1. e4 e5
2. d4

The Centre Game is perhaps the least subtle, most primitive of the double king’s pawn openings (i.e. those in which white opens by moving their king’s pawn forward two spaces, and black responds symmetrically).

According to classical chess principles, both players should try to control the centre of the board with their pawns (this is a principle that would be challenged by the hypermodern chess school of the early 20th century, but more on that later). Thus, an important goal for white in most traditional openings is to establish pawns at both d4 and e4. Typically, if white opens with 1. e4, they will want to try to play d4 at some point, and vice versa. Black’s move 1… e5 aims to prevent that, by attacking the d4 square.

With the Centre Game, white says, “No time like the present!” and plays 2. d4 immediately, notwithstanding black’s pawn at e5. Because of the black pawn, white won’t achieve that strong pawn centre, but will be able to open the centre up and create mobility for their pieces. The drawback, and the reason the Centre Game has never been a particularly popular one, is that after the pawn exchange 2… exd4 3. Qxd4, black can gain a tempo with 3. Nc6. This move develops the black knight and in doing so also threatens white’s queen, so that white must waste a move getting the queen to safety.