# Semi-Open Game

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A **Semi-Open Game** is a [chess opening](/source/Chess_opening) in which White plays 1.e4 and Black breaks symmetry immediately by replying with a move other than 1...e5.[1] The Semi-Open Games are also called **Single King Pawn**, **Asymmetrical King Pawn**, or **Half-Open** Games (or Openings), and are the complement of the [Open Games](/source/Open_Game) or Double King Pawn Games which begin 1.e4 e5.

## Popular defenses

The most popular Black defense to 1.e4 is the [Sicilian](/source/Sicilian_Defence), but the [French](/source/French_Defence) and the [Caro–Kann](/source/Caro%E2%80%93Kann_Defence) are also very popular. The [Pirc](/source/Pirc_Defense) and the [Modern](/source/Modern_Defense) are also commonly seen, while the [Alekhine](/source/Alekhine's_Defence) and the [Scandinavian](/source/Scandinavian_Defense) have made occasional appearances in [World Chess Championship](/source/World_Chess_Championship) games. The [Nimzowitsch](/source/Nimzowitsch_Defense) is playable but rare, as is [Owen's Defense](/source/Owen's_Defense). The [Borg Defense](/source/Borg_Defence) and the [St. George Defense](/source/St._George_Defence) are oddities, although [Tony Miles](/source/Tony_Miles) once used St. George's Defense to defeat then World Champion [Anatoly Karpov](/source/Anatoly_Karpov).

The Sicilian and French Defenses lead to unbalanced positions that can offer exciting play with both sides having chances to win. The Caro-Kann Defense is solid as Black intends to use his c-pawn to support his center (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5). Alekhine's, the Pirc and the Modern are [hypermodern](/source/Hypermodernism_(chess)) openings in which Black tempts White to build a large center with the goal of attacking it.

## List

- 1.e4 a5 [Corn Stalk Defense](/source/Corn_Stalk_Defense)
- 1.e4 a6 [St. George Defence](/source/St._George_Defence)
- 1.e4 Na6 [Lemming Defense](/source/Lemming_Defense)
- 1.e4 b6 [Owen's Defence](/source/Owen's_Defence)
- 1.e4 c5 [Sicilian Defense](/source/Sicilian_Defence)
- 1.e4 c6 [Caro-Kann Defense](/source/Caro%E2%80%93Kann_Defence)
- 1.e4 Nc6 [Nimzowitch Defense](/source/Nimzowitsch_Defence)
- 1.e4 d5 [Scandinavian Defense](/source/Scandinavian_Defence)
- 1.e4 d6 2.d4 f5 [Balogh Defense](/source/Balogh_Defence)
- 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6 [Czech Defense](/source/Czech_Defence)
- 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 [Pirc Defense](/source/Pirc_Defence)
- 1.e4 e6 [French Defense](/source/French_Defence)
- 1.e4 f5 [Fred Defense](/source/Fred_Defence)
- 1.e4 f6 [Barnes Defence](/source/Barnes_Defence)
- 1.e4 Nf6 [Alehkine's Defense](/source/Alekhine's_Defence)
- 1.e4 g5 [Borg Opening](/source/Borg_Opening)
- 1.e4 g6 [Modern Defense](/source/Modern_Defence)
- 1.e4 h5 [Goldsmith Defense](/source/Goldsmith_Defence)
- 1.e4 h6 [Carr Defense](/source/Carr_Defence)
- 1.e4 Nh6 [Adams Defense](/source/Adams_Defence)

## See also

- [Open Game](/source/Open_Game) (1.e4 e5)
- [Closed Game](/source/Closed_Game) (1.d4 d5)
- [Semi-Closed Game](/source/Semi-Closed_Game) (1.d4 other)
- [Flank opening](/source/Flank_opening) (1.c4, 1.Nf3, 1.f4, and others)
- [Irregular chess opening](/source/Irregular_chess_opening)

## References

1. Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 365. *semi-open game*.

**Bibliography**

- De Firmian, Nick (1999). *[Modern Chess Openings](/source/Modern_Chess_Openings): MCO-14*. Random House Puzzles & Games. ISBN 0-8129-3084-3.
- Hooper, David & Whyld, Kenneth (1996 [First pub. 1992]). *[The Oxford Companion to Chess](/source/The_Oxford_Companion_to_Chess)*. 2nd ed. [Oxford University Press](/source/Oxford_University_Press). ISBN 0-19-280049-3.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Semi-Open Game](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-Open_Game) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-Open_Game?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.