Bishop's Opening (C23-C43)

41 named lines in this family, ECO C23-C43. Every one of them opens 1. e4 e5, so the notes on those moves are written once, just below, instead of once per line. Under each line you get its moves and the sentences it adds that this page has not already printed. A line's own page carries up to its first 4 per-move notes in full.

Main lineC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4

White posts a bishop on c4 eyeing f7 and keeps the option of either Italian-style development or an early f-pawn push.

2. Bc4 Develops the bishop to c4, eyeing d5. It eyes f7, the one square only the king defends. Theory calls this the Bishop's Opening.

Boi VariationC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5

2... Bc5 Develops the bishop to c5, eyeing d4. It eyes f2, the one square only the king defends. Theory calls this the Boi Variation.

Calabrese CountergambitC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 f5

2... f5 Challenges the pawn on e4 - the central tension has to resolve. The pawn is genuinely on offer - this is the Calabrese Countergambit: development and initiative over material.

Khan GambitC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 d5

2... d5 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e4, and frees the bishop and queen. Theory calls this the Khan Gambit.

Philidor CounterattackC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 c6

2... c6 Fights for d5 from the flank - contesting the centre without committing a centre pawn. Theory calls this the Philidor Counterattack.

Calabrese Countergambit, Jaenisch VariationC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 f5 3. d3

Lewis GambitC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. d4

The pawns on d4 and e5 stand in direct tension - the first player to resolve it chooses the structure.

Lopez VariationC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. Qe2

McDonnell GambitC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. b4

Philidor VariationC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. c3

Stein GambitC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. f4

Anderssen GambitC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 b5 3. Bxb5 c6

The structure hands Black the half-open b-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan. White is up material out of the opening - Black is banking on activity to show for it.

2... b5 Puts the question to the bishop on c4 - retreat, trade, or be taken.

Lewis Countergambit, through 3... d5C23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. c3 d5

The pawns on d5 and e4 stand in direct tension - the first player to resolve it chooses the structure.

Thorold GambitC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 b5 3. Bxb5 f5

Black's pawn on d7 is pinned against the king.

del Rio VariationC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. c3 Qg5

Lopez Variation, Lopez GambitC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. Qe2 Nf6 4. f4

McDonnell Gambit, La Bourdonnais-Denker GambitC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. b4 Bxb4 4. c3

The structure hands White the half-open b-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan. Black keeps the extra pawn; White plays for time, open lines, and initiative - the classic gambit trade.

McDonnell Gambit, McDonnell Double GambitC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. b4 Bxb4 4. f4

White's pawn on d2 is pinned against the king.

Lewis Countergambit, after 4. Bxd5C23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. c3 d5 4. Bxd5 Nf6

The structure hands Black the half-open d-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.

Lewis Countergambit, Walker VariationC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. c3 d5 4. Bxd5 Nf6 5. d4

Lopez GambitC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. Qe2 Nc6 4. c3 Nf6 5. f4

Pratt VariationC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. c3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. e5 d5 6. exf6 dxc4 7. Qh5 O-O

The structure hands White the half-open d-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan. Black comes out ahead on material - White needs concrete play to justify it.

Lisitsyn VariationC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 c6 3. d4 d5 4. exd5 cxd5 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. Bxd7+ Nxd7 7. dxe5 Nxe5 8. Ne2

An early pawn trade leaves the c-file as Black's avenue and the d-file as White's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file.

Four Pawns GambitC23

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. b4 Bxb4 4. f4 exf4 5. Nf3 Be7 6. d4 Bh4+ 7. g3 fxg3 8. O-O gxh2+ 9. Kh1

Berlin DefenseC24

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6

2... Nf6 Develops the knight to f6, eyeing d5 and e4. Theory calls this the Berlin Defense.

Berlin Defense, Greco GambitC24

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. f4

Ponziani GambitC24

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d4

Paulsen DefenseC24

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 c6

Pachman GambitC24

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. Ne2 Nxe4 4. Nec3

The structure hands White the half-open e-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.

Vienna HybridC24

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 Nc6 4. Nc3

Warsaw GambitC24

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3

An early pawn trade leaves the d-file as White's avenue and the e-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file.

Kitchener FollyC24

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 Be7 4. Nf3 O-O

Black's pawn on f7 is pinned against the king.

Krejcik GambitC24

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. f3 Bc5 4. Ne2 Nc6 5. b4

Urusov Gambit, Panov VariationC24

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nf3 d5 5. exd5 Bb4+ 6. c3 Qe7+

The e-file is fully open.

Horwitz GambitC26

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. Nc3 b5

Vienna Hybrid, Spielmann AttackC26

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3

2. Nc3 Develops the knight to c3, eyeing d5 and e4. It also props up the e4 pawn. Theory calls this the Vienna Game.
2... Nf6 Theory calls this the Falkbeer Variation.

Boden-Kieseritzky GambitC27

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Nxe4 4. Nc3

2. Nf3 Develops the knight to f3, eyeing d4 and e5.
2... Nf6 Theory calls this the Petrov's Defense.

Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit, Lichtenhein DefenseC27

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Nxe4 4. Nc3 d5

Vienna Hybrid, Hromádka VariationC28

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bb4 5. Ne2

White's knight on c3 is pinned against the king.

2... Nc6 Develops the knight to c6, eyeing d4 and e5. It also props up the e5 pawn. Theory calls this the Max Lange Defense.

Urusov GambitC43

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nf3

Urusov Gambit, Keidansky GambitC43

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Qxd4

Bishop's Opening

The moves every line here plays