No time to learn dozens of sharp lines? Then system openings are for you - schemes in which White sets the pieces up almost identically against any defence Black chooses. A minimum of theory, plans that make sense and a steady result.
We have gathered five universal starts, particularly prized by busy, rational players. They are easy to master, and the ceiling reaches all the way to elite level.
A system opening is not an «opening for the lazy» but a way of putting your effort into understanding plans rather than memorising lines. Master the typical ideas of one scheme and you can play confidently against almost anything.
The London System: White plays almost the same moves (Bf4, e3, c3, Bd3, Nf3, h3) against any defence. Plans that make sense and a minimum of theory make it ideal for the busy and for beginners.
No. That used to be the view, but today the London System, the English and the Catalan are used regularly at the highest level by Carlsen, Kramnik and other elite grandmasters. There is depth behind the simplicity.
Perfectly well. Plenty of strong players keep one system scheme with White for years, only deepening their understanding of its plans. It saves effort and gives a steady result with no constant updating of theory.
If you are just starting out, have a look at the rules of chess and how to set the board up.
No arbiter skills required. The app takes over the part that usually stops people from running tournaments at all: who plays whom in each round and who finishes first.
Vibe Chess runs chess meetups - networking evenings in cities across Russia: Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk and more. For companies we run corporate chess tournaments, and every city and format is gathered on the home page.
Open the Vibe Chess app - it has the schedule of meetups and chess events across the cities, the registration and your own tournaments.
