Master the Réti Opening: c6

After 3.e3, the position is still very flexible. You're not trying to blow Black off the board immediately — instead, you're aiming to build a harmonious development scheme while maintaining pressure on Black's centre. The pawn on c4 attacks Black's d5 pawn, and your king's knight is already developed to its best square. The small edge Stockfish gives you (+0.38) comes from this space advantage and your ability to choose the next stage of the game. You'll want to follow up by developing your pieces to natural squares, keeping an eye on that d5 pawn, and deciding whether to capture on c4 or continue building pressure.

When you play the position correctly, Stockfish's top reply for Black is Nf6, seen in 67,844 games. The engine's recommended full line goes: Nf6 Nc3 e6 d4. This turns the game into a reversed Queen's Gambit structure where you have an extra tempo. Your knight on c3 supports the c4 pawn and eyes d5, while pushing d4 solidifies your centre and opens lines for your dark-squared bishop. Against Nf6, your plan is straightforward: develop with Nc3, then decide whether to capture on c4, play d4, or fianchetto your king's bishop. The key is to stay flexible and avoid rushing.

Black has several ways to meet your set-up, and each changes the character of the game slightly. Here's how White scores against the top five choices from the database of 197,530 games: - Nf6 (67,844 games) — White scores 48.6%. This is the main line, leading to the engine's recommended structure above. - Bg4 (53,628 games) — White scores 52.3%. Black pins your knight immediately. You can break the pin with Be2 or h3, or simply develop and ignore it for now. - Bf5 (23,920 games) — White scores 49.2%. A solid developing move. Your c4 pawn still pressures d5, and you can continue with Nc3 or Qb3, attacking the b7 pawn. - e6 (22,774 games) — White scores 50.5%. Black shores up d5 but delays development. You can play d4 or capture on c4 and build a strong centre. - dxc4 (12,230 games) — White scores 56.2%! This is your best-scoring line. Black releases the central tension early, and you recapture with Bxc4, enjoying a lead in development and central control.

Since your edge comes from pressure against Black's centre, the biggest mistake you can make is to let that pressure slip. If Black plays dxc4 (the move where White scores 56.2%), you must recapture properly — don't automatically retreat or push a pawn. Simply take back with Bxc4, developing a piece and keeping the initiative. The most common blunder in this line is hesitating or playing a passive move that lets Black equalise. Trust your development: you have a small edge, and converting it requires active piece play, not passive defence.