Bird Opening

The Bird Opening is 1.f4 for White, and is a very playable opening, although rarely seen in tournament chess. White aims to control the dark squares, and will often fianchetto the dark-squared bishop by playing b3 and Bb2 (along with other thematic moves like Nf3 and e3).

Diagram: Bird Opening

Bird’s Opening for White should not be confused with Bird’s Defence for Black, which is a Black defence against the Ruy Lopez.

Against White’s 1.f4, Black can reply with quiet moves like 1..d5, or can play the dangerous gambit line of From’s Gambit with 1..e5.

Diagram: From’s Gambit by Black against Bird Opening

From’s Gambit can then furthermore transpose into the King’s Gambit with “2.e4!?”, if White prefers to offer a gambit than to play against a Black gambit.

Diagram: King’s Gambit arising from From’s Gambit by transposition

Transpositions: The Bird Opening may become the From’s Gambit, and then transpose to the King’s Gambit, as shown above.

If Black plays 1..c5 with a Sicilian-like setup (e.g. also d6 and/or Nc6), then White may play “2.e4!?” and transpose into an “f4 Sicilian” or perhaps Nc3 and then f4, transposing into a “Grand Prix Attack” line of the Closed Sicilian.

Black might play 1..f5, with a strange symmetrical position. However, it is playable for both sides.

Bird Opening

Related Chess Openings Topics