7 pd b7 pd c7 pd d7 pd e7 f7 pd g7 pd h7 pd
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 bd d5 e5 pd f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 bl d4 e4 pl f4 g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 d3 pl e3 f3 g3 h3
a2 pl b2 pl c2 pl d2 e2 f2 pl g2 pl h2 pl
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3.d3

The Classical Defense is Black's symmetrical response, 2...Bc5. White can then transpose into the Vienna Game (3.Nc3) or the Giuoco Piano (3.Nf3), or remain in the Bishop's Opening with the Wing Gambit (3.b4) or the Philidor Variation (3.c3). The main line of the Philidor Variation runs: 3. c3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. e5 d5! 6. exf6 dxc4 7. Qh5 0-0 8. Qxc5 Re8+ 9. Ne2 d3 10.Be3 Transpositions into the King's Gambit Declined and the Giuoco Piano are also possible after 3.d3.

The Wing Gambit results in positions similar to those in the Evans Gambit. It can transpose into the Evans Gambit, for instance by 3.b4 Bxb4 4.c3 Ba5 5.Nf3 Nc6.

Black's most energetic response to the Philidor Variation is the Lewis Countergambit, 3.c3 d5, named for the English player and author William Lewis (1787–1870), who published analysis of the line in 1834.

Among amateurs, 3.Qf3 and 3.Qh5 are also popular. Both threaten an immediate scholar's mate and so may lead to a quick win for White. If Black spots the threat however (as is likely at all levels but the very lowest), the moves are considered inferior because they either hamper White's development or leave the queen exposed, inevitably leading to a tempo loss.

[edit] Other Black second moves

  • 2...c6 (Philidor Counterattack)
  • 2...Nc6
  • 2...d6
  • 2...f5?! (Calabrian Countergambit)
    • 3.d3 (Jaenisch Variation)

Other Black second moves are rarely played. If Black tries to transpose into the Hungarian Defense with 2...Be7?, then 3.Qh5 wins a pawn.

The Calabrian Countergambit (2...f5?!) is named after Greco's homeland, Calabria. It is considered dubious as the line recommended by Carl Jaenisch, 3.d3 Nf6 4.f4 d6 5.Nf3, gives White the advantage.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Reuben, Stewart (1992). Chess Openings — Your Choice!. Cadogan Chess, 59. ISBN 1-85744-070-6. 
  2. ^ Adams, Weaver (1939). White to Play and Win. David McKay Company, 9-12. 
  3. ^ Evans, Larry (1970). Chess Catechism. Simon and Schuster, 147, 153. ISBN 671-21531-0. 
  4. ^ de Firmian, Nick (1999). Modern Chess Openings. David McKay Company, 144-45. ISBN 0-8129-3084-3. 
  5. ^ Id. at 143.
  6. ^ Fischer, Bobby (1972). My 60 Memorable Games. Faber and Faber, 280-81. ISBN 0-571-09987-4. 

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