Q 01/05

Which chess opening begins 1.e4 c5?

A) Pirc Defence

B) Alekhine's Defence

C) Sicilian Defence

D) Scandinavian Defense

Answer · why

C) Sicilian Defence

Deep Blue played it in game 1 of its 1996 match against Garry Kasparov; Fischer, Kasparov and Tal all relied on it.

Q 02/05

Which opening begins 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5, and is also known as the Spanish Game?

A) Scotch Game

B) Vienna Game

C) Ruy Lopez

D) Italian Game

Answer · why

C) Ruy Lopez

Some of its lines have been analysed well beyond move thirty, the deepest theory of any Open Game.

Q 03/05

Which opening begins 1.d4 d5 2.c4?

A) London System

B) Slav Defense

C) Catalan Opening

D) Queen's Gambit

Answer · why

D) Queen's Gambit

It is only a gambit in name: Black cannot keep the c-pawn without ending up worse.

Q 04/05

Which of these begins 1.e4 e6, and is known for a solid but cramped position with a 'bad' bishop on c8?

A) Owen's Defence

B) French Defence

C) Philidor Defence

D) Caro–Kann Defence

Answer · why

B) French Defence

First world champion Wilhelm Steinitz called it 'the dullest of all openings' and claimed never to have played it.

Q 05/05

Which opening begins 1.e4 e5 2.f4, with White offering a pawn to pull Black's e-pawn off the centre?

A) King's Gambit

B) Danish Gambit

C) Evans Gambit

D) Latvian Gambit

Answer · why

A) King's Gambit

Bobby Fischer's 1960s article 'A Bust to the King's Gambit' argued the opening loses by force, after Spassky beat him with it in 1960.