Surprise Your Opponent With Bird’s Opening
When you commence a game of chess with one of the common openings, both you and your opponent will recite a series of memorized moves - sometimes a dozen or more - before the real game begins. The alternative is to go for one of the so-called “irregular openings” such as Bird’s Opening, where both you and your opponent will be on your own much sooner.
Playing Bird’s Opening often leads to dynamic, attacking middlegames. It also strikes the first psychological blow against your opponent by demonstrating your willingness to play something provocative and a little offbeat.
In this article, you will learn:
- The history of Bird’s Opening and the pros and cons of playing it.
- Black’s main options against Bird’s Opening and how to fight against them.
- Our top recommendation to take your understanding of Bird’s Opening to the next level.
Bird’s Opening: Introduction And Origins
Bird’s Opening is where White begins the game with 1. f4.
This opening is named after an English chess master named Henry Bird. Bird was most active in the mid-to-late 19th century. He played many games against the era’s leading lights, including Paul Morphy, Johannes Zukertort, and Wilhelm Steinitz. Bird played 1. f4 throughout his long chess career, which led the Hereford Times to name the opening in his honor in 1885.
White has 20 possible moves to open the game. Bird’s Opening is only the 7th most common first move at master level. For every game that begins 1. f4, there are over 100 games that start with White’s most popular first move choice, 1. e4 (the King’s Pawn Opening).
Downsides Of Bird’s Opening
Less popular chess openings are less popular for a reason. Objectively, less popular openings such as Bird’s Opening are not as strong as the more popular ones. The statistics at master level bear this out. Games that begin with 1. f4 see White go on to win just 36% of the time, while Black wins 41% of the time.
There are three main problems with Bird’s Opening:
- The early thrust of the f-pawn weakens the h4-e1 diagonal towards the White king. This can become a problem later if Black plays aggressively.
- Unlike the more common central pawn advances 1. e4, 1. d4, and 1. c4, Bird’s Opening does not help the White queen or either of White’s bishops develop from their starting squares.
- Black has a wide range of possible replies to 1. f4. Therefore, White is often unable to get the early middlegame played on their terms. Other openings enable White to make their first move advantage count for more.
Advantages Of Bird’s Opening
With all that said, why should you still consider playing Bird’s Opening?
It is an excellent way to avoid opening theory. Whether this is a pro or a con depends on your attitude towards chess opening study. Some players enjoy studying opening theory and see it as a potential avenue for gaining an early advantage. However, other players do not have the time or inclination for opening memorization, preferring instead to get into a battle of wits with their opponents as quickly as possible. Bird’s Opening offers great potential for reaching positions where neither you nor your opponent have anything memorized.
It leads to exciting, risky games. Although it is true that 1. f4 can compromise White’s own king safety, this advanced f-pawn also gains space in the center and may become a useful attacking unit later. A White pawn on f4 is a hallmark of several other aggressive chess openings for White such as the King’s Gambit (against the Symmetrical King’s Pawn Opening) and the Grand Prix Attack (against the Sicilian Defense). As we shall see, certain lines of Bird’s Opening have potential to transpose to these better-known opening systems.
It is a lot of fun! Bird’s Opening can come as a real surprise to your opponents. There is a certain pleasure that comes with playing an irregular opening and winning with it. Chess is a game, after all. It is important to have fun with it!
Related: Challenge Yourself And Have Fun With The Anderssen Opening.
Black’s Options Against Bird’s Opening
Let us now take a look at some ways that Black may reply to 1. f4.
Dutch Variation (1. …d5)
This move sees Black take space in the center. When Black plays this way, the game will tend to resemble a Dutch Defense with colors reversed - hence this variation’s name.
The following position after both sides have played normal developing moves should be familiar to anyone who has played the Dutch Defense. Black’s fianchetto’d dark-squared bishop supports their queenside play along the long diagonal, while White’s ambitions lie on the kingside.
From here, White’s ideas can include:
- Qe1 -> Qh4 to bring the queen to a more threatening position.
- Attempting to play the e4 pawn break in good circumstances, gaining space.
- A rook lift to the third rank to begin an attack against the Black king.
Sicilian Variation (1. …c5)
This move is often played by those who favor the Sicilian Defense with Black.
Black is inviting White to play 2. e4. If White obliges, then Black will be back in familiar territory, with the game likely to transpose to the Grand Prix Attack.
If you wish to avoid this, then 2. Nf3 is a sensible next move for White, developing the kingside knight behind the f-pawn. Depending on Black’s play, White could continue with b3 and a queenside fianchetto of the dark-squared bishop via Bb2.
Both players have many possible moves in a position like this. It is one of the aforementioned situations that frequently arise in Bird’s Opening where, very early in the game, neither player can rely on memorized opening preparation.
Related: Chess Strategy - How To Improve Your Positional Understanding.
From’s Gambit (1. …e5)
One idea behind 1. f4 is for White to control the e5 square. From’s Gambit sees Black put this to the test by playing 1. …e5 anyway, offering a pawn sacrifice. This is undoubtedly the sharpest line within Bird’s Opening.
White has two main options here:
- Decline the offered pawn via 2. e4, which directly transposes to the King’s Gambit, or;
- Accept the gambit with 2. fxe5.
If White accepts the gambit, Black has several possible ideas:
- 2. …Qh4+, a check which is made possible due to White’s early f-pawn advance.
- 2. …Nc6, which attacks White’s extra pawn while developing a piece with tempo.
- 2. …d6 (the most common move) where Black offers the chance for White to secure their extra material, but where Black gains dangerous activity. A position like the one shown below after 3. exd6 Bxd6, 4. Nf3 g5 offers Black plenty of compensation, with a well-developed dark-squared bishop and the immediate threat of 5. …g4.
In this line, known as the Lasker Variation, White has an extra pawn, while Black has an early activity advantage. After just four moves, the game has already become very double-edged!
Getting Started With Bird’s Opening
Although Bird’s Opening is light on opening theory, your results will be best if you take the time to learn some of the most critical lines. At the very least, awareness of the most important opening traps for both colors is important in order to play Bird’s Opening successfully.
There are very few opening books dedicated to Bird’s Opening, but we have still been able to track down a recommended learning resource for you.
Video Training Course Recommendation
International Master Andrew Martin is a Senior FIDE Trainer and Manager of Coaching for the English Chess Federation. He has put together a comprehensive guide to playing Bird’s Opening with White: Enter 1. f4, Bird’s Opening!
Over the course of 3 hours of expert video instruction, you will get everything you need to start playing Bird’s Opening like an expert!
Summary: Is Bird’s Opening Right For You?
Bird’s Opening could be a great surprise weapon within your White opening repertoire if you:
- Enjoy risky, attacking chess. Bird’s Opening immediately steers the game towards sharp, hand-to-hand combat. This should be the type of chess that you enjoy.
- Prefer to think for yourself, rather than memorize opening moves. As an irregular opening, neither you nor your opponent will be able to rely on deep opening preparation. Instead your overall chess understanding and tactical nous will determine your success in Bird’s Opening.
- Can play a variety of different middlegames. Because Black has many different responses to 1. f4, each game is likely to be different to the last. Every game will throw up new challenges and possibilities.
If you are ready to shock Black with 1. f4, then continue your education in Bird’s Opening today!