So what does one of the most creative players of his generation actually play? Rapport’s repertoire is a tour of the road less traveled — offbeat first moves as White, and rich, combative defenses as Black. It’s not a list of the “best” computer-approved lines; it’s a set of openings chosen so he can reach positions he understands and enjoys better than his opponent. Here’s the tour, with a link to a full guide for each one so you can learn to play them yourself.
As White: the Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack (1.b3)
Rapport’s signature is opening with 1.b3, the Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack. White immediately fianchettoes the queen’s bishop to b2, aiming it down the long light… er, dark diagonal toward Black’s kingside, and keeps the pawn structure flexible. It’s a hypermodern idea: instead of grabbing the center with pawns straight away, White develops pressure against it from the flanks.
Most grandmasters wouldn’t dream of playing 1.b3 as a main weapon — which is exactly why Rapport loves it. It reaches a fresh position where understanding beats memorization, and it’s genuinely dangerous in his hands. It’s closely related to hypermodern flank systems like the Réti and the English Opening, which he also folds into his repertoire with unusual double-fianchetto setups.
As White: the Trompowsky Attack
When Rapport opens 1.d4, he loves to follow 1…Nf6 with 2.Bg5 — the Trompowsky Attack. It’s an early bishop sortie that pins (or threatens to trade off) Black’s knight and sidesteps the whole ocean of mainstream 1.d4 theory — no Nimzo-Indian, no King’s Indian, no Grünfeld to worry about.
The Trompowsky is a perfect fit for his philosophy. It’s not trying to refute Black; it’s trying to reach an original, ideas-rich position on move two, where both players are largely on their own. Rapport has played it in dozens of games, and it’s become one of his trademarks.
As Black: the King’s Indian and other combative defenses
With the black pieces, Rapport keeps the fighting spirit alive. He’s drawn to the King’s Indian Defense, one of the most aggressive answers to 1.d4: Black deliberately lets White build a big pawn center, then swarms it with pieces and a kingside pawn storm. It’s a knife-fight of an opening, and it suits a player who wants to win with Black rather than equalize.
He mixes in flexible, dark-square systems like the Pirc and Modern defenses — where Black fianchettoes a bishop and invites White to overextend — and the sharp French Winawer, a razor-edged line where Black trades structure for dynamic, tactical chances. The common thread: every one of these openings offers counterplay and imbalance rather than passive equality.
Why his repertoire fits him so well
The beauty of Rapport’s repertoire is how perfectly it mirrors his personality at the board. As White he reaches for the most original systems available (1.b3, the Trompowsky) — sidestepping the preparation war entirely. As Black he chooses combative, imbalanced defenses (the King’s Indian, Pirc, Modern, French Winawer) that give him something to fight for. It’s a repertoire built not to memorize the deepest lines, but to reach positions he understands and enjoys more than his opponent. That’s the whole game plan of a creative player.
The proof it’s the real deal
Here’s the strongest sign that these aren’t just quirky choices: Rapport was trusted as one of Ding Liren’s seconds for the 2023 World Championship — a role reserved for players whose opening ideas are deep and dangerous enough to help crown a champion. You don’t get that job on gimmicks. The same originality that makes his repertoire fun to watch is exactly what makes it respected at the highest level.
What his repertoire teaches you
There’s a genuinely useful lesson hiding in Rapport’s choices: pick openings that suit how you think, not just what’s fashionable.
- An offbeat but sound weapon (his is 1.b3 or the Trompowsky) gets your opponent out of their prep and into a real game of chess — a big edge below master level.
- A combative main defense (his is the King’s Indian) gives you something to play for with Black, instead of hoping to survive.
- Counterplay over passivity. Even his flexible systems aim for active, double-edged games. Aiming to do something is a great habit at any level.
You don’t need to memorize reams of theory — start by learning the plans and ideas behind one opening from each category, and you’ll already be ahead of most casual opponents.
Keep exploring
See these openings do damage in his best games, learn how he uses them in his playing style, or head back to the full Rapport profile. Ready to learn one? Start with the Trompowsky Attack guide or the King’s Indian Defense guide.
Written and fact-checked by the Chess Lab Academy Editorial Team · Facts verified against Wikipedia, his FIDE profile, and Chess.com, as of July 2026 · Positions engine-verified for legality · Last verified 2026-07-10 · How we verify content.