Bishop's Opening

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, whose influence gave the opening long-lasting popularity. The opening fell out of favor after improvements for Black were introduced in the mid-19th century. and Peter Lékó played it in the 2007 World Championship against Vladimir Kramnik, known to consistently play the Petrov. Weaver Adams in his classic work White to Play and Win claimed that the Bishop's Opening was a win for White by from the second move. He was unable to prove this by defeating players stronger than himself, however, and later abandoned the Bishop's Opening for the Vienna Game, making the same claim. Grandmaster Nick de Firmian, in the 14th edition of Modern Chess Openings, concludes that the Bishop's Opening leads to with best play by both sides, and notes that, "Among modern players only Bent Larsen has played it much, but even Kasparov gave it a whirl (winning against Bareev)." == Variations ==

The opening is rich in transpositional possibilities to other openings, but also has many independent lines. Lines also frequently reached from other openings, such as the Vienna Game, are often regarded as transpositions, including by ECO, but may also be assigned to the Bishop's Opening instead. Because of this, the opening can be used as a transpositional device. White sometimes chooses the Bishop's Opening with the goal of transposing 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. Black can decline this, however, by playing 3...c6 instead. Examined in this article are the following common variations: • 2...Nf6 (Berlin Defense) • 3.d3 (main line) • 3...c6 (Paulsen Defense) • 3...Nc6 4.Nc3 (Vienna Hybrid Variation) • 3...Nc6 4.Nf3 (Two Knights Defense, Closed Variation, by transposition, also "Modern Bishop's Opening") • 3...Bc5 4.Nc3 (Spielmann Attack) • 3...Bc5 4.Nf3 Nc6 (Giuoco Pianissimo, by transposition) • 3.Nc3 (Vienna Game, Stanley Variation, by transposition) • 3.d4 (Ponziani Gambit) • 3...exd4 4.Nf3 (Urusov Gambit) • 3...exd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 (Center Game, by transposition) • 3.Nf3 (Petrov's Defence, by transposition) • 3...Nxe4 4.Nc3 Nxc3 (Boden–Kieseritzky Gambit) • 3...Nxe4 4.Nc3 Nc6 (Four Knights Game, Italian Variation, by transposition) • 3...Nc6 (Two Knights Defense, by transposition) • 3.f4 (Greco Gambit) • 3...exf4 (Bishop's Gambit, by transposition) • 3...Nxe4 • 3...d5 • 3.Qe2 • 2...Bc5 (Classical Variation) • 3.Nf3 Nc6 (Giuoco Piano, by transposition) • 3.Nc3 Nf6 (Vienna Game, Falkbeer Variation, by transposition) • 3.Nc3 Nc6 (Vienna Game, Symmetrical Variation, by transposition) • 3.d3 Nf6 (Berlin Defense, by transposition) • 3.c3 (Philidor Variation) • 3...d5 (Lewis Countergambit) • 3.b4 (McDonnell (Wing) Gambit) • 3.d4 (Lewis Gambit) • 3.f4 (Stein Gambit) • 3.Qe2 (Lopez Variation) • 3.Qh5 (Scholar's mate attempt) • 2...Nc6 • 3.Nf3 (Italian Game, by transposition) • 3.Nc3 (Vienna Game, by transposition) • 2...d6 3.Nf3 (Philidor Defense, by transposition) • 2...c6 (Philidor Counterattack) • 2...f5 (Calabrese Countergambit) • 2...b5 (Anderssen Gambit and Thorold Gambit) == Berlin Defense: 2...Nf6 ==

Black's most active second move is 2...Nf6, forcing White to decide how to defend the pawn on e4. The usual method is 3.d3. Black must be careful about later ideas of f4 (a delayed King's Gambit) from White. Following 3.d3, Black's most common replies are 3...c6, the Paulsen Defense, and 3...Nc6. 3...Bc5 is also common and often transposes to the Giuoco Piano after a later ...Nc6. Transposition to the Two Knights is also common after the occasionally seen 3...Be7 and 3...d5. White may also avoid playing d3. The most common alternative is 3.Nc3, which leads a position also commonly reached from the Vienna Game. Other possibilities include 3.d4, usually intending the Urusov Gambit, and 3.Nf3, usually intending the Boden–Kieseritzky Gambit. Paulsen Defense: 3.d3 c6 The most well-regarded response is 3...c6, The gambit can also occur via other move orders, such as 2.Nc3 (Vienna Game) Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Nf3 and 2.Nf3 Nf6 (Petrov's Defense) 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Nc3. Black can also decline the pawn with 3...Nc6, transposing into the Two Knights Defense. Other lines • A rarely seen gambit is 3.f4, which typically continues 3...Nxe4 4.d3 Nd6 5.Bb3 Nc6 (or 5...e4); 3...exf4, transposing to the Bishop's Gambit; or 3...d5 4.exd5 e4!, a line of the Falkbeer Countergambit favorable to Black. • 4.Qe2 and 4.Qf3 are rarely seen but still occur. == Classical Variation: 2...Bc5 ==

The Classical Variation (also known as the Boi Variation) is Black's symmetrical response, 2...Bc5. White can then transpose into the Vienna Game (3.Nc3) or the Giuoco Piano (3.Nf3 Nc6), or remain in the Bishop's Opening, such as with the Philidor Variation (3.c3). Transpositions into the King's Gambit Declined and the Giuoco Pianissimo are also possible after 3.d3. 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. 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. Other lines • 3.b4, the Wing Gambit, results in positions similar to those in the Evans Gambit. It often transposes into the Evans Gambit, for instance by 3.b4 Bxb4 4.c3 Ba5 5.Nf3 Nc6. It can also lead to the Four Pawns Gambit after 3...Bxb4 4.f4 exf4 5.Nf3 Be7 6.d4 Bh4+ 7.g3 fxg3 8.0-0 gxh2+ 9.Kh1. • 3.Qf3 and 3.Qh5 are also popular among lower level players, threatening an immediate Scholar's mate. But the threat is easily met (e.g. 3.Qh5 Qe7) and the moves are considered inferior since they hamper White's development or leave the queen exposed, leading to loss of tempo. == Black's second move alternatives ==

• 2...Nc6 is also common and most often transposes to the Italian Game after 3.Nf3 or the Vienna Game after 3.Nc3 (or these may occur on the fourth move after 3.d3). • 2...c6, the Philidor Counterattack, is playable but rarely seen, as delaying ...c6 until the third move via 2...Nf6 3.d3 c6, the Paulsen Defense, seems to perform better for Black. • 2...Be7?, attempting to transpose into the Hungarian Defense, loses a pawn after 3.Qh5. • The Calabrese 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. Other analyses, however, have found that the sharp 3.f4! or safe 3.Nc3 are better for White than 3.d3. ==Notes==