Semi-open games

Semi-open openings arise from White's move 1. e4 met by any reply other than 1...e5. The fight for the center can take many different forms.

In the French Defense, Black immediately threatens the e4 pawn, and if it advances, the target becomes the d4 pawn:

The idea of the d7-d5 advance is common to most semi-open openings. In the Scandinavian Defense, this move is played immediately in reply to 1. e4:

In the Caro-Kann Defense, it comes after the preparatory 1...c6:

It is considerably harder to carry out in the most common semi-open opening, the Sicilian Defense, arising after 1...c5:

The Alekhine Defense (1...Nf6) has an altogether different character: