Flank Openings
Flank openings are chess openings that begin with anything other than the d- and e-pawn at the start of a game. Compared to the main e4-d4 variations, these openings tend to catch rivals off-guard and
French Defense
The French Defense is known for its firm and positional nature. After the White party advances their pawn two squares forward (1.e4), instead of picking a conventional approach, the opposing side chooses to go for 1…
King’s Pawn Opening (1.e4)
As the name suggests, this chess opening begins after White goes two squares forward (1.e4) with their pawn. The King’s Pawn Opening is a noble weapon that has been utilized since the game’
Queen’s Pawn Opening (1.d4)
As the name suggests, this chess opening begins after White goes two squares forward (1.d4) with their d-pawn. The Queen’s Pawn Opening is a firm choice that has been used over the decades.

Choose chess opening to learn


Our content writers

Anton Shuravin runs ChessDoctrine and writes most of the content on the site. He's a FIDE-rated player (1900+) with more than 14 years of experience, came second at the Tyumen city championship at age 12, and has recorded 88 chess lessons for the site's YouTube channel. Deniz Tasdelen is a FIDE National Master with over 20 years of experience and wins against several grandmasters. He checks and edits the articles for accuracy. He also holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in philosophy. Emre Sancakli learned chess at six and is now rated 2400+ on chess.com and Lichess, which puts him among the top few thousand players online. He has coached over 100 students and built his own courses, and he fact-checks and edits content for the site. Everything here is written by an active player.

img
Anton Shuravin, Chess Writer and Blogger
Writer, chess expert
img
Deniz Tasdelen, National Master
Writer, chess expert
img
Emre Sancakli, Сhess Coach
Writer, chess expert

Our mission

chess theory

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ChessDoctrine.com?

ChessDoctrine.com is a free chess resource covering openings, strategy, endgames, and chess terminology for players of every level. You’ll find in-depth guides to more than 80 chess openings, from the Sicilian Defense and Ruy Lopez to flank systems like the English and Réti, plus a glossary of chess terms and a regularly updated blog. Every article is written by an active, rated player and reviewed by a titled chess expert.

Who writes the content on ChessDoctrine.com?

The site is run by Anton Shuravin, a FIDE-rated player (1900+) with over 14 years of experience who writes most of the articles and has recorded 88 lessons for our YouTube channel. Content is reviewed and fact-checked by National Master Deniz Tasdelen (20+ years of experience, with wins over several grandmasters) and coach Emre Sancakli (rated 2400+ on Chess.com and Lichess, with 100+ students taught). You can read more about the team on our About Us page.

Is ChessDoctrine.com free to use?

Yes. All articles, opening guides, and chess terms on ChessDoctrine.com are completely free, no subscription or registration required. No commercial usage though.

How do I find a specific opening or topic?

Use the search bar in the top-right corner of any page, or browse the menu, which groups every opening under King’s Pawn (1.e4), Queen’s Pawn (1.d4), and Flank Openings. You can also explore our Chess Terms glossary and the Blog for guides and tips.

ChessDoctrine.com - Your One Stop Chess Resource
By using chessdoctrine.com, you agree to use cookies that we use to remember your settings, statistics, and target ads.