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A '''chess opening theory table''' or '''''ECO'' table''' (''[[Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings]]'') presents lines of moves, typically (but not always) from the starting position.  [[Chess notation|Notated]] [[chess]] moves are presented in the table from left to right. Variations on a given line are given horizontally below the parent line.

== Arrangement ==

[[Chess opening]] theory tables are commonly published in [[Chess opening book|opening book]]s with annotations by experienced chess players. These tables are typically arranged in a compact manner to allow experienced players to see variations from a position quickly. Usually, the table indicates that either White or Black has equal, slightly better, or better chances at the end of the variation. Often, this information is distilled down to mere [[Punctuation (chess)|symbols]] ("[[Sigma|Σ]]" for example) or the percentage of games (usually tournament games) where White won – no information is usually given on what the assessment is based on or how to proceed in the game.

== Shortcomings ==

Chess [[Chess theory#Opening theory|opening theory]] books that provide these tables are usually quite large and difficult for beginners to use. Because the table entries typically do not include the themes or goals involved in a given line, beginners will either try to memorize the tables or simply drown in the detail. The [[wikibooks:Chess Opening Theory|Wikibook ''Chess Opening Theory'']] aims to bridge this gap by providing this type of information at the end of each line.{{promotion-inline|date=April 2025}}

== Notation ==

Typically, each table has a heading indicating the moves required to reach the position for which the table provides an analysis. The example below is for the opening position, so no moves are shown in the heading. The first row provides the move numbers with subsequent rows representing different variations. Since the initial position is not always the opening position, these numbers will not always start at "1." White half-moves are shown above black half-moves. [[Ellipsis|Ellipses]] (...) represent moves that, for the variation, are identical to the variation above. Bold type indicates that another variation is considered elsewhere – usually in another table.  A [[hyphen]] (-) or [[Dash#En dash|en dash]] (–) indicates that the variation transposes to a variation elsewhere. Transpositions are common in chess – a given position can often be reached by different move orders – even move orders with more or fewer moves. The table may also provide percentage of games won by white for each variation, based on the results of the games considered in creating the table.

==Development==

Chess openings are studied in great depth by serious players. "[[Glossary of chess#Novelty|Novelties]]", or new, previously unexplored variations are often discovered and played by professional players.  These new lines can refute lines that were previously thought to be sound. The games that represent this discovery process are represented in these ever-changing and expanding tables. With the advent of computer databases, even the most casual player can explore an opening line deeply, looking for novelties to spring on their opponents.

== Example ==
{{algebraic notation|pos=secright}}
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | &nbsp;
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 1
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 2
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 3
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 4
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 5
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 6
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 7
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 8
! style="background-color: #f5deb3; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;" | Σ: %
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 1 
|| Nf3<br/>c5 || c4<br/>Nf6 || Nc3<br/>d5 || cxd5<br/>Nxd5 || d4<br/>Nxc3 || bxc3<br/>g6 || e4<br/>Bg7 || Rb1<br/>0-0 || '''25: 42%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 2
|| ...<br/>d5 || d4<br/>Nf6 || c4<br/>c6 || Nc3<br/>e6 || e3<br/>Nbd7 || Qc2<br/>Bd6 || b3<br/>0-0 || Be2<br/>b6 || '''16: 56%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 3
|| ...<br/>Nf6 || c4<br/>e6 || Nc3<br/>Bb4 || Qc2<br/>0-0 || a3<br/>Bxc3 || Qxc3<br/>b6 || b4<br/>a5 || Bb2<br/>axb4 || '''28: 63%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 4
|| d4<br/>d5 || c4<br/>dxc4 || Nf3<br/>e6 || e3<br/>Nf6 || Bxc4<br/>c5 || 0-0<br/>a6 || Bb3<br/>cxd4 || exd4<br/>Nc6 || '''33: 50%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 5
|| ...<br/>... || ...<br/>c6 || Nf3<br/>Nf6 || Nc3<br/>dxc4 || a4<br/>Bf5 || Ne5<br/>Nbd7 || Nxc4<br/>Qc7 || g3<br/>e5 || '''28: 63%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 6
|| ...<br/>Nf6 || c4<br/>g6 || Nc3<br/>Bg7 || e4<br/>d6 || Nf3<br/>0-0 || Be2<br/>e5 || Be3<br/>c6 || d5<br/>Ng4 || '''28: 57%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 7
|| ...<br/>... || ...<br/>... || ...<br/>d5 || cxd5<br/>Nxd5 || e4<br/>Nxc3 || bxc3<br/>Bg7 || Nf3<br/>c5 || Be3<br/>Qa5 || '''16: 59%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 8
|| ...<br/>... || ...<br/>e6 || Nf3<br/>d5 || Nc3<br/>Be7 || Bf4<br/>0-0 || e3<br/>c5 || dxc5<br/>Bxc5 || a3<br/>Nc6 || '''28: 52%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 9
|| ...<br/>... || ...<br/>... || Nc3<br/>Bb4 || Qc2<br/>0-0 || a3<br/>Bxc3† || Qxc3<br/>b6 || Bg5<br/>Bb7 || f3<br/>h6 || '''23: 67%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 10
|| ...<br/>... || ...<br/>... || ...<br/>... || ...<br/>d5 || cxd5<br/>Qxd5 || e3<br/>c5 || Bd2<br/>Bxc3 || Bxc3<br/>cxd4 || '''13: 46%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 11
|| e4<br/>e6 || d4<br/>d5 || Nc3<br/>Nf6 || e5<br/>Nfd7 || f4<br/>c5 || Nf3<br/>Nc6 || Be3<br/>cxd4 || Nxd4<br/>Bc5 || '''31: 77%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 12
|| ...<br/>e5 || Nf3<br/>Nf6 || Nxe5<br/>d6 || Nf3<br/>Nxe4 || d4<br/>d5 || Bd3<br/>Nc6 || 0-0<br/>Be7 || c4<br/>Nf6 || '''16: 63%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 13
|| ...<br/>... || ...<br/>... || ...<br/>... || ...<br/>... || ...<br/>... || ...<br/>... || ...<br/>... || ...<br/>Nb4 || '''20: 50%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 14
|| ...<br/>... || ...<br/>Nc6 || Bb5<br/>Nf6 || 0-0<br/>Nxe4 || d4<br/>Nd6 || Bxc6<br/>dxc6 || dxe5<br/>Nf5 || Qxd8+<br/>Kxd8 || '''24: 60%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 15
|| ...<br/>... || ...<br/>... || ...<br/>a6 || Ba4<br/>Nf6 || 0-0<br/>Be7 || Re1<br/>b5 || Bb3<br/>d6 || c3<br/>0-0 || '''35: 63%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 16
|| ...<br/>c5 || Nf3<br/>Nc6 || Bb5<br/>g6 || 0-0<br/>Bg7 || Re1<br/>e5 || Bxc6<br/>dxc6 || d3<br/>Ne7 || Be3<br/>b6 || '''29: 50%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 17
|| ...<br/>... || ...<br/>... || Nc3<br/>e5 || Bc4<br/>d6 || d3<br/>Be7 || 0-0<br/>Nf6 || Nh4<br/>Nd4 || g3<br/>Bg4 || '''16: 59%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 18
|| ...<br/>... || ...<br/>... || d4<br/>cxd4 || Nxd4<br/>Nf6 || Nc3<br/>e5 || Ndb5<br/>d6 || Bg5<br/>a6 || Na3<br/>b5 || '''31: 56%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 19
|| ...<br/>... || ...<br/>d6 || d4<br/>cxd4 || Nxd4<br/>Nf6 || Nc3<br/>a6 || Be2<br/>e6 || f4<br/>Be7 || Be3<br/>0-0 || '''28: 45%'''
|-
! style="background-color: #f5deb3;" | 20
|| ...<br/>... || ...<br/>... || ...<br/>... ||...<br/>... || ...<br/>... || Be3<br/>e6 || f3<br/>b5 || g4<br/>h6 || '''32: 52%'''
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External sources of chess opening theory tables ==
{{wikibooks|Chess Opening Theory}}
* [[John Nunn]] (editor), [[Graham Burgess]], [[John Emms (chess player)|John Emms]], [[Joseph Gallagher|Joe Gallagher]] (1999), ''Nunn's Chess Openings''. {{ISBN|1-85744-221-0}}.
* [[Nick de Firmian]], [[Walter Korn]] (1999), ''[[Modern Chess Openings]]: MCO-14''. {{ISBN|0-8129-3084-3}}.
* [[Aleksandar Matanović]] (editor), ''[[Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings]]'', 5 volumes (Belgrade: [[Chess Informant|Šahovski informator]])

{{Chess}}

[[Category:Chess openings|*Chess opening theory table]]