Réti Opening
ECO A09-A12beginner
The Réti, 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4, is the hypermodern manifesto in opening form: White attacks Black's center rather than building one, following up with g3, Bg2, often b3 and Bb2, and striking with the c4 and e4 levers once Black commits. Richard Réti used it to defeat Capablanca in 1924 — the game that legitimized hypermodern chess. Today it doubles as both an independent system and the most sophisticated transpositional weapon into Catalan and English structures.
Main line
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 c6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Bf5 5.O-O e6
Diagram shows the position after 6 half-moves of the main line. On SpeakChess you can drill this line move by move — the trainer plays the other side and corrects you instantly, then spaced repetition schedules each variation so you review it right before you would forget it.
Win rates by rating
Results from real online games, measured after the line shown in each row. Most opening sites show one aggregate number — how an opening scores depends heavily on who is playing it.
| Rating | Games | White wins | Draws | Black wins | Position after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400-600 | 800 | 43.4% | 7.9% | 48.8% | 1.Nf3 d5 |
| 600-800 | 6,731 | 46.7% | 5.2% | 48.1% | 1.Nf3 d5 |
| 800-1000 | 62 | 48.4% | 3.2% | 48.4% | 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 |
| 1000-1200 | 38 | 50% | 2.6% | 47.4% | 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 |
| 1200-1400 | 39 | 35.9% | 0% | 64.1% | 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.b3 |
Most played continuations (600-800 rating)
After 1.Nf3 d5:
- d4 — played 27.7% of the time (White wins 47.7%, draws 5.2%, Black wins 47.2%)
- Nc3 — played 22.7% of the time (White wins 46.5%, draws 5.9%, Black wins 47.6%)
- g3 — played 14.6% of the time (White wins 51.8%, draws 5%, Black wins 43.2%)
Frequently asked questions
What happens if Black just takes the c4 pawn?
After 2...dxc4 White regains it comfortably with Na3, Qa4+ or e3, having lured Black's central pawn off the board — exactly the hypermodern bargain. Black's most testing answers instead support the center: 2...c6 or 2...e6, when White chooses between pressure and a Catalan-style transposition.
Is the Réti a real attempt for an advantage?
In modern practice, absolutely — it is a primary weapon of Carlsen, Firouzja and most elite players precisely because it denies Black a fixed target. The edge comes later and subtler than in 1.e4 chess: a better minor piece, a queenside majority, a perfectly-timed e4. It suits patient, structure-literate players.
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