Free Tool
Opening Explorer
Search 120+ chess openings by name, ECO code, or moves. Filter by category. Click any result for the full guide. No account, no download.
Category
ECO range
Showing 120 of 120 openings
Flank Openings 10
English Opening
1. c4
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation
1. c4 c5
English Opening: Reversed Sicilian
1. c4 e5
Réti Opening
1. Nf3 d5 2. c4
King's Indian Attack
1. Nf3 d5 2. g3
Bird's Opening
1. f4
Nimzo-Larsen Attack
1. b3
Grob Attack
1. g4
Polish Opening (Sokolsky)
1. b4
Catalan Opening
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3
Semi-Open Games 28
Sicilian Defense
1. e4 c5
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6
Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6
Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6
Sicilian Defense: Sveshnikov Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5
Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation
1. e4 c5 2. c3
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit
1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3
Sicilian Defense: Grand Prix Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4
Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5
Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+
Caro-Kann Defense
1. e4 c6
Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5
Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5
Caro-Kann Defense: Panov-Botvinnik Attack
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4
Pirc Defense
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6
Modern Defense
1. e4 g6
Alekhine's Defense
1. e4 Nf6
Scandinavian Defense
1. e4 d5
Philidor Defense
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf, English Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf, Poisoned Pawn
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Attack
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5
Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6
Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5
Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Variation
1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nc3
Open Games 31
Italian Game
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4
Italian Game: Giuoco Piano
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5
Italian Game: Evans Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4
Two Knights Defense
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6
Ruy López (Spanish Opening)
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5
Ruy López: Morphy Defense
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6
Ruy López: Berlin Defense
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6
Ruy López: Marshall Attack
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5
Ruy López: Open Defense (Open Spanish)
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4
Scotch Game
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4
Scotch Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4
Petrov Defense (Russian Game)
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6
Latvian Gambit (Greco Counter-Gambit)
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5
Four Knights Game
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6
King's Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. f4
King's Gambit Accepted
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4
Vienna Game
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3
Bishop's Opening
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4
French Defense
1. e4 e6
French Defense: Winawer Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
French Defense: Advance Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5
French Defense: Exchange Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5
Center Game
1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4
Danish Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3
Ruy López: Closed Defense
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O
Ruy López: Exchange Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6
French Defense: Classical Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6
French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4
Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4
King's Gambit Declined
1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5
Closed Games 34
Queen's Gambit
1. d4 d5 2. c4
Queen's Gambit Declined
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6
Queen's Gambit Accepted
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4
Slav Defense
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6
Semi-Slav Defense
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6
Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5
Tarrasch Defense
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5
Grünfeld Defense
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5
Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3
Grünfeld Defense: Russian System
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3
London System
1. d4 d5 2. Bf4
Torre Attack
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5
Colle System
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3
Trompowsky Attack
1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5
Veresov Attack (Richter-Veresov Attack)
1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bg5
Jobava London
1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bf4
Queen's Pawn Game
1. d4 d5
Stonewall Attack
1. d4 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. Bd3 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. f4
Blackmar-Diemer Gambit
1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3
Chigorin Defense
1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6
Albin Countergambit
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5
Dutch Defense
1. d4 f5
Dutch Defense: Leningrad Variation
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 g6
Dutch Defense: Stonewall Variation
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e6 4. e3 d5
Dutch Defense: Classical Variation
1. d4 f5 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7
Benoni Defense
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6
Benko Gambit
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5
Budapest Gambit
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5
Englund Gambit
1. d4 e5
Queen's Gambit Declined: Cambridge Springs Defense
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 c6 6. Nf3 Qa5
Slav Defense: Exchange Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5
Slav Defense: Chebanenko Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6
Semi-Slav Defense: Botvinnik Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4
Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Bb4
Indian Defenses 17
King's Indian Defense
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7
King's Indian Defense: Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5
King's Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3
King's Indian Defense: Four Pawns Attack
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f4
King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 d6 5. g3
Nimzo-Indian Defense
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3
Queen's Indian Defense
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6
Bogo-Indian Defense
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+
Old Indian Defense
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 e5
Modern Benoni
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6
Catalan Opening: Closed Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7
Catalan Opening: Open Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4
King's Indian Defense: Mar del Plata Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Hübner Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 d6
Want to analyze any opening with Stockfish, free and unlimited?
Free analysis at chess.rodeo ↗How to use this tool
Search by name
Type any opening name — Sicilian, London, Najdorf — results filter as you type.
Search by ECO code
The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings code (B90, C42, D85) jumps straight to one opening.
Search by moves
Paste a move sequence — 1. e4 c5, d4 Nf6 c4 g6 — and every matching opening surfaces.
Filter by family
Toggle category and ECO-range chips to narrow results. Combine with a search term for surgical lookups.
What are ECO codes?
The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO), published by Chess Informant since 1974, classifies every opening into one of 500 codes from A00 to E99. The letter groups openings by family; the number narrows to the specific variation.
A — Flank openings (1.c4, 1.Nf3, 1.b3, 1.f4, 1.b4, 1.g4)
B — Semi-open (Sicilian, Caro-Kann, Pirc, Modern, Alekhine, Scandinavian)
C — Open games (1.e4 e5, French Defense)
D — Closed games (Queen's Gambit, Slav, Grünfeld, London)
E — Indian defenses (Nimzo, Queen's Indian, King's Indian, Catalan)
For example: B90 is the Sicilian Najdorf, C42 is the Petrov Defense, D85 is the Grünfeld Exchange, and E92 is the King's Indian Classical. Type any code above to jump to that opening.
Related tools
Full Opening Database
Browse every opening grouped by family.
PGN Viewer
Replay any opening line move by move.
Board Editor
Set up any opening position and copy the FEN.
Openings for Beginners
Which opening should you learn first?
How to Analyze Games
Get the most out of any opening review.
Notation Converter
Clean PGN, convert algebraic notation formats.
Frequently asked questions
About the free chess.lc Opening Explorer and ECO codes.
Is this chess opening explorer really free?
Yes. The chess.lc Opening Explorer is 100% free, runs entirely in your browser, and requires no install, no signup, no account, and no credit card. Search the full 120+ opening database, filter by category or ECO range, and click through to detailed guides — no daily limit, no premium tier.
How do I find a chess opening by its first few moves?
Type the moves into the search box exactly as they appear in algebraic notation — e.g. '1. e4 c5' returns every Sicilian variant. The search matches against the full main-line move sequence, so '5. Nc3 a6' will surface the Najdorf even if you skip the opening moves. You can also drop the move numbers and just paste 'e4 c5 Nf3 d6' — the matcher is token-based, so any subset of the line works.
What are ECO codes and how do I search by them?
ECO (Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings) codes classify every opening into one of 500 buckets labeled A00–E99. A = flank openings (English, Réti, Bird), B = semi-open (Sicilian, Caro-Kann, Pirc, Modern, Alekhine, Scandinavian), C = open games (1.e4 e5, French Defense), D = closed games (Queen's Gambit, Slav, Grünfeld, London), E = Indian defenses (Nimzo, Queen's Indian, King's Indian, Catalan). Type 'B90' into the search to jump directly to the Najdorf, or click the A/B/C/D/E filter chips to narrow by family.
Which chess opening should I learn first?
For White, start with the Italian Game (C50) or London System (D02) — both are easy to learn and forgiving of move-order mistakes. For Black against 1.e4, try the Caro-Kann (B10) or Scandinavian (B01) for solidity, or the Sicilian (B20) for sharper play. Against 1.d4, the Slav Defense (D10) or King's Indian (E60) cover both styles. Pick one for each color, learn the first 5–8 moves and the key plans, then expand from there.
How many openings are in the explorer database?
The chess.lc Opening Explorer covers 120+ chess openings across all five ECO categories (A through E), from mainline systems like the Ruy Lopez, Sicilian, Queen's Gambit, and Italian Game to gambits (King's Gambit, Evans, Englund, Latvian) and modern systems (London, Jobava London, Catalan). Every entry has its own dedicated guide with theory, main lines, and analysis links.
What's the difference between this and the openings listing page?
The /openings page groups every opening by category in a static layout — best for browsing the full catalog at a glance. This Opening Explorer is interactive: type any name, ECO code, or move sequence and results filter in real time as you type. Use this tool when you know what you're searching for; use the listing page when you want to browse the entire catalog.
Does the opening explorer work on mobile and tablets?
Yes. The search input, filter chips, and result grid are fully responsive — the layout reflows from three columns on desktop to one column on mobile, and every filter button stays touch-sized. No app install, no extension, no special browser required.
Where can I get free engine analysis of these openings?
chess.rodeo gives you unlimited free Stockfish analysis with no account. Paste any opening's main line as a PGN and the engine returns evaluations, best moves, and full variation trees instantly. No daily cap, no premium tier, no paywall on multi-PV or deeper search.