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The Wonderful & Amazing Introduction

Welcome to your first strategy lesson! This Page will cover all you want to know about the opening, as well as the principles that will apply to the rest of the game, including the sacred four principles, know them, and know them well. :)

What is the Opening, Anyway?

The Opening is the first phase of a chess game. It deals with the first 12 - 15 moves of the chess game when the two armies begin developing their pieces, moving them off of their starting squares to places where htey will have more of an influence on the game, particularily in the center. Center control is vital in this phase, as well as time and space. Keep these three things in mind as we explore the general priniciples of the opening.

Ummm, What's a Phase? You Losin' it Jeremy?

Chess is a game which can be divided into three distinct different parts, or phases. The first 12 - 15 moves forms the first phase, the opening, the last of the three phases is known as the endgame and is what concludes the game, when very few pieces are left on the board and most likely promotion must occur for one side to win. The middlegame is the one smushed in between the two. It makes up the better part of the game, and also why it's the hardest to learn and master.

General Principles

During the first 15 moves of a chess game, it is always good to follow these rules, I know of few exceptions. These rules are simply an overview and will be described in greater detail below.

• On your first move, it is a good idea to move a center pawn. (Center pawns are ones which reside on the center files, being the e-, and d-files, the glossary provides a more detailed example, as does below).
• Control of the center is vital. Develop positely (towards the center).
• Time is of the essence, all pieces should be moved once, and should stay put there until the rest of the army is developed.
• Only move 1 - 2 pawns during the opening phase, make as little pawn moves as possible, concentrate on developing your army.
• Castle early. Move the king behind a safe row of pawns before the two armies clash, leaving your king in trouble!
• Develop the knights before both bishops have been devloped.
• Develop Minor Pieces before Major Pieces.
• Try to keep a pawn in the center at all times (this holds true for the middlegame as well).

The center is where it's at! Through most of the game the center is where everything is concentrated. You want to have as big a stab in the center as you possibly can, so stab! Most often, the first clash of the game will occur in the center. But why is the center the place to be?

Let's think of it this way, the fastest way to one point is a straight line, correct? Well, if the center were clear I'm just gonna head right through there to basically anywhere I want to go, however, if I don't control the center, or the center is occupied, this is not possible and then will have to go all the way around to the flanks, and then back again. That's going to take at least twice as long. Making it so that my pieces reach where they want to go before yours do, giving me an advantage.

But is this the only reason to move a center pawn first? Of course not! The objective of the opening is to get your pieces out as fast as possible so you can get them into the action. By moving one of the center pawns, let's say the king pawn, with 1. e4, now we see that the queen and bishop have some breathing room, good thing, there's not much air where they first start. On the next couple of moves these pieces will now have some breathing room to work with and decide a new suitable square for the piece. However, what if we were to move not the e-pawn, but the h-pawn? Does this help us get our pieces out as fast as possible? Let's take a look. White plays 1. h4?. While this move seems to help get the rook out, it violates our principle, with 1. e4, we give bishop and queen room to move, an extra 13 squares! However, 1. h4 only gives us another two, not a good idea, especially since black will attack the rook should it ever peek its head out into the battlefield, meaning that we wasted a move, never a good idea, especially the frst move.

What's the Big Deal About the Center?

Ok, so we now know the center is important on our first move, but what about our second, third, or even fifteenth move? Answer is yes! The center must be looked upon at all times, if not occupying it, attempting to occupy it (as with some openings). This also isn't just with pawns. Occupying, as well as controlling the center with pieces is also very important. This is why when developing pieces you must develop positively. What does that mean? You must develop pieces toward the center. Don't ever move them to squares where they will not control central squares, that's not where the action is! An example:

It's now White's turn to make his second move and he would like to get his king's knight (g2) into the game. Should he play 2. Nf3 or 2. Nh3? This one isn't too hard, remember that you must develop towards the center, 2. Nf3 is the correct choice.

Ummm, Time? I Thought We Weren't Timing Games! You Losing it Jeremy?

Ok, we now come to a very important point. Development. What does that mean? Getting straight to it, your pieces start out jammed all in together, they don't like it, and what's your job? To make your pieces happy! development is concerned with taking your unhappy pieces on dreadful squares on the edge of the board, and moving them (in the most efficient way possible) to squares where they take part in the battle.

Right now you may be asking yourself, "What's the most efficient way possible?". Glad you asked, basically, you don't have enough time to meander around the board. you have 8 pieces and 8 pawns to attend to so you have to guide them in the right direction, preferably in one move (Of course these pieces will move once again, and the main goal in the middlegame is to readjust the pieces to squares where they better suit what is happenng on the board). So, let's take a look at a small example on development.

...the starting position, you've probably taken quite a number of looks at it now. But, what properties does this position hold? What is our goal? You know know what the main idea behind the opening is. Get those pieces out! So, knowing this, how can we get the most pieces out? We must consider this: Why does it have to be this move? Why not set it up so that on successive moves we can get a new piece out each move? This is the very essence of development. By playing e4, as explained above, the queen and bishop become heavy influences of the game right off the starting block...a good sign. You may not necessarily want to move these pieces out on the next move, but the important thing is that this option is available.

Why Can't I Move my Pawns? I Like my Pawns!

Ok, I know that you think pawns have gotten a bad name and you feel sorry for them, but they just aren't meant to be moved in the opening! Does this mean that pawns are useless? Of course not, pawns largely into play later! But, it does mean that if you move them in the opening is a mistake, while not one that might cost you the game against weaker players, a mistake.

How Many Pawn Moves is too Many?

A good question indeed!

By now you may be a little confused, "Ok, I've gotta move my pawns out on the first 1 - 2 moves, but after that, it's not a good idea. But wait a minute", you think. "Why is it so good at the beginning and then so suddenly it changes?".

The answer lies in development. The goal of the opening involves getting your pieces to their most effective squares as fast as possible. Therefore, the reason we move a pawn out on the first move is so that we can move our pieces out as fast as possible. Does moving another pawn on subsequent moves help in development? No! Makes sense, right? The struggle is this: Which is more important? The center (moving a center pawn, thus occupying it), or development? This is the vital question. The answer is that it depends on the position. It's your call. If you think that a stake out in the center is worth getting a small bit behind in development (the race between you and your opponent), then by all means, go for it! That's the best way to learn. But, sometimes it's best to think about that poor thing sitting in the corner staring at you with the puppy eyes wanting to breath (especially if his twin on the other side of the board isn't worried about air and is invading your side of the board).

Castling: I Think I Remember That ... Maybe

This one's also very important, so pay attention! Castle early. Enough said. Get your king out of the hostile center (where pawns have been moved so that you can develop) and hide him from the opposing army before they get a chance to "say hello". That way you get to play hide and seek instead of running for dear life.

Is castling really that important? Here's the answer: If a game of a GrandMaster goes by without him castling, it is a strange game indeed. Rarely will a player ever last long enough not to castle during a game. Another reason which is vital to castling is that the rook comes out from it's shelter in the corner and begins to confront the army in the center. This is the breeding ground of the rooks, the [open] center files (Note that they are not always open).

Knights Before Bishops

While this rule has a little more flexibility, it is a generally good one to follow. Knights enter the battle first (preferably towards the center) where they rest until the endgame, rarely do they confront anything for several moves, however, should you decde to move your bishop out first, it may be vulnerable to the attack of the knights of your opponent! While this is not a large problem, lost time may result in a catch up race in development.

Major ... Minor ... Huh?

You may recall this from earlier. Essentially, the minor pieces are those which are knights and bishops, and major are those which are queens and rooks. Simply put, the minor pieces enter the game first. Why? Because they are the first to be released by the shield of pawns with center pawn moves (while the knights need not be released). The queen and rook however, require the moving of the minor pieces for their easy access to center files (the queen should not be moved too early because it becomes vulnerable to attack). That's all there is to it! Knights and bishops come before the queen and rooks.

Back to the Center Again! What's the Big Idea?

Ok, not only do I have to move a center pawn first...and develop positively, I have to keep a pawn in the center as much as I can? Boy, this center thing sure is important! I hope that ran through your mind when you read through the outline of general principles above. The importance of the center cannot be stressed enough.

But, now the question becomes, "Why must I keep a pawn in the center?". This does not help development, nor does it help with time (the two important points of opening play). This refers to another principle. Space. When you have a pawn in the center, you have more room to maneuvre your pieces, also meaning you can move them to squares you wish faster. This reverses for your opponent, this pawn in the center acts kind of like a nouse around his neck, choking his pieces so they must maneuvre slowly. In a way, this relates to the time principle once again. In most openings, both players keep a center pawn at all times, in fact, the entire goal a quite a number of openings is to dislodge the center and claiming it as your own.

Whew! Quite a mouthful of things to remember for the opening! The outline at the top may serve as a reference to the material covered within this area.

An Opening, The Opening, Difference?

The Opening itself, as you'll recall, deals with the first 12 - 14 moves of a chess game, each and every one you'll play. But, what is "an opening"? This refers to a specific set of moves which have been looked upon by fantastic chess players as ways that you may want to open a game. They have been "analyzed" for centuries and all opening have both strong and weak points. Most opening are named after famous players who made the opening "famous" or from an area which the opening first appears, or even a country where it is commonly played. Whether it be called the Sicilian Defense, the Alekhine Defense or the Cambridge-Springs Variation, they all refer to a specific set of opening moves. Is it a good idea to concentrate on memorizing these variations? Certainly not towards the beginner level, a thorough knowledge of opening principles is a must but knowing opening variations is not the best course of action. While these may help, beginner rarely play these variations as they do not know them, making the preparation useless. However, if something unexpected is played, you may use the principles to counter it correctly.

The "Perfect" Opening

Is there such a thing? Nope! Can try as hard as you want, you can't play a "perfect" opening, however, you can play one extremely well. Why can't you play it perfectly? Because your opponent will not play the same moves each game! Therefore, we cannot consider one variation to be true, while another to be "wrong". We must note the strong and weak points as well as the characteristics of each opening and use this knowledge to play the opening well.

Well, there haven't been many example troughout the section, so let's take a look at a well-played opening. This does not originate from any real game, but demonstrates how following the principles can lead to an advantage.

1. e4 h5? White shall play the opening to his best ability while black doesn't know the principles and just makes moves.
2. d4 a5? White stakes a large claim in the center, the correct course since Black ignores it
3. Nf3 Nh6? White develops positively while Black is smelling roses, nota good sign for him.
4. Nc3 Ng4? Solid play by white, while Black continues to play inconsistently.
5. Bf4 Nf6 While 5. h3 looked tempting, white ignores the impudent knight and attempts to finish off his development while black simply plays horrible, three moves for his knight to where it could have reached in one.

Take a look at the new position. Within the first five moves white develops three pieces, positively and owns the center, while Black has moved wing pawns (of no help) and has developed only one piece. White's goal has been accomplished and should proceed with development while Black may well not stand a chance should he continue his ignorance for the principles.

Opening Variations You May Want to Know

While learning chess mostly does not require memory, knowledge of principles, and following them, the opening does not hold true. It is necessary at one point or another to develop an "opening repertoire". Whether it be small or large, a knowledge of at least a small number of variations will help you in your conquest to become a chess guru. Let's take a look at some main line systems and examine the ideas behind them:

The following openings will be covered:

• Ruy Lopez (A Classic)
• Queen's Gambit - both accepted and declined (What a gambit is will also be covered)
• Sicilian Dragon
• Italian Game

Ruy Lopez

COMING SOON!

Queen's Gambit

COMING SOON!

Sicilian Defense

Often dubbed as a very sharp opening, the Sicilian attempts to break the symmetry of the common double king pawn openings. While it does violate the opening principle by ignoring the center, this is only temporary. Black intends to counterthrust in the center, only when he is ready. A common tactic for white is to castle to the queenside and begin an attack with his pawns on the kingside. The board is often left blood-soaked...

The Opening

1. e4 c5

Is that all there is to the Sicilian? Certainly not! It's time to take a look at White's possible counters and Black's line of play from each.

The Dragon: How to Play ( ... and Slay) it

1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 d6
3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 Nf6
5. Nc3 g6

The first move of the Sicilian, 1. ... c5 may seem awkward and a violation of the opening principles. However, the underlying idea behind the opening is to influence the center indirectly from the flanks and then, at a later point in the game, to challenge white's center. Notice how this move does not help Black's development in any way and seems to hinder the development of the king's bishop. This is a difficulty in the opening which black must overcome. There are several ways to accomplish this which we will look at.

White move, 2. Nf3 is the standard continuation of the game. This develops white's knight to its ideal square and permits him to play 3. d4 which will allow him to develop his bishops rapidly with a hope to gain an advantage in development which me may be able to use later on. The main problem with a push of the d4 pawn is that it allows black to exchange his flank pawn for a center pawn, meaning he will gain a pawn in the center. This is the main idea behind the Sicilian Defense. Black hopes to make use of the c-file which will open up upon an exchange at d4 along with his extra central pawn to gain an advantage and perhaps a win.

2. ... d6 protects the c5 pawn and allows develop of the queen's bishop.

3. d4 allows white to develop his pieces rapidly, as explained above.

3. ... cxd4. Black graciously accepts white's central pawn.

4. Nxd4 ... and not 4. Qxd4, developing the queen much too early and allows black to chase it around with moves like ... Nc6, etc.

4. ... Nf6. This is a vital move in the Sicilian. Black does not wish white to play c4 which would give him control of the central square d5 and also wishes to induce a move of Nc3 which places the knight of the open c-file which black intends to place his rooks on.

5. Nc3. Protecting the e-pawn and placing the queen's knight on its ideal square.

5. ... g6. This is the defining move in the Sicilian Dragon. The question that faces black is how he should go about developing his king's bishop because the center pawns hinder its movement and it would require much too long to advance them in order to develop the bishop while white develops all his forces (not to mention the potential creation of holes in the center which would become excellent homes for knights). Here the opening has several continuations, this line known as the Dragon (named after the bishop which will be developed to g7 breathing fire down the chess board and in part after black's kingside pawn structure resembling a dragon [uh ... use your imagination?]). The idea behind the opening is that instead of developing the bishop in the center as you normally would, you place the bishop off to the side where it is unobstructed by pawns but still has a direct influence on the center from the sidelines. This bishop is often extremely powerful and its removal from the game is a recurring theme.

Black usually castles kingside immediately while white can play from a number of variations. One of the most interesting occurs when white castles queenside and advances his kingside pawns into the somewhat weakened king position of black (the g7 advance creates a weakness in the king's home, only defended by the bishop on g7. This is why this bishop is so vital in this variation). This technique is known as storming the castled position. The games are always exciting as white races to finish off the head hauncho at any expense while black attempts to make use of his open file on the c-file (note how the rook stares into the eyes of the queenside-castled king from the c-file). The game is typically determined by the player who reaches the king first (try it some time!).

More variations coming soon!

Italian Game

COMING SOON!

This concludes the openings! You're one-third of the way there! Time to start the middlegame...

lucky individuals have learned how to play better chess since this page hit the web on 06/28/97.