Not every opponent answers 1.e4 with 1...e5 or 1...c5. This course gives you one simple, healthy plan against the Scandinavian, the Alekhine, the Pirc and Modern, the Owen, the St George and the Nimzowitsch. You take the centre, develop fast and castle. You also learn two traps that win games in these lines. This is a intermediate opening course for White (ECO B00-B07) with 6 variations and 2 traps, written for players rated around 1300. Each move is explained and then drilled on a board; it is free.
Key ideas of Beating 1.e4 sidelines
Take the centre with pawns on e4 and d4. Most sidelines let you do it for free.
Develop knights first, then bishops, and castle early. Simple moves are strong here.
When Black's queen comes out early, gain time by hitting it with your pieces.
When Black's bishop pins your knight from g4, ask it a question with the h-pawn.
Against a bishop on g7, bring your bishop to h6 and trade off the guard of Black's king.
Variations you learn
Scandinavian: 2...Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 – 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bg4 …. Black takes back with the queen, and White gains time by hitting it. When the bishop pins from g4, White chases it with the h-pawn and the g-pawn. The knight jumps to e5, and the bishop on g6 soon feels trapped.
Scandinavian: 2...Nf6 3.d4 – 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Nxd5 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Be2 e6 …. Black takes back on d5 with the knight. White keeps a pawn on d4, develops calmly and castles. Then the c-pawn chases the knight away from d5, and White has a nice centre.
Alekhine: Modern Variation 4.Nf3 – 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Be2 e6 …. Black invites White's pawns forward. White takes space with e5 and d4 but does not overpush. White develops calmly, castles, and later gains more space with the c-pawn.
Pirc and Modern: Be3 and Qd2 – 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2 O-O …. White builds a simple set-up with Nc3, Be3 and Qd2, then castles long. The bishop goes to h6 to trade off Black's best defender. Both sides attack, but White's attack comes fast.
Owen and St George: 1...b6 – 1. e4 b6 2. d4 Bb7 3. Bd3 e6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Qe2 d5 …. Black puts the bishop on b7 to hit e4. White guards e4 with the bishop and the queen, then pushes the pawn to e5. The same calm plan works against the St George.
Nimzowitsch: 1...Nc6 2.Nf3 – 1. e4 Nc6 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bg4 5. Be2 e5 …. White answers 1...Nc6 with a natural 2.Nf3. After 2...d6 3.d4, Black pins the knight from g4. When Black pushes the e-pawn, White gains space with d5 and wins the bishop pair.
Traps
Scandinavian: 9...h5? and the weak g6 – Black's bishop on g6 is chased by the h-pawn. If Black pushes the h-pawn too, White takes the bishop and wrecks Black's pawns. The queen then hits the weak g6 pawn.
Nimzowitsch: the queen sacrifice 5.Nxe5 – After 3...Bg4 4.d5 Ne5 White can give the queen. A bishop check on b5 and the d-pawn then hit c6 and b7. If Black grabs the bishop with the queen, a knight fork on c7 wins a whole rook.
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