List of chess openings named after animals
Encyclopedia
The Oxford Companion to Chess
lists 1,327 named openings and variants. Some openings have been given fanciful names, often names of animals. The Dragon Variation
of the Sicilian Defence
was named in 1901 after its resemblance of Black's kingside pawn structure to the constellation Draco
, It is one of the sharpest of all chess openings, with ten named sub-variations analysed in Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings
.
The Orang-Utan Opening was an occasional novelty named by the witty Polish master Savielly Tartakower
in 1924. Nevertheless the Orang-Utan's wide range of options have attracted from analysts. Some animal variations have development from novelties into serious competition weapons, for example the Hippopotamus Defence
looks passive but offers opportunities for well-timed counter-attacks. The similar Hedgehog Opening may leave the White pieces with an impressive position but little prospect of making progress, and Black may threaten a breakthrough at the right time.
Analysts continued to devise new variations, some named after animals. For example Stefan Bücker introduced the Vulture and Hawk variations, which chess journalist and correspondence chess
expert Tim Harding
included in his collection of unorthodox openings, "Dynamic Black Defenses". In 2007 Anthea Carson and Brian Wall published "How to Play Chess Like an Animal", to bring fun and creativity to chess lessons for young players.
Below is a list of chess opening
s named after animals.
The Oxford Companion to Chess
The Oxford Companion to Chess is a reference book on chess written by David Hooper and Kenneth Whyld. The book is written in an encyclopedia format. The book belongs to the Oxford Companions series.-Details:...
lists 1,327 named openings and variants. Some openings have been given fanciful names, often names of animals. The Dragon Variation
Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation
In chess, the Dragon Variation is one of the main lines of the Sicilian Defence and begins with the moves:The name "Dragon" was first coined by Russian chess master and amateur astronomer Fyodor Dus-Chotimirsky who noted the resemblance of Black's kingside pawn structure to the constellation...
of the Sicilian Defence
Sicilian Defence
The Sicilian Defence is a chess opening that begins with the moves:The Sicilian is the most popular and best-scoring response to White's first move 1.e4...
was named in 1901 after its resemblance of Black's kingside pawn structure to the constellation Draco
Draco (constellation)
Draco is a constellation in the far northern sky. Its name is Latin for dragon. Draco is circumpolar for many observers in the northern hemisphere...
, It is one of the sharpest of all chess openings, with ten named sub-variations analysed in Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings
Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings
The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings is a classification system for the opening moves in a game of chess. It is presented as a five volume book collection describing chess openings...
.
The Orang-Utan Opening was an occasional novelty named by the witty Polish master Savielly Tartakower
Savielly Tartakower
Ksawery Tartakower was a leading Polish and French chess Grandmaster. He was also a leading chess journalist of the 1920s and 30s...
in 1924. Nevertheless the Orang-Utan's wide range of options have attracted from analysts. Some animal variations have development from novelties into serious competition weapons, for example the Hippopotamus Defence
Hippopotamus Defence
The Hippopotamus Defence is a name for various irregular chess opening systems in which Black moves a number of his pawns to the third rank, often developing his pieces to the second rank, and does not move any of his pawns to the fourth rank in the opening...
looks passive but offers opportunities for well-timed counter-attacks. The similar Hedgehog Opening may leave the White pieces with an impressive position but little prospect of making progress, and Black may threaten a breakthrough at the right time.
Analysts continued to devise new variations, some named after animals. For example Stefan Bücker introduced the Vulture and Hawk variations, which chess journalist and correspondence chess
Correspondence chess
Correspondence chess is chess played by various forms of long-distance correspondence, usually through a correspondence chess server, through email or by the postal system; less common methods which have been employed include fax and homing pigeon...
expert Tim Harding
Tim Harding (chess)
Timothy David Harding is a prolific chess player and author with particular expertise regarding correspondence chess. He published a correspondence chess magazine Chess Mail from 1996 to 2006 and has authored "The Kibitzer," a ChessCafe.com column from 1996...
included in his collection of unorthodox openings, "Dynamic Black Defenses". In 2007 Anthea Carson and Brian Wall published "How to Play Chess Like an Animal", to bring fun and creativity to chess lessons for young players.
Below is a list of chess opening
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...
s named after animals.
- Black Mustang Defense 1.Nf3 Nc6;
- Bullfrog Gambit 1.d4 Nf6 2.g4;
- Canard Opening 1.d4 Nf6 2.f4;
- Clam Variation 1.e4 e5 2.d3;
- Crab Opening 1.a4 e5 2.h4;
- Elephant GambitElephant GambitThe Elephant Gambit is a rarely played chess opening beginning with the moves:...
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5; - English Orangutan 1.c4 Nf6 2.b4;
- English Rat 1.d4 d6 2.c4 e5;
- Fried Fox Variation 1.e4 f6 2.d4 Kf7;
- Giraffe Attack of the Vienna GameVienna GameThe Vienna Game is a chess opening that begins with the moves:White's second move is less common than 2.Nf3, and is also of more recent vintage; a book reviewer wrote in the New York Times in 1888 that "since Morphy only one new opening has been introduced, the 'Vienna.The original idea behind...
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Bc5 3.Qg4; - Great Snake 1.c4 g6;
- Halibut Gambit of the English OpeningEnglish OpeningIn chess, the English Opening is the opening where White begins:A flank opening, it is the fourth most popular and, according to various databases, anywhere from one of the two most successful to the fourth most successful of White's twenty possible first moves. White begins the fight for the...
1.c4 b5; - Hawk Defense 1.d4 c5 2.d5 Nf6 3.Nf3 c4;
- Hedgehog a pawn formation adopted usually by Black that can arise from several openings;
- Hippopotamus DefenceHippopotamus DefenceThe Hippopotamus Defence is a name for various irregular chess opening systems in which Black moves a number of his pawns to the third rank, often developing his pieces to the second rank, and does not move any of his pawns to the fourth rank in the opening...
a name for various chess opening systems in which Black moves a number of his pawns to the third rank (usually a6, b6, d6, e6, g6, h6); - Kangaroo DefenseKangaroo DefenseThe Keres Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:The opening is named for Estonian grandmaster Paul Keres.-Transpositions after 2... Bb4+:...
1.d4 e6 2.c4 Bb4+; - Kingfisher Gambit of the Dutch Defense 1.d4 f5 2.Nc3 d5 3.e4;
- Lizard Attack of the Dunst OpeningDunst OpeningThe Dunst Opening is a chess opening where White opens with the move:This fairly uncommon opening may have more names than any other: it is also called the Heinrichsen Opening, Baltic Opening, van Geet's Opening, Sleipnir Opening, Kotrč's Opening, Meštrović Opening, Romanian Opening, Queen's...
1.Nc3 d5 2.e4 d4 3.Nce2; - Lobster Gambit of the Latvian GambitLatvian GambitThe Latvian Gambit is an aggressive but dubious chess opening, which often leads to wild and tricky positions. This opening is uncommon at the top level of over-the-board play, but some correspondence chess players are devoted to it...
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.g4; - Medusa Gambit 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g5;
- Monkey's BumMonkey's BumThe Monkey's Bum is a variation of the Modern Defense, a chess opening. Although it may also be loosely defined as any approach against the Modern Defense involving an early Bc4 and Qf3, threatening "scholar's mate", it is strictly defined by the sequence of moves:The Monkey's Bum Deferred is a...
of the Modern DefenseModern DefenseThe Modern Defense is a hypermodern chess opening in which Black allows White to occupy the center with pawns on d4 and e4, then proceeds to attack and undermine this "ideal" center without attempting to occupy it himself...
1.e4 g6 2.Bc4 Bg7 3.Qf3 e6 4.d4 Bxd4 5.Ne2 Bg7 6.Nbc3; - Mosquito Gambit of the Englund GambitEnglund GambitThe Englund Gambit is a rarely played chess opening that starts with the moves:Black's idea is to avoid the traditional closed queen's pawn games and create an open game with tactical chances, but at the cost of a pawn. The gambit is considered weak; Boris Avrukh writes that 1...e5 "seems to me...
1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Qh4; - Orangutan Opening 1.b4;
- Porcupine Variation, 1.c4 f5 2.e4 fxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g4;
- Pterodactyl Variation, Modern, 1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.e4 c5 5.Nf3 Qa5
- Raptor Attack of the Trompowsky Attack 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.h4;
- Rat Defence 1.d4 d6;
- Scorpion-Horus Gambit of the Caro-Kann DefenceCaro-Kann DefenceThe Caro-Kann Defence is a chess opening —a common defense against the King's Pawn Opening characterised by the moves:The usual continuation isfollowed by 3.Nc3 , 3.Nd2 , 3.exd5 , or 3.e5 . The classical variation has gained much popularity...
1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d3 dxe4 4.Bg5; - Sicilian Pterodactyl 1.e4 g6 2.Nf3 Bg7 3.d4 c5;
- Snail Variation of the Old Benoni Defense 1.d4 c5 2.d5 Na6;
- Snake Variation of the Benoni DefenseBenoni DefenseThe Benoni Defense is a group of chess openings generally characterized by the opening moves 1. d4 c5 2. d5, although Black's ...c5 and White's answer d5 are often delayed. The most usual opening sequence for the Benoni is 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5...
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 Bd6; - Tortoise Opening 1.e4 e5 2.Bd3;
- Vulture Defense 1.d4 c5 2.d5 Nf6 3.c4 Ne4;
- Wasp Variation of the Elephant GambitElephant GambitThe Elephant Gambit is a rarely played chess opening beginning with the moves:...
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nxe5 dxe4 4.Bc4 Qg5; - Whale Opening 1.e4 e5 2.c4;
- Wild Bull Defense 1.e4 Nh6;
See also
- Chess openingChess openingA 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...
- List of chess openings
- List of chess openings named after people
- List of chess openings named after places
- List of U.S. counties named after animals