Closed Game
Encyclopedia
A Closed Game, also called a Double Queen Pawn Opening, is a chess opening
that begins with the moves:
The move 1.d4 offers the same benefits to development and center control as does 1.e4, but unlike with the King Pawn openings
where the e4 pawn is undefended after the first move, the d4 pawn is protected by White's queen. This slight difference has a tremendous effect on the opening. For instance, whereas the King's Gambit
is rarely played today at the highest levels of chess, the Queen's Gambit
remains popular at all levels of play. Also, compared with the King Pawn openings, transpositions
between variations are more common and important in the closed games.
, Colle System
, Stonewall Attack
, Torre Attack
, London System
, and Blackmar-Diemer Gambit
are classified as Queen's Pawn Game
s because White plays d4 but not c4. The Richter-Veresov is rarely played at the top levels of chess. The Colle and Stonewall are both Systems, rather than specific opening variations.
White develops aiming for a particular formation without great concern over how Black chooses to defend.
Both these systems are popular with club players because they are easy to learn,
but are rarely used by professionals because a well prepared opponent playing Black can equalize fairly easily.
The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit is an attempt by White to open lines and obtain attacking chances.
Most professionals consider it too risky for serious games, but it is popular with amateurs and in blitz chess
.
The most important closed openings are in the Queen's Gambit
family (White plays 2.c4).
The Queen's Gambit is somewhat misnamed, since White can always regain the offered pawn if desired.
In the Queen's Gambit Accepted
, Black plays ...dxc4, giving up the center for free development and the chance to try to give White an isolated queen pawn with a subsequent ...c5 and ...cxd4.
White will get active pieces and possibilities for the attack.
Black has two popular ways to decline the pawn, the Slav
(2...c6) and the Queen's Gambit Declined
(2...e6).
Both of these moves lead to an immense forest of variations that can require a great deal of opening study to play well.
Among the many possibilities in the Queen's Gambit Declined are the Orthodox Defense, Lasker Defense, the Cambridge Springs Defense
, the Tartakower Variation, and the Tarrasch and Semi-Tarrasch Defenses
.
Black replies to the Queen's Gambit other than 2...dxc4, 2...c6, and 2...e6 are uncommon.
The Chigorin Defense
(2...Nc6) is playable but rare.
The Symmetrical Defense
(2...c5) is the most direct challenge to Queen's Gambit
theory —
Can Black equalize by simply copying White's moves?
Most opening theoreticians believe not, and consequently the Symmetrical Defense is not popular.
The Baltic Defense
(2...Bf5) takes the most direct solution to solving the problem of Black's queen bishop by developing it on the second move.
Although it is not trusted by most elite players, it has not been refuted and some very strong grandmasters have played it.
The Albin Countergambit
(2...e5) is generally considered too risky for top-level tournament play. Similarly, the Marshall Defense
(2...Nf6) is very rarely seen in grandmaster play, as most theoreticians consider it definitely inferior for Black.
Chess opening
A chess opening is the group of initial moves of a chess game. Recognized sequences of opening moves are referred to as openings as initiated by White or defenses, as created in reply by Black. There are many dozens of different openings, and hundreds of named variants. The Oxford Companion to...
that begins with the moves:
- 1. d4 d5
The move 1.d4 offers the same benefits to development and center control as does 1.e4, but unlike with the King Pawn openings
King's Pawn Game
The King's Pawn Game is any chess opening starting with the move:White opens with the most popular of the twenty possible opening moves. Though effective in winning for White , it is not as successful as the four next most common openings for White: 1.d4 , 1.Nf3 , 1.c4 , and 1.g3...
where the e4 pawn is undefended after the first move, the d4 pawn is protected by White's queen. This slight difference has a tremendous effect on the opening. For instance, whereas the King's Gambit
King's Gambit
The King's Gambit is a chess opening that begins with the moves:White offers a pawn to divert the Black e-pawn so as to build a strong centre with d2–d4...
is rarely played today at the highest levels of chess, the Queen's Gambit
Queen's Gambit
The Queen's Gambit is a chess opening that starts with the moves:The Queen's Gambit is one of the oldest known chess openings. It was mentioned in the Göttingen manuscript of 1490 and was later analysed by masters such as Gioachino Greco in the seventeenth century...
remains popular at all levels of play. Also, compared with the King Pawn openings, transpositions
Transposition (chess)
A transposition in chess is a sequence of moves that results in a position which may also be reached by another, more common sequence of moves. Transpositions are particularly common in opening, where a given position may be reached by different sequences of moves...
between variations are more common and important in the closed games.
Specific openings
The Richter-Veresov AttackRichter-Veresov Attack
The Richter–Veresov Attack is a chess opening that begins with the moves:The opening was named after the German International Master Kurt Richter and later the Soviet master Gavriil Veresov, who played it frequently for over a quarter of a century.Along with the Trompowsky Attack, Colle System,...
, Colle System
Colle System
The Colle System is a chess opening strategy for White introduced by Belgian Edgard Colle in the 1920s. Also known as the Colle–Koltanowski system, played frequently and further developed by George Koltanowski, this variation of the Queen's Pawn Game is characterised by a systematic if modest...
, Stonewall Attack
Stonewall Attack
The Stonewall Attack is a chess opening; more specifically it is a variation of the Queen's Pawn Game. It is characterized by White playing 1.d4, 2.e3, 3.f4 and 4.c3, usually playing 5.Bd3 as well, even though the moves are not always played in that order . The Stonewall is a system White sets up,...
, Torre Attack
Torre Attack
The Torre Attack is a chess opening characterized by the moves:The opening is named after the Mexican grandmaster Carlos Torre Repetto. The variation was also employed by Savielly Tartakower, and the young Tigran Petrosian on occasion...
, London System
London System
The London System is a complex of related chess openings that begin with 1.d4 followed by an early Bf4. The London System requires very little knowledge of opening theory and normally results in a very closed game...
, and Blackmar-Diemer Gambit
Blackmar-Diemer Gambit
The Blackmar–Diemer Gambit is a chess opening characterized by the moves:- History :The Blackmar–Diemer Gambit arose as a development of the earlier Blackmar Gambit, named after Armand Blackmar, a relatively little-known New Orleans player of the late 19th century who popularized its...
are classified as Queen's Pawn Game
Queen's Pawn Game
In the most general sense the term Queen's Pawn Game can refer to any chess opening which starts with the move:It is the second most popular opening move. The name is now usually used to describe openings beginning with the moves 1.d4 d5 where White does not follow through with an early pawn...
s because White plays d4 but not c4. The Richter-Veresov is rarely played at the top levels of chess. The Colle and Stonewall are both Systems, rather than specific opening variations.
White develops aiming for a particular formation without great concern over how Black chooses to defend.
Both these systems are popular with club players because they are easy to learn,
but are rarely used by professionals because a well prepared opponent playing Black can equalize fairly easily.
The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit is an attempt by White to open lines and obtain attacking chances.
Most professionals consider it too risky for serious games, but it is popular with amateurs and in blitz chess
Blitz chess
Fast chess, also known as blitz chess, lightning chess, sudden death, speed chess, bullet chess and rapid chess, is a type of chess game in which each side is given less time to make their moves than under the normal tournament time controls of 60 to 180 minutes per player.-Overview:The different...
.
The most important closed openings are in the Queen's Gambit
Queen's Gambit
The Queen's Gambit is a chess opening that starts with the moves:The Queen's Gambit is one of the oldest known chess openings. It was mentioned in the Göttingen manuscript of 1490 and was later analysed by masters such as Gioachino Greco in the seventeenth century...
family (White plays 2.c4).
The Queen's Gambit is somewhat misnamed, since White can always regain the offered pawn if desired.
In the Queen's Gambit Accepted
Queen's Gambit Accepted
The Queen's Gambit Accepted is a chess opening characterised by the moves:The Queen's Gambit is not considered a true gambit, in contradistinction to the King's Gambit, because the pawn is either regained, or can only be held unprofitably by Black...
, Black plays ...dxc4, giving up the center for free development and the chance to try to give White an isolated queen pawn with a subsequent ...c5 and ...cxd4.
White will get active pieces and possibilities for the attack.
Black has two popular ways to decline the pawn, the Slav
Slav Defense
The Slav Defense is a chess opening that begins with the moves:The Slav is one of the primary defenses to the Queen's Gambit. Although it was analyzed as early as 1590, it was not until the 1920s that it started to be explored extensively...
(2...c6) and the Queen's Gambit Declined
Queen's Gambit Declined
The Queen's Gambit Declined is a chess opening in which Black declines a pawn offered by White in the Queen's Gambit:This is known as the Orthodox Line of the Queen's Gambit Declined...
(2...e6).
Both of these moves lead to an immense forest of variations that can require a great deal of opening study to play well.
Among the many possibilities in the Queen's Gambit Declined are the Orthodox Defense, Lasker Defense, the Cambridge Springs Defense
Cambridge Springs Defense
In chess, the Cambridge Springs Defense is a variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined and begins with the moves:-Background:...
, the Tartakower Variation, and the Tarrasch and Semi-Tarrasch Defenses
Tarrasch Defense
The Tarrasch Defense is a chess opening characterized by the moves:With his third move, Black makes an aggressive bid for central space. After White plays cxd5 and dxc5, Black will be left with an isolated pawn on d5...
.
Black replies to the Queen's Gambit other than 2...dxc4, 2...c6, and 2...e6 are uncommon.
The Chigorin Defense
Chigorin Defense
The Chigorin Defense is a chess opening named for 19th century Russian grandmaster Mikhail Chigorin. An uncommonly played defense to the Queen's Gambit, it begins with the moves:The Chigorin Defense is a chess opening named for 19th century Russian grandmaster Mikhail Chigorin. An uncommonly...
(2...Nc6) is playable but rare.
The Symmetrical Defense
Symmetrical Defense
The Symmetrical Defense is a chess opening that begins with the moves:First described in print by Alessandro Salvio in 1604, the opening is often called the Austrian Defense because it was studied by Austrian chess players including Hans Haberditz , Hans Müller , and GM Ernst Grünfeld.The...
(2...c5) is the most direct challenge to Queen's Gambit
Queen's Gambit
The Queen's Gambit is a chess opening that starts with the moves:The Queen's Gambit is one of the oldest known chess openings. It was mentioned in the Göttingen manuscript of 1490 and was later analysed by masters such as Gioachino Greco in the seventeenth century...
theory —
Can Black equalize by simply copying White's moves?
Most opening theoreticians believe not, and consequently the Symmetrical Defense is not popular.
The Baltic Defense
Baltic Defense
The Baltic Defense is a chess opening characterized by the moves:The Baltic is an unusual variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined. In most defenses to the QGD, Black has difficulties developing his queen bishop...
(2...Bf5) takes the most direct solution to solving the problem of Black's queen bishop by developing it on the second move.
Although it is not trusted by most elite players, it has not been refuted and some very strong grandmasters have played it.
The Albin Countergambit
Albin Countergambit
The Albin Countergambit is a chess opening that begins with the moves:and the usual continuation is:The opening is an uncommon defense to the Queen's Gambit. In exchange for the gambit pawn, Black has a central wedge at d4 and gets some chances for an attack...
(2...e5) is generally considered too risky for top-level tournament play. Similarly, the Marshall Defense
Marshall Defense
The Marshall Defense is a chess opening that begins with the moves:The Marshall Defense is a dubious variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined.It was played by Frank Marshall in the 1920s, but he gave it up after losing with it to Alekhine at Baden-Baden in 1925...
(2...Nf6) is very rarely seen in grandmaster play, as most theoreticians consider it definitely inferior for Black.
List
- 1.d4 d5 Double Queen's Pawn Opening or Closed Game
- 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 Richter-Veresov AttackRichter-Veresov AttackThe Richter–Veresov Attack is a chess opening that begins with the moves:The opening was named after the German International Master Kurt Richter and later the Soviet master Gavriil Veresov, who played it frequently for over a quarter of a century.Along with the Trompowsky Attack, Colle System,...
- 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Queen's GambitQueen's GambitThe Queen's Gambit is a chess opening that starts with the moves:The Queen's Gambit is one of the oldest known chess openings. It was mentioned in the Göttingen manuscript of 1490 and was later analysed by masters such as Gioachino Greco in the seventeenth century...
- 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 Queen's Gambit AcceptedQueen's Gambit AcceptedThe Queen's Gambit Accepted is a chess opening characterised by the moves:The Queen's Gambit is not considered a true gambit, in contradistinction to the King's Gambit, because the pawn is either regained, or can only be held unprofitably by Black...
(QGA) - 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c5 Symmetrical DefenseSymmetrical DefenseThe Symmetrical Defense is a chess opening that begins with the moves:First described in print by Alessandro Salvio in 1604, the opening is often called the Austrian Defense because it was studied by Austrian chess players including Hans Haberditz , Hans Müller , and GM Ernst Grünfeld.The...
- 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 Slav DefenseSlav DefenseThe Slav Defense is a chess opening that begins with the moves:The Slav is one of the primary defenses to the Queen's Gambit. Although it was analyzed as early as 1590, it was not until the 1920s that it started to be explored extensively...
- 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 Chigorin DefenseChigorin DefenseThe Chigorin Defense is a chess opening named for 19th century Russian grandmaster Mikhail Chigorin. An uncommonly played defense to the Queen's Gambit, it begins with the moves:The Chigorin Defense is a chess opening named for 19th century Russian grandmaster Mikhail Chigorin. An uncommonly...
- 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 Albin CountergambitAlbin CountergambitThe Albin Countergambit is a chess opening that begins with the moves:and the usual continuation is:The opening is an uncommon defense to the Queen's Gambit. In exchange for the gambit pawn, Black has a central wedge at d4 and gets some chances for an attack...
- 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 Queen's Gambit DeclinedQueen's Gambit DeclinedThe Queen's Gambit Declined is a chess opening in which Black declines a pawn offered by White in the Queen's Gambit:This is known as the Orthodox Line of the Queen's Gambit Declined...
(QGD) - 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Bf5 Baltic DefenseBaltic DefenseThe Baltic Defense is a chess opening characterized by the moves:The Baltic is an unusual variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined. In most defenses to the QGD, Black has difficulties developing his queen bishop...
- 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6 Marshall DefenseMarshall DefenseThe Marshall Defense is a chess opening that begins with the moves:The Marshall Defense is a dubious variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined.It was played by Frank Marshall in the 1920s, but he gave it up after losing with it to Alekhine at Baden-Baden in 1925...
- 1.d4 d5 2.e3 Stonewall AttackStonewall AttackThe Stonewall Attack is a chess opening; more specifically it is a variation of the Queen's Pawn Game. It is characterized by White playing 1.d4, 2.e3, 3.f4 and 4.c3, usually playing 5.Bd3 as well, even though the moves are not always played in that order . The Stonewall is a system White sets up,...
- 1.d4 d5 2.e4 Blackmar-Diemer GambitBlackmar-Diemer GambitThe Blackmar–Diemer Gambit is a chess opening characterized by the moves:- History :The Blackmar–Diemer Gambit arose as a development of the earlier Blackmar Gambit, named after Armand Blackmar, a relatively little-known New Orleans player of the late 19th century who popularized its...
- 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 Colle SystemColle SystemThe Colle System is a chess opening strategy for White introduced by Belgian Edgard Colle in the 1920s. Also known as the Colle–Koltanowski system, played frequently and further developed by George Koltanowski, this variation of the Queen's Pawn Game is characterised by a systematic if modest...
- 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 London SystemLondon SystemThe London System is a complex of related chess openings that begin with 1.d4 followed by an early Bf4. The London System requires very little knowledge of opening theory and normally results in a very closed game...
See also
- Open Game (1.e4 e5)
- Semi-Open GameSemi-Open GameA Semi-Open Game is a chess opening in which White plays 1.e4 and Black breaks symmetry immediately by replying with a move other than 1...e5.The Semi-Open Games are also called Single King Pawn Games, and are the complement of the Open Games or Double King Pawn Games which begin 1.e4 e5.-Popular...
(1.e4 moves other than 1...e5) - Semi-Closed GameSemi-Closed GameA Semi-Closed Game is a chess opening in which White opens with the queen's pawn 1.d4 but Black does not make the symmetrical reply 1...d5...
(1.d4 moves other than 1...d5) - Flank openingFlank openingA flank opening is a chess opening played by White and typified by play on one or both flanks ....
(1.c4, 1.Nf3, 1.f4, and others) - Irregular chess opening