Open games

Semi-Open games

Closed games

Semi-Closed games

Indian Defences

Of course there are other types of openings as well, but you can find more info here:


Chess opening

Eh, I doubt anyone can. The list would be endless in length, exceptions and grey areas.

The classic interpretation:
1. e4 e5 = open
1. e4 not-e5 = half-open
1. d4 d5 = closed
1. d4 not-d5 = half-closed

The modern interpretation is undoable to cover.

Openings are very important because it sets you up to use your tactics in the middle game. The first thing you need to asses is what your playing style is. Do you like open games (more room to maneuver your pieces) or closed positions (your pawns blocking up the center) Personally I like open positions.

as black I like to play the Accelerated Dragon
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6

as white I like to play d4 and then concentrate all my pieces down the center so I can open up the position with a pawn thrust.

If you have never learned Openings learn a King Pawn Opening for starters.
Fischer, Lasker, Fine, Spassky, Keres, Reshevsky, Botvinnik, Kasparov, Karpov, and on and on. Why? Learning the Ruy, French, Guico Piano and some others teach you the concepts of chess. Play 100 games of each opening. Grandmaster games, not junk games. Determine what the plan for White and Black was for each game. Why Queens were not exchanged.
And so on.