Four-Player Chess/Common openings/1. f4

English Opening, 1.f4
Red aims to develop the queen to f2 or e3 or exchange queens with Blue.

Blue's responses
Blue can choose to offer a queen exchange with c6 or d6 or play a normal developing move like c8 or c7.

/1...c8/
The move c8 opens diagonals for the queen and bishop and appears to be the most active reply by Blue. Blue cannot develop the queen immediately, however, since that would leave b6 undefended.

/1...c7/
With c7 Blue opens on the light squares.

/1...c6/
Blue offers a queen exchange.

/1...d6/
Blue offers a queen exchange, but pushes the pawn two squares rather than one.