Opening tables

Italian Draughts 8×8

The 174 official Italian 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 A40 openingsTwo-game matches, pairs and team events only.

Table B126 openingsDefault table of official events; also usable in a single game.

Table C83 openingsSubset of B for youth and provincial categories and promotional tournaments.

Table D8 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 D8Still listed, but for two-game matches only: they are considered winning for the favoured colour, and therefore losing for the other.

First move 21-1736

No.	Opening	Strength	Tables
3	21-17 9-13 22-18	3N	A
1	21-17 9-13 25-21	1B	B C
2	21-17 9-13 26-21	1B	B C
4	21-17 10-13 17x10	PARI	B C
7	21-17 10-14 22-18	3N	A
8	21-17 10-14 22-19	2N	B
9	21-17 10-14 23-19	4N	D
10	21-17 10-14 23-20	3N	A
11	21-17 10-14 24-20	2N	B
5	21-17 10-14 26-21	3N	A
6	21-17 10-14 17-13	4N	D
14	21-17 11-14 22-18	3N	A
15	21-17 11-14 22-19	1N	B C
16	21-17 11-14 23-19	2N	B
17	21-17 11-14 23-20	3N	A
18	21-17 11-14 24-20	1N	B C
12	21-17 11-14 25-21	1N	B C
13	21-17 11-14 26-21	2N	B
21	21-17 11-15 22-18	1N	B C
22	21-17 11-15 22-19	3N	A
23	21-17 11-15 23-20	1N	B C
19	21-17 11-15 25-21	1N	B C
20	21-17 11-15 26-21	1N	B C
26	21-17 12-15 22-18	3N	A
27	21-17 12-15 22-19	3N	A
28	21-17 12-15 23-19	PARI	B C
29	21-17 12-15 23-20	2N	B
24	21-17 12-15 25-21	3N	A
25	21-17 12-15 26-21	1N	B C
32	21-17 12-16 22-18	2N	B
33	21-17 12-16 22-19	2N	B
34	21-17 12-16 23-19	PARI	B C
35	21-17 12-16 23-20	3N	A
36	21-17 12-16 24-20	4N	D
30	21-17 12-16 25-21	2N	B
31	21-17 12-16 26-21	2N	B

First move 21-1823

No.	Opening	Strength	Tables
39	21-18 10-13 22-19	3N	A
40	21-18 10-13 23-19	PARI	B C
41	21-18 10-13 23-20	PARI	B C
37	21-18 10-13 25-21	2N	B
38	21-18 10-13 26-21	2N	B
43	21-18 10-14 22-19	2N	B
44	21-18 10-14 23-19	2N	B
45	21-18 10-14 23-20	1N	B C
42	21-18 10-14 25-21	PARI	B C
46	21-18 11-14 18x11	3B	A
51	21-18 11-15 22-19	3N	A
49	21-18 11-15 23-20	PARI	B C
47	21-18 11-15 25-21	1B	B C
48	21-18 11-15 26-21	2N	B
50	21-18 11-15 18-14	2N	B
55	21-18 12-15 22-19	4N	D
53	21-18 12-15 23-19	1B	B C
54	21-18 12-15 23-20	1N	B C
52	21-18 12-15 25-21	PARI	B C
57	21-18 12-16 22-19	1N	B C
58	21-18 12-16 23-19	1N	B C
59	21-18 12-16 23-20	1N	B C
56	21-18 12-16 25-21	PARI	B C

First move 22-1825

No.	Opening	Strength	Tables
62	22-18 10-13 21-17	3N	A
63	22-18 10-13 23-19	3N	A
64	22-18 10-13 23-20	3N	A
60	22-18 10-13 27-22	1N	B C
61	22-18 10-13 18-14	3N	A
67	22-18 10-14 23-19	1N	B C
68	22-18 10-14 23-20	2N	B
69	22-18 10-14 24-20	4N	D
65	22-18 10-14 26-22	2N	B
66	22-18 10-14 27-22	3N	A
70	22-18 11-14 18x11	3B	A
71	22-18 11-15 23-19	3N	A
72	22-18 11-15 23-20	1N	B C
74	22-18 11-15 27-22	2N	B
73	22-18 11-15 18-14	1N	B C
77	22-18 12-15 23-19	4N	D
78	22-18 12-15 23-20	2N	B
75	22-18 12-15 26-22	2N	B
76	22-18 12-15 27-22	2N	B
79	22-18 12-15 18-14	2N	B
82	22-18 12-16 23-19	PARI	B C
83	22-18 12-16 23-20	1N	B C
80	22-18 12-16 26-22	PARI	B C
81	22-18 12-16 27-22	3N	A
84	22-18 12-16 18-14	2N	B

First move 22-1926

No.	Opening	Strength	Tables
87	22-19 9-13 21-17	3N	A
88	22-19 9-13 21-18	3N	A
89	22-19 9-13 23-20	1N	B C
85	22-19 9-13 26-22	2N	B
86	22-19 9-13 27-22	3N	A
90	22-19 9-13 19-14	2N	B
93	22-19 10-13 21-17	2N	B
94	22-19 10-13 23-20	PARI	B C
91	22-19 10-13 26-22	2N	B
92	22-19 10-13 27-22	2N	B
95	22-19 10-13 19-15	3N	A
96	22-19 10-14 19x10	1N	B C
99	22-19 11-14 21-18	1N	B C
100	22-19 11-14 23-20	2N	B
101	22-19 11-14 24-20	PARI	B C
97	22-19 11-14 26-22	2N	B
98	22-19 11-14 27-22	1N	B C
104	22-19 11-15 23-20	3N	A
102	22-19 11-15 26-22	1N	B C
103	22-19 11-15 27-22	PARI	B C
105	22-19 12-15 19x12	1B	B C
109	22-19 12-16 23-20	4N	D
110	22-19 12-16 24-20	3N	A
106	22-19 12-16 26-22	PARI	B C
107	22-19 12-16 27-22	PARI	B C
108	22-19 12-16 19-15	1B	B C

First move 23-1922

No.	Opening	Strength	Tables
112	23-19 9-13 21-17	2B	B
113	23-19 9-13 21-18	PARI	B C
114	23-19 9-13 22-18	3N	A
111	23-19 9-13 28-23	PARI	B C
115	23-19 9-13 19-15	2N	B
117	23-19 10-13 21-17	PARI	B C
116	23-19 10-13 28-23	PARI	B C
118	23-19 10-13 19-14	1N	B C
119	23-19 10-13 19-15	1B	B C
120	23-19 10-14 19x10	1B	B C
122	23-19 11-14 21-18	PARI	B C
123	23-19 11-14 22-18	1N	B C
124	23-19 11-14 24-20	3N	A
121	23-19 11-14 28-23	1B	B C
125	23-19 11-14 19-15	1N	B C
127	23-19 11-15 21-17	PARI	B C
128	23-19 11-15 21-18	1B	B C
126	23-19 11-15 28-23	1B	B C
129	23-19 12-15 19x12	2B	B
131	23-19 12-16 24-20	3N	A
130	23-19 12-16 28-23	1B	B C
132	23-19 12-16 19-14	1N	B C

First move 23-2027

No.	Opening	Strength	Tables
135	23-20 9-13 21-17	PARI	B C
136	23-20 9-13 21-18	PARI	B C
137	23-20 9-13 22-18	3N	A
133	23-20 9-13 27-23	3N	A
134	23-20 9-13 28-23	2N	B
138	23-20 9-13 20-16	1N	B C
139	23-20 10-13 21-17	3N	A
140	23-20 10-13 27-23	2N	B
141	23-20 10-13 28-23	1N	B C
142	23-20 10-13 20-16	2N	B
147	23-20 10-14 22-19	3N	A
143	23-20 10-14 27-23	3N	A
144	23-20 10-14 28-23	1N	B C
145	23-20 10-14 20-15	1N	B C
146	23-20 10-14 20-16	2N	B
150	23-20 11-14 21-18	1N	B C
151	23-20 11-14 22-18	2N	B
148	23-20 11-14 27-23	1N	B C
149	23-20 11-14 28-23	1N	B C
152	23-20 11-14 20-16	2N	B
153	23-20 11-15 20x11	3B	A
157	23-20 12-15 22-19	4N	D
154	23-20 12-15 27-23	2N	B
155	23-20 12-15 28-23	1N	B C
156	23-20 12-15 20-16	2N	B
159	23-20 12-16 27-23	2N	B
158	23-20 12-16 20-15	1B	B C

First move 24-2015

No.	Opening	Strength	Tables
160	24-20 9-13 21-17	PARI	B C
161	24-20 9-13 21-18	PARI	B C
162	24-20 9-13 20-15	1N	B C
163	24-20 9-13 20-16	1N	B C
164	24-20 10-13 20-15	1N	B C
165	24-20 10-13 20-16	1N	B C
168	24-20 10-14 21-18	3N	A
166	24-20 10-14 20-15	1N	B C
167	24-20 10-14 20-16	1N	B C
171	24-20 11-14 21-18	3N	A
169	24-20 11-14 20-15	1N	B C
170	24-20 11-14 20-16	1N	B C
172	24-20 11-15 20x11	3B	A
173	24-20 12-15 20-16	1N	B C
174	24-20 12-16 28-24	2N	B

🇮🇹 Italian Draughts 8×8

Italian Draughts 8×8