Chess openings

The Réti Opening

1. Nf3 d5
2. c4
White plans to bring the d5-pawn under attack from the flank, or entice it to advance to
d4 and undermine it later. White will couple this plan with a kingside fianchetto (g3 and
Bg2) to create pressure on the light squares in the center.
The opening is named after Richard Réti (1889–1929), an untitled
Grandmaster from Czechoslovakia. The opening is in the spirit of
the hypermodernism movement that Réti championed, with the center being dominated
from the wings rather than by direct occupation.
1.Nf3 develops the knight to a good square, prepares for quick castling, and prevents
Black from occupying the center by 1...e5. White maintains flexibility by not committing to
a particular central pawn structure, while waiting to see what Black will do. But the Réti
should not be thought of as a single opening sequence, and certainly not a single
opening move, but rather as an opening complex with many variations sharing common
themes.
In the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO), Réti Opening is classified as codes
A04–A09.
According to Réti the opening was introduced into master play in the early part of
1923.[1] Réti used the opening most famously to defeat José Raúl Capablanca, the
reigning World Chess Champion, in a game at the 1924 New York
tournament.[2] Alexander Alekhine played the Réti in the 1920s, but at that time almost
any game that began with Nf3 and c4 by White was considered to be the Réti. Réti
popularized these moves against all defenses in the spirit of hypermodernism, and as the
opening developed it gained structure and a clearer distinction between it and other
openings.
Hans Kmoch called the system of attack employed by Réti in the game Réti–Rubinstein,
Carlsbad 1923, [3]"the Réti Opening" or "the Réti System". Savielly Tartakower called the
opening the "Réti–Zukertort Opening", and said of 1.Nf3: "An opening of the past, which
became, towards 1923, the opening of the future." [4]
In modern times the Réti refers only to the configuration Nf3 and c4 by White with ...d5 by
Black, where White fianchettos at least one bishop and does not play an early d4. [5]
After 2.c4 Black's choices are:

 2...e6 or 2...c6 (holding the d5-point)

 2...dxc4 (giving up the d5-point)
 2...d4 (pushing the pawn)
If Black takes the pawn, then in the same manner as the QGA, 3.e3 or 3.e4 regain the
pawn with a slight advantage to White, as Black is left somewhat undevelope d. 3.Na3
and 3.Qa4+ are also good, and commonly played. This variety of White options limits the
popularity of 2...dxc4.
After 2.c4 e6, White can play 3.d4, transposing to the Queen's Gambit Declined.
3.g3 Nf6 is the Neo-Catalan Opening.
After 4.Bg2, Black may play ...Be7 or ...dxc4. After 4...Be7, White can play 5.d4,
transposing to a Closed Catalan.
Or else White can castle, then Black probably castles as well.
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.0-0 0-0 6.d4 to
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0
With 4...dxc4 to 4.Bg2, White's most common move is 5.Qa4+, and this will not
correspond to a 1.d4 line.
After 2.c4 c6, White can play 3.d4, transposing to the Slav Defense.
After 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Nf6, White can play 4.d4, transposing to the Slav Defense.
After 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6, White can play 5.d4, transposing to the Semi-
Slav Defense.
However, White can play 5.b3 instead.