Réti Opening: Advance Variation

Réti Opening: Advance Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code A09, part of the Réti Opening family. It goes 1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 d4. White opens with 1. Nf3 (the Zukertort/Réti knight move) and Black answers 1... d5. After 4 moves it is White to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.

The moves

• 1. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
• 1... d5 – Black plays the pawn to d5
• 2. c4 – White plays the pawn to c4
• 2... d4 – Black plays the pawn to d4

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 3. e3.

About the Réti Opening

White plays 1.Nf3 and c4, attacking the centre from the side instead of occupying it. It is a modern, flexible approach.

• White fianchettoes with g3 and Bg2, sometimes on both sides with b3 and Bb2.
• The c4 pawn pressures d5; White may take with cxd5 to open the c-file.
• If Black pushes ...d4, White attacks it with e3 or b4.

chessGM has a full course for this line: open the Réti Opening: Advance Variation course lesson.

Related openings

• It extends: Réti Opening (1. Nf3 d5 2. c4)
• Continues with: Réti Opening: Advance Variation, Michel Gambit – adds 3. b4 c5
• Continues with: Réti Opening: Advance Variation, Navara Gambit – adds 3. b4 g5
• Continues with: Réti Opening: Penguin Variation – adds 3. Rg1
• Continues with: Réti Opening: Reversed Blumenfeld Gambit – adds 3. e3 c5 4. b4
• Related line: Réti Opening: Advance Variation, Michel Gambit (1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 d4 3. b4 c5)
• Related line: Réti Opening: Advance Variation, Navara Gambit (1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 d4 3. b4 g5)
• Related line: Réti Opening: Penguin Variation (1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 d4 3. Rg1)
• Related line: Réti Opening: Reversed Blumenfeld Gambit (1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 d4 3. e3 c5 4. b4)
• Related line: Réti Opening: Réti Accepted (1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 dxc4)
• Related line: Réti Opening: Réti Gambit, Keres Variation (1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 Be6)

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