English Draughts 8×8

The 174 official English Draughts 8×8 openings, with their strength code and the federal table they belong to.

174Opening

In official play the first three half-moves are not chosen but drawn from a table. The general table holds all 174 openings; the federal tables A, B, C and D are subsets of it, used depending on the kind of match.

In a direct challenge you can cap the draw by strength: up to 2N/2B a single game still counts for the rating, above that you need a two-game match.

Source: Regolamento Tecnico F.I.D., January 2025.

How to read the strength code

PARI PARI — even game.
1N/1B 1N / 1B — that colour is slightly better, with more choice of lines.
2N/2B 2N / 2B — that colour is clearly better and the opponent plays defensively.
3N/3B 3N / 3B — that colour is formidable: the opponent needs expert play to draw.
4N/4B 4N / 4B — that colour is considered winning with current knowledge.

N = Black (Nero), B = White (Bianco).

The federal tables

Table A156 openingsThe table normally used in two-game matches and team events.

Table B133 openingsTournaments played over a single game.

Table C93 openingsSubset of B for the special cases the event rules allow.

Table D18 openingsThe openings considered winning: two-game matches only.

Why 302 openings become 174

There are 302 legal three-half-move openings, but they only reach 216 different positions: the general table picks 174 of them, one per position. Here is what happens to the rest.

Listed174Drawable: one of the official openings.

Transposition72Same final position as an opening already listed, reached by playing the moves in another order: it would be the same game under a different name.

Loses a man2After the third half-move one side is a man down with no recapture: these are the two combinations the regulation has always excluded.

Not listed54A position the table does not cover at all. There is no mechanical reason: the federation selected the lines worth studying.

Table D18Still listed, but for two-game matches only: they are considered winning for the favoured colour, and therefore losing for the other.

First move 9-1335

No.	Opening	Strength	Tables
1	9-13 21-17 5-9	1N	A B C
2	9-13 21-17 6-9	1N	A B C
3	9-13 21-17 10-14	4B	D
4	9-13 22-17 13x22	PARI	A B C
5	9-13 22-18 6-9	3B	A
6	9-13 22-18 10-14	3B	A
7	9-13 22-18 10-15	2B	A B
8	9-13 22-18 11-15	3B	A
9	9-13 22-18 11-16	3B	A
10	9-13 22-18 12-16	2B	A B
11	9-13 23-18 5-9	1B	A B C
12	9-13 23-18 6-9	3B	A
13	9-13 23-18 10-14	4B	D
14	9-13 23-18 10-15	2B	A B
15	9-13 23-18 11-15	2B	A B
16	9-13 23-18 11-16	3B	A
17	9-13 23-18 12-16	1B	A B C
18	9-13 23-19 5-9	1B	A B C
19	9-13 23-19 6-9	2B	A B
20	9-13 23-19 10-14	1B	A B C
21	9-13 23-19 10-15	2B	A B
22	9-13 23-19 11-16	1B	A B C
23	9-13 24-19 5-9	2B	A B
24	9-13 24-19 6-9	2B	A B
25	9-13 24-19 10-14	3B	A
26	9-13 24-19 10-15	4B	D
27	9-13 24-19 11-15	1B	A B C
28	9-13 24-19 11-16	1B	A B C
29	9-13 24-20 5-9	2B	A B
30	9-13 24-20 6-9	2B	A B
31	9-13 24-20 10-14	2B	A B
32	9-13 24-20 10-15	1B	A B C
33	9-13 24-20 11-15	PARI	A B C
34	9-13 24-20 11-16	3B	A
35	9-13 24-20 12-16	4B	D

First move 9-1423

No.	Opening	Strength	Tables
36	9-14 22-17 5-9	2B	A B
37	9-14 22-17 6-9	2B	A B
38	9-14 22-17 11-15	PARI	A B C
39	9-14 22-17 11-16	1B	A B C
40	9-14 22-18 5-9	PARI	A B C
41	9-14 22-18 10-15	2B	A B
42	9-14 22-18 11-15	1B	A B C
43	9-14 22-18 11-16	2B	A B
44	9-14 22-18 12-16	4B	D
45	9-14 22-18 14-17	4B	D
46	9-14 23-18 14x23	3N	A
47	9-14 23-19 5-9	PARI	A B C
48	9-14 23-19 10-15	4B	D
49	9-14 23-19 11-16	PARI	A B C
50	9-14 23-19 14-18	2B	A B
51	9-14 24-19 5-9	PARI	A B C
52	9-14 24-19 10-15	4B	D
53	9-14 24-19 11-15	PARI	A B C
54	9-14 24-19 11-16	1B	A B C
55	9-14 24-20 5-9	PARI	A B C
56	9-14 24-20 10-15	1B	A B C
57	9-14 24-20 11-15	1B	A B C
58	9-14 24-20 11-16	1B	A B C

First move 10-1426

No.	Opening	Strength	Tables
59	10-14 22-17 7-10	PARI	A B C
60	10-14 22-17 9-13	3B	A
61	10-14 22-17 11-15	2B	A B
62	10-14 22-17 11-16	2B	A B
63	10-14 22-17 14-18	3B	A
64	10-14 22-18 6-10	3B	A
65	10-14 22-18 7-10	3B	A
66	10-14 22-18 11-15	1B	A B C
67	10-14 22-18 11-16	1B	A B C
68	10-14 22-18 12-16	3B	A
69	10-14 23-18 14x23	2N	A B
70	10-14 23-19 6-10	2B	A B
71	10-14 23-19 7-10	2B	A B
72	10-14 23-19 11-15	2B	A B
73	10-14 23-19 11-16	PARI	A B C
74	10-14 23-19 14-18	1B	A B C
75	10-14 24-19 6-10	1B	A B C
76	10-14 24-19 7-10	1B	A B C
77	10-14 24-19 11-15	4B	D
78	10-14 24-19 11-16	2B	A B
79	10-14 24-19 14-18	2B	A B
80	10-14 24-20 6-10	PARI	A B C
81	10-14 24-20 7-10	2B	A B
82	10-14 24-20 11-15	PARI	A B C
83	10-14 24-20 11-16	1B	A B C
84	10-14 24-20 14-18	1B	A B C

First move 10-1526

No.	Opening	Strength	Tables
85	10-15 21-17 6-10	2B	A B
86	10-15 21-17 7-10	3B	A
87	10-15 21-17 9-13	3B	A
88	10-15 21-17 9-14	4B	D
89	10-15 21-17 11-16	1B	A B C
90	10-15 21-17 15-18	1B	A B C
91	10-15 22-17 6-10	3B	A
92	10-15 22-17 7-10	2B	A B
93	10-15 22-17 9-13	2B	A B
94	10-15 22-17 9-14	4B	D
95	10-15 22-17 11-16	1B	A B C
96	10-15 22-17 15-19	3B	A
97	10-15 22-18 15x22	PARI	A B C
98	10-15 23-18 6-10	2B	A B
99	10-15 23-18 7-10	1B	A B C
100	10-15 23-18 9-14	2B	A B
101	10-15 23-18 11-16	1B	A B C
102	10-15 23-18 12-16	PARI	A B C
103	10-15 23-19 6-10	PARI	A B C
104	10-15 23-19 7-10	PARI	A B C
105	10-15 23-19 11-16	2B	A B
106	10-15 24-19 15x24	1N	A B C
107	10-15 24-20 6-10	PARI	A B C
108	10-15 24-20 7-10	1N	A B C
109	10-15 24-20 11-16	4B	D
110	10-15 24-20 15-19	1N	A B C

First move 11-1522

No.	Opening	Strength	Tables
111	11-15 21-17 8-11	PARI	A B C
112	11-15 21-17 9-13	2N	A B
113	11-15 21-17 9-14	PARI	A B C
114	11-15 21-17 10-14	4B	D
115	11-15 21-17 15-19	2B	A B
116	11-15 22-17 8-11	1N	A B C
117	11-15 22-17 9-13	PARI	A B C
118	11-15 22-17 15-18	1B	A B C
119	11-15 22-17 15-19	1N	A B C
120	11-15 22-18 15x22	1N	A B C
121	11-15 23-18 8-11	1N	A B C
122	11-15 23-18 9-14	PARI	A B C
123	11-15 23-18 10-14	1B	A B C
124	11-15 23-18 12-16	3B	A
125	11-15 23-18 15-19	PARI	A B C
126	11-15 23-19 8-11	1N	A B C
127	11-15 23-19 9-13	PARI	A B C
128	11-15 23-19 9-14	PARI	A B C
129	11-15 24-19 15x24	1N	A B C
130	11-15 24-20 8-11	1N	A B C
131	11-15 24-20 12-16	2B	A B
132	11-15 24-20 15-18	PARI	A B C

First move 11-1627

No.	Opening	Strength	Tables
133	11-16 21-17 7-11	3B	A
134	11-16 21-17 8-11	2B	A B
135	11-16 21-17 9-13	PARI	A B C
136	11-16 21-17 9-14	1B	A B C
137	11-16 21-17 10-14	4B	D
138	11-16 21-17 16-20	1B	A B C
139	11-16 22-17 7-11	2B	A B
140	11-16 22-17 8-11	PARI	A B C
141	11-16 22-17 9-13	3B	A
142	11-16 22-17 16-20	1B	A B C
143	11-16 22-18 7-11	3B	A
144	11-16 22-18 8-11	1B	A B C
145	11-16 22-18 10-15	4B	D
146	11-16 22-18 16-19	1B	A B C
147	11-16 22-18 16-20	1B	A B C
148	11-16 23-18 7-11	2B	A B
149	11-16 23-18 8-11	1B	A B C
150	11-16 23-18 9-14	1B	A B C
151	11-16 23-18 10-14	1B	A B C
152	11-16 23-18 16-20	1B	A B C
153	11-16 23-19 16x23	3N	A
154	11-16 24-19 7-11	2B	A B
155	11-16 24-19 8-11	PARI	A B C
156	11-16 24-19 10-15	4B	D
157	11-16 24-19 16-20	1B	A B C
158	11-16 24-20 7-11	1B	A B C
159	11-16 24-20 16-19	1N	A B C

First move 12-1615

No.	Opening	Strength	Tables
160	12-16 21-17 9-13	1N	A B C
161	12-16 21-17 9-14	1B	A B C
162	12-16 21-17 16-19	1B	A B C
163	12-16 21-17 16-20	PARI	A B C
164	12-16 22-17 16-19	PARI	A B C
165	12-16 22-17 16-20	PARI	A B C
166	12-16 22-18 16-19	2B	A B
167	12-16 22-18 16-20	1B	A B C
168	12-16 23-18 9-14	4B	D
169	12-16 23-18 16-19	1B	A B C
170	12-16 23-18 16-20	1B	A B C
171	12-16 23-19 16x23	4B	D
172	12-16 24-19 16-20	1B	A B C
173	12-16 24-20 8-12	1B	A B C
174	12-16 24-20 10-15	2B	A B

🇬🇧 English Draughts 8×8

English Draughts 8×8