Richard Reti was a leading figure in the hypermodern movement, which questioned whether occupying the centre immediately was always necessary. The opening bearing his name expresses that idea through development and pressure from the flanks. In the characteristic sequence 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4, White challenges Black's central pawn while keeping the d-pawn uncommitted.
Opening labels vary: 1.Nf3 is sometimes broadly called the Reti, while a narrower definition includes the early c4 challenge against ...d5. For study, the actual position matters more than the label. A game beginning with Nf3 can transpose into an English, Catalan or Queen's Gambit structure, each with different questions about central tension and piece activity.
The diagram makes the central idea concrete. White's knight influences e5, while c4 attacks the pawn on d5. Black may advance, exchange or support that pawn. White must respond to the choice rather than follow one universal setup. A fianchetto can increase central pressure, but it does not remove the need to calculate captures and timely pawn advances.
Use the Double Fianchetto line to learn the placement of the bishops, then investigate what changes when Black commits the centre. Compare the resulting position with an English line you know. Reti's idea is a useful reminder that controlling a square and occupying it are different actions; learning when to move from one to the other is the practical skill.
Try this at the board
After 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4, list Black's three broad choices for the d5 pawn: advance, capture or defend.