Bird Opening
What is the Bird Opening?
The Bird Opening is a chess opening that begins with 1. f4. It is classified under ECO A02–B21 and has 28 named variations. White chooses it with the move f4.
Moves: 1. f4
ECO: A02–B21
Chosen by: White
Main variations
1. f4 d5
1. f4 e5
1. f4 g5
1. f4 Nh6
1. f4 b5
1. f4 d5 2. g4
All 28 variations
| ECO | Variation | Moves |
|---|---|---|
| A02 | Main line | 1. f4 |
| A03 | Dutch Variation | 1. f4 d5 |
| A02 | From's Gambit | 1. f4 e5 |
| A02 | Hobbs Gambit | 1. f4 g5 |
| A02 | Horsefly Defense | 1. f4 Nh6 |
| A02 | Myers Defense | 1. f4 b5 |
| A03 | Dutch Variation, Dudweiler Gambit | 1. f4 d5 2. g4 |
| A02 | From's Gambit, Bahr Gambit | 1. f4 e5 2. Nc3 |
| A02 | Mujannah | 1. f4 Nf6 2. c4 |
| A03 | Sturm Gambit | 1. f4 d5 2. c4 |
| A02 | Wagner-Zwitersch Gambit | 1. f4 f5 2. e4 |
| A03 | Williams Gambit | 1. f4 d5 2. e4 |
| A02 | Double Duck Formation | 1. f4 f5 2. d4 d5 |
| A02 | Hobbs-Zilbermints Gambit | 1. f4 h6 2. Nf3 g5 |
| A02 | Lasker Gambit | 1. f4 e5 2. fxe5 f6 |
| A02 | Platz Gambit | 1. f4 e5 2. fxe5 Ne7 |
| A02 | Schlechter Gambit | 1. f4 e5 2. fxe5 Nc6 |
| A02 | Batavo-Polish Attack | 1. f4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. b4 |
| B21 | Dutch Variation, Batavo Gambit | 1. e4 c5 2. f4 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 |
| A02 | From's Gambit, Langheld Gambit | 1. f4 e5 2. fxe5 d6 3. exd6 Nf6 |
| A03 | Lasker Variation | 1. f4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 c5 |
| A02 | Siegener Gambit | 1. f4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Nf3 c5 4. c3 |
| A02 | Swiss Gambit | 1. f4 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. g4 |
| A03 | Williams Gambit | 1. f4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Qe2 |
| A03 | Williams-Zilbermints Gambit | 1. f4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nge2 |
| A02 | From's Gambit, Lasker Variation | 1. f4 e5 2. fxe5 d6 3. exd6 Bxd6 4. Nf3 g5 |
| A02 | From's Gambit, Lipke Variation | 1. f4 e5 2. fxe5 d6 3. exd6 Bxd6 4. Nf3 Nh6 5. d4 |
| A03 | Thomas Gambit | 1. f4 d5 2. b3 Nf6 3. Bb2 d4 4. Nf3 c5 5. e3 |
How to learn an opening
Learn the ideas before the moves: where the pieces go, which pawn breaks matter and what the typical middlegame plans are. Then play it, and after each game look up the point where you or your opponent left the known moves. MentoChess shows that point automatically for every game you import.
Opening lessons: Three golden opening rules · Scholar’s mate and how to stop it · Italian Game: plans, not just moves · Answering 1.d4: the Queen’s Gambit Declined · Meeting the Sicilian with 2.c3 · From moves to structures