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Bird's Opening: push f4 on move one and watch e5

White controls e5 with the f-pawn, like a Dutch Defense with the colors reversed. Watch out for Black's From's Gambit.

Also called：Bird's Opening、Bird Opening、From's Gambit

Bird's Opening is 1. f4. On move one White pushes the f-pawn to watch e5 from the side, making it hard for Black to take the center with e5. It's like a Dutch Defense with the colors reversed. Not many people play it, so opponents often don't know how to answer. If you want to spring a surprise when you play chess for free, give it a try.

Moves and position

Just one move, but you need to know its strengths and weaknesses:

  1. 1. f4 The pawn controls e5. Later the knight comes to f3 and adds another eye on e5.
  2. The weakness: once the f-pawn has moved, the diagonal from e1 to h4 in front of White's king is open.

One story says the opening is named after Henry Bird, a nineteenth-century English player who loved playing 1. f4 all his life.

What White wants

  • Control e5: The f-pawn plus the knight on f3 make e5 White's territory.
  • The long diagonal: White often plays b3 and Bb2, and the bishop looks from b2 all the way to g7 and h8, right at Black's king after castling.
  • A kingside attack: The f-pawn is already forward, so later White can attack on the kingside with the queen and rooks.

What Black wants

  • Take d5: The most solid answer is 1... d5, taking the center with a pawn.
  • Strike while the diagonal is open: With the diagonal in front of White's king open, Black's queen and bishop can easily break in around h4 and g3.
  • Give a pawn right away: Offer a pawn with e5 to open lines and attack quickly. That's From's Gambit.

Main lines

Main line: 1... d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3

White puts the bishop on b2 on the long diagonal, and Black puts the bishop on g7. The two bishops face each other on the same diagonal.

The most common picture. White sets up with e3, b3 and Bb2 and controls e5 from afar. Black blocks the long diagonal from the other end with g6 and Bg7. Then both sides castle and the game is calm.

Bishop to g2: 3. g3

White puts the bishop on g2 instead, with the king hiding behind it. It looks like a reversed Leningrad Dutch.

Instead of e3, White plays g3 and Bg2, and after castling the king is well protected by the bishop. Later White often pushes e4 to fight for the center. This setup is more solid and easy to remember.

From's Gambit: 1... e5

Black gives up two pawns in a row to open the diagonal, then pushes g5 to chase the white knight away and attack White's king.

Black offers the e-pawn on move one. After White takes, Black offers the d-pawn too, so the bishop comes out and aims at g3. White is two pawns up, but Black's pieces come out very fast. White must play 4. Nf3 first to block the black queen. This move is very important. If White doesn't want such a wild game, White can skip taking on move two and play 2. e4 instead, turning it into a King's Gambit.

A common trap: mate in six in From's Gambit

In From's Gambit, if White carelessly develops the knight to c3 on move four instead of blocking the diagonal with Nf3, White walks into a trap:

The black queen checks from h4 and White blocks with the g-pawn. The black queen simply takes the g3 pawn with another check. White takes the queen with the h-pawn, the black bishop takes on g3, and it's mate.

Why does this happen? Once the f-pawn has gone, the diagonal from e1 to h4 is empty. When the black queen checks, White can only block with g3. Then the black queen sacrifices itself, and after the h-pawn takes it, the black bishop on d6 runs down the diagonal to g3, and the white king has nowhere to go.

What White should do is simple: play 4. Nf3 on move four. With the knight on f3, the black queen can't check from h4. Remember: once the f-pawn is pushed, be extra careful with the diagonal from e1 to h4.

Black to move. The black queen has just sacrificed itself and been taken by White's h-pawn. Black can mate in one. What's the move?
Show answer

6... Bxg3# The black bishop takes the pawn on g3 with check. The f- and g-pawns are both gone, so nothing can block the diagonal. f2 is on the bishop's diagonal, and d1, f1, d2 and e2 are all taken by White's own pieces, so the white king can't move a single square.

Who it suits

  • Players who like surprises: Few people play it, so your opponent often has to work things out alone.
  • Players who love a kingside attack: The f-pawn is already forward, so attacking on the kingside comes easily.
  • Players who already know the Dutch Defense: Bird's Opening is the Dutch played the other way around, and the ideas are almost the same.

It's a mirror of the Dutch Defense: in the Dutch, Black answers with f5 on move one; in Bird's Opening, White plays f4 on move one, with an extra move.

FAQ

Is Bird's Opening good for beginners?

You can play it, but know its weak spot first: once the f-pawn is pushed, the diagonal in front of the king is open. As long as you remember to play Nf3 early and castle early, you're unlikely to get into trouble.

How should I handle From's Gambit?

The most important thing is 4. Nf3 on move four, blocking the black queen. After that, Black often pushes g5 to chase the knight, and White needs to calmly develop and keep the king safe. If you don't want to take risks, don't take on e5 on move two. Play 2. e4 instead and it becomes a King's Gambit.

What is Black's most solid answer to 1. f4?

1... d5 is the most solid: take the center with a pawn, then develop the knights and castle, and you'll rarely end up worse. If you want something sharper, try From's Gambit with 1... e5.

Try it yourself

Use the button below to start a game against the computer from Bird's Opening. With White, remember to play Nf3 early and castle early. For other openings, go back to the openings guide. For something different, head back to the play chess with the computer home page.

Play this opening against the computer

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