Rti Opening

The Rti Opening is a hypermodern chess opening

whose traditional or classic method begins with the
moves:
1. Nf3 d5
2. c4
White plans to bring the d5-pawn under attack from the
ank, or entice it to advance to d4 and undermine it later.
White will couple this plan with a kingside anchetto (g3
and Bg2) to create pressure on the light squares in the
center.
The opening is named after Richard Rti (18891929),
an untitled Grandmaster from Czechoslovakia. The
opening is in the spirit of the hypermodernism movement
that Rti 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 exibility by not committing to a particular central pawn structure, while waiting to see what Black will do. But the Rti 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.
Scoresheet of RtiCapablanca, New York 1924

In the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO), Rti

Opening is classied as codes A04A09.

2 Classic method: 2.c4

1

History

In modern times the Rti refers only to the conguration

Nf3 and c4 by White with ...d5 by Black, where White
According to Rti the opening was introduced into mas- anchettos at least one bishop and does not play an early
ter play in the early part of 1923.[1] Rti used the opening d4.[5]
most famously to defeat Jos Ral Capablanca, the reignAfter 2.c4 (ECO code A09), Blacks choices are:
ing World Chess Champion, in a game at the 1924 New
York tournament.[2] Alexander Alekhine played the Rti
2...e6 or 2...c6 (holding the d5-point)
in the 1920s, but at that time almost any game that began
with Nf3 and c4 by White was considered to be the Rti.
2...dxc4 (giving up the d5-point)
Rti popularized these moves against all defenses in the
spirit of hypermodernism, and as the opening developed
2...d4 (pushing the pawn)
it gained structure and a clearer distinction between it and
other openings.
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 WhiteBlack being left somewhat undeveloped.
3.Na3 and 3.Qa4+ are also good, and commonly played.
This variety of White options limits the popularity of
2...dxc4.

Hans Kmoch called the system of attack employed by

Rti in the game RtiRubinstein, Carlsbad 1923,[3] the
Rti Opening or the Rti System. Savielly Tartakower
called the opening the RtiZukertort Opening, and
said of 1.Nf3: An opening of the past, which became,
towards 1923, the opening of the future.[4]
1

6 FURTHER READING

Transpositions

4 See also

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.O-O O-O

Flank opening

After 2.c4 e6, White can play 3.d4 for the Queens Gambit Declined.

List of chess openings named after people

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.d4 to

List of chess openings

Zukertort Opening
Rti Opening, Kings Indian Attack

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3

3.g3 Nf6 is the Neo-Catalan Opening, also under English
(e.g. 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5). Here White can play
4.d4.
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.d4 to
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3
After 4.Bg2, Black may play ...Be7 or ...dxc4. With move
4...Be7, White can then play 5.d4.
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.d4 to
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2
This goes to the Closed Catalan, avoiding Open Catalan
(except classical line).[5] Or else White can castle, then
Black probably castles as well.

5 References
[1] Schiller, Eric (1988). How to Play the Rti. Coraopolis, Pennsylvania: Chess Enterprises, Inc. ISBN 978-0931462-78-8.
[2] Richard Reti vs Jose Raul Capablanca, New York 1924
[3] Richard Reti vs Akiba Rubinstein, Karlsbad 1923
[4] Tartakower, Savielly; du Mont, Julius (1975). 500 Master Games of Chess (1952). Dover Publications. p. 636.
ISBN 0-486-23208-5.
[5] Modern Chess Openings, 15th edition, by Nick de Firmian,
ISBN 978-0-8129-3682-7, p. 718

6 Further reading

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.O-O

O-O 6.d4 to

Dunnington, Angus (1998). Easy Guide to the Reti

Opening. Cadogan. ISBN 978-1-85744-518-3.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 OO 6.O-O

Davies, Nigel (2004). The Dynamic Reti. Everyman

Chess. ISBN 978-1-85744-352-3.

With 4...dxc4 to 4.Bg2, Whites 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 for the Slav Defense.
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 c6 3.d4 to
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3
After 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Nf6, White can play 4.d4 for the Slav
Defense.
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Nf6 4.d4 to
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3
After 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6, White can play 5.d4 for
the Semi-Slav Defense.
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.d4 to
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3
However, White can play 5.b3 instead.

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

7.1

Text

Rti Opening Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9ti_Opening?oldid=726044800 Contributors: Dino, Cyrius, No Guru,

Neilc, Sonjaaa, ThreeE, ZeroOne, Nsaa, Ronark, Jacobolus, Fenya~enwiki, Sjakkalle, Quale, Bubba73, FlaBot, YurikBot, Cobblet, NeilN,
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7.2

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