The first moves in chess we call the opening. During the opening you will want to have a strong focus and presence in the center of the board. If you control the center of the board if allows you to move your pieces well and therefore have more control over where to place your pieces on the board to your advantage. This sounds easier but can be very tricky to achieve. Speed and opportunity is key here. And keeping your king safe is crucial in this phase of the game.
In the opening what you want to try is to dominate the center of the board with your pawns and get your other pieces to potition close to the center as well. From the center of the board it is easy to flank to the right and left side of the board giving you an advantage by the more choices you have. In the meantime you open up the board on your side to have your king do a caslte move to protect it. Bring as much pieces into active play as you can to optimize your option during the game. Feel free however to keep your queen on your side of the board as a backup and only let her engage when the center opens up to protect your king or to put pressure on your opponent.
Below I will elaborate more on different opening that are strong starts for any chess player.
Please note that the majority of the openings are specifically for White to put pressure on Black however by studying these openings you will also understand how to anticipate these opening and counter them.
1. The Italian Game (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4)
- Why it’s good: The Italian Game is simple and develops pieces towards the center. White puts pressure on the weak f7-square, and both sides can easily castle.
- Main goal: Control the center, develop pieces quickly, and prepare for kingside castling.
- This is a standard opening for White.
Potential next steps for White:
- Strengthen the center by adding pawn to d4
- Focus on the weak position at f7
- Castle early in the game to strenghten you position for the King
2. The Ruy-Lopez (Spanish Opening) (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5)
- Why it’s good: The Ruy-Lopez develops pieces while challenging Black’s knight on c6. It’s a long-term strategic opening and provides a strong foundation for middle-game plans.
- Main goal: Pressure the center, especially the e5-pawn, and set up a solid position for future attacks.
- This is a standard opening for White
Potential next steps for White:
- You want to put pressure on Black by strengthening the center of the board. You can add pawns from c3 followed by d4
- Control the left side of the board by support with pawn to a4
- Exchange your bishop for Black’s Knight on c6 to clear the board and open the center
- A possiblity to castle early in the game
3. The Scotch Game (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4)
- Why it’s good: The Scotch Game leads to an open and straightforward fight for the center. It’s easy to understand and teaches players to handle tactics and open positions.
- Main goal: Break open the center early to create quick development and open lines for the pieces.
- This is a standard opening for White.
Potential next steps for White:
- You can add the second Knight to c3
- Push Pawn to e5 if a Black Knight is in position f6
- Focus on the weak c7 for Black as this is often a weaker position in the early game
4. The French Defense (1. e4 e6)
- Why it’s good: This is a solid and defensive choice for Black that teaches patience. It leads to a slower, strategic game and helps develop strong pawn structures.
- Main goal: Defend the center and counterattack later.
- This is a standard response opening for Black.
Potential next steps for White:
- Often this opening is followed by White moves to e4 and Black to e6
- Additionally you can have the Knight on c3 to support the pawn opening
- You can also move the Knight to D4 to further support the center pawns
5. The Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5)
- Why it’s good: The Sicilian Defense is one of the most popular and successful defenses against 1.e4. It allows Black to create an unbalanced game, often leading to rich tactical positions.
- Main goal: Control the center with pawns and pieces from the side (flank), rather than directly in the center.
- This is a standard response opening for Black.
Potential next steps for White:
- Knight to c3 to support the center pawn
- Knight to f3 to support the next step pawn to d4 and support that move
- There are a lot of moves based on Black’s next steps but if you move your Bishop you can also do an early castle
6. The Queen’s Gambit (1. d4 d5 2. c4)
- Why it’s good: A classical and highly respected opening that teaches control of the center and positional play. White offers a Pawn (the “gambit”), which Black can accept or decline. If accepted you can take back a Pawn in 2 turns from here.
- Main goal: Gain control over the center by having 2 central Pawns on row 4 and develop the pieces quickly.
- This is a standard opening for White.
Potential next steps for White:
- If Black accepts to offer and slays to c4 you can then move Pawn e4 to gain control over the center with a solid line of Pawns
- After that you are able to retake the Pawn by moving the Bishop to c4 in order to equal the odds
- If you develop the left side of the board there is a possiblity to gain more Pawns
7. The London System (1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4)
- Why it’s good: The London System is a flexible and easy-to-learn opening, focusing on solid piece development and a strong pawn structure. It doesn’t require memorizing many move sequences.
- Main goal: Develop pieces to good squares without needing complex theory.
- This is a standard response opening for Black.
Potential next steps for White:
- You have an opportunity to free the second Bishop by moving the Pawn to e4 with some support from your second Knight if you move it to c3 as well
- This opening also helps you to develop an attack on your Kings side by developing the Pawn to h3 and g4 supported by moving your Knight to e5 and your Queen to f3 to replace your Knight his last position
- If the center is locked up you can also develop an attack on your Queens side of the board by doing the same so Pawns a3 and b4 but use your Rook for support moving it to c1 and after that to c4
8. The Caro-Kann Defense (1. e4 c6)
- Why it’s good: The Caro-Kann is a very solid defense for Black. It’s a bit less aggressive than the Sicilian but allows Black to build a strong position.
- Main goal: Counterattack from a solid base and develop pieces harmoniously.
- This is a standard response opening for Black.
Potential next steps for White:
- Often this opening is followed by White to move Pawn to d4 and Black to move Pawn to d5 trying to get control over the center
- In order to not give away a Pawn you can aggressively charge your Pawn to e5 getting cover from your adjacing Pawn and buidling a screen to further develop an attack on your King side by moving Pawns to h3 and g4 and having your Knight join in the attack on that side
9. The Fianchetto opening (1. e4 c6)
- Why it’s good: There is a lot of flexibility in this opening as you are not (yet) focussing on dominating the center with your Pawns but you can still do that. Next to that your King is still safely tucked away behind pieces. Next that the Bishops are located on the so called long diagonal of the board which give them the maximum movement if needed/possible.
- Main goal: Based on long distance control the opponent and the board and be able to adapt to the opponents movement. Early development of strong pieces like the Bishop and Knights and later on clear the center with Pawns to create opportunities for the strong pieces to gain the advantage on the board.
Potential next steps for White:
- After this move you can easily move your Knight to do a castle move on your King side
- Put the Knight on f3 and push the Pawn to e4 to do a so called King’s Indian Attack
- Knights work well combined with Bishops
- Best to focus on controlling the center of the board to try an attack on the King side of the board
- Don’t be in a hurry with your center Pawns, only use them if you gains something by it
10. The Benko Gambit (1. g3)
Basically the Pawn moves to g3 and then the Bischop moves to g2 supported by the Knight to move to f3 and then castling.
- Why it’s good: It is the start of Fianchetto however focussing only on the right side of the board to do a fast castling and develop the right side of the board quickly with a Bishop and Knight. This give you strong control options on the board without having to enter the center of the board. There is still a lot of flexibility to change the plan where needed and it doesn’t rely on a strong center.
- Main goal: Control the board with strong pieces in an early game.
Potential next steps for White:
- Now you can strengthen the center with Pawn movement
- Give additional support with your other Knight
- Continue to build up strength on the King side of the board
Tips for Beginners in Openings:
- Develop your pieces (knights and bishops) before moving the same piece twice.
- Control the center with pawns and pieces (especially d4, d5, e4, and e5 squares).
- Castle early to protect the king and connect the rooks.
- Don’t move the queen out too early; doing so can lead to it being chased around.
Focusing on developing your chess opening and opening principles will help beginners build a solid understanding of the game and prepare them for more advanced strategies later on.