Chess Openings - The Reti Opening
 |
|||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
||
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
||
|
|||||||||
1. Nf3
The Reti Opening begins with the simple and logical 1. Nf3. It is named after the Grandmaster Richard Reti who defeated world champion Capablanca in 1924 using the opening.
The knight move serves a number of logical purposes:
- Controls two vital centre squares.
- Prevents black from advancing his King's Pawn.
- Prepares for early castling.
- Keeps white's pawn structure fluid.
By not playing a committing pawn move, white keeps his cards concealed. He may choose to follow the hypermodern theme and attack the centre from a distance. He may also choose to transpose into a more classic opening, depending on what black does. White retains the option to play c4, d4 or e4. It is obvious that the Reti is a very flexible opening. This flexibility is responsible for much of its popularity.
How Common is the Reti Opening?
Common at the Master Level
Rare at the Novice Level
The Reti opening was most popular at the height of hypermodernism, around 1930. It has since declined somewhat in popularity. Overall, expect to face the Reti in about 5% of games - with a higher frequency amongst masters and a lower frequency amongst novices.