Chess openings for White
Italian, Ruy López, Queen's Gambit, London: what to play on move one and how to follow up.
With White, you pick the battlefield. Your first move decides the kind of game: 1.e4 or 1.d4, open and tactical or closed and positional. This page gathers all our chess opening guides for White, from the Italian Game to the Queen's Gambit, each with the first moves, the ideas behind them and the mistakes to avoid.
If you are a beginner, pick one main opening and stick with it for fifty games. The Italian Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4) teaches the center, development and castling with nothing obscure. The London System is the alternative if you want the same setup whatever Black plays. The Ruy López comes next, once you are ready for a longer fight.
The table below ranks the families covered by Prologue Chess by their real popularity, measured across 8.2 million games: essential, common or occasional. It is also the order we recommend learning them in. Each row links to the full guide when there is one.
| Opening | First moves | Popularity | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italian Game | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 | Essential | Read the guide |
| Ruy López | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 | Essential | Read the guide |
| Queen's Gambit | 1.d4 d5 2.c4 | Essential | Read the guide |
| English Opening | 1.c4 | Common | Read the guide |
| Réti Opening | 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 | Common | — |
| London System | 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 | Common | Read the guide |
| Scotch Game | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 | Common | Read the guide |
| Vienna Game | 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 | Occasional | — |
| King's Gambit | 1.e4 e5 2.f4 | Occasional | Read the guide |
| Four Knights Game | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 | Occasional | — |
| King's Indian Attack | 1.Nf3 … 2.g3 3.Bg2 | Occasional | Read the guide |
| Bird Opening | 1.f4 | Occasional | — |
Articles in this theme
Best chess opening for beginners: one pick per colour
The best chess opening for beginners as White and as Black, what to avoid, and how to choose by your style. One straight answer, then the nuance.
The Scotch Game: opening the center fast
The Scotch Game opens the center as early as the third move with 3.d4. Here's the idea, its main variations, and why it makes life simpler for beginners.
The London System in chess: setup, plan and pitfalls
The London System is played almost the same way whatever Black replies. Here's the setup, the plan, and why it puts beginners at ease.
The Ruy Lopez (Spanish Game) for beginners
The Ruy Lopez is the most played opening at the top level after 1.e4 e5. Here are its ideas, its main variations, and how to get to grips with it.
The English Opening (1.c4) made clear
The English Opening starts with 1.c4 and takes the center from afar: its ideas, the reversed Sicilian, the symmetrical line, and how to play it stress-free.
The Queen's Gambit, the go-to opening in 1.d4
The Queen's Gambit isn't a real gambit: White wins the pawn back. Here's the idea, the QGD, the QGA, the Slav, and how to play it well as White.
1.e4 or 1.d4: which to start with as White?
1.e4 or 1.d4 to start as White? The first opens the game and attacks, the second builds and controls. Here's how to choose by your style, without going wrong.
The Italian Game: a great first opening for beginners
The Italian Game is the perfect first opening for White: easy to play, full of ideas, and dangerous if your opponent doesn't know the traps. How to play it.
The King's Gambit, the romantic opening
The King's Gambit sacrifices a pawn on the second move to attack. Here's the idea, the accepted gambit, the declined, and why it's still such a thrill to play.
The King's Indian Attack (KIA): a go-anywhere plan
The King's Indian Attack is a system where you play almost the same setup every time. Here's the formation, the attacking plan, and how to learn it fast.
The Colle System and the Stonewall: playing on autopilot
The Colle System and the Stonewall are two 1.d4 setups you can play with almost no theory. Here are their structures, their plans, and who they're for.
Frequently asked questions
Which chess opening should a beginner play as White?
The Italian Game: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4. It follows the three opening principles (center, development, castling) and its plans are easy to understand. The London System is the second choice if you prefer 1.d4.
1.e4 or 1.d4: which first move is better?
Both are equally strong at the highest level. 1.e4 leads to more open, tactical positions; 1.d4 to slower, strategic games. Choose based on the kind of position you enjoy, not on a supposed superiority.
How many openings do you need to know as White?
One well-learned opening is enough up to 1500 Elo, with a planned answer to the main defenses (…e5, …c5, …e6, …c6 after 1.e4). Adding a second opening only makes sense once the first one is played from memory.
Ready to win your openings?
Start with the Italian Game, for free. From your very next games, you'll know exactly what to play in the opening.
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