Chess openings for beginners
The opening is the first 10 to 15 moves of a game. You don't need to memorize long lines to play it well. You need a few sound ideas and one or two openings you understand. This guide covers the openings most players learn first, with the starting moves and the plan behind each one.
The three opening principles
- Control the center. Pawns and pieces on or aimed at e4, d4, e5 and d5 have the most influence.
- Develop your pieces. Bring knights and bishops out before moving the same piece twice or bringing the queen out.
- Keep your king safe. Castle early, usually within the first 10 moves.
Every opening below follows these principles in its own way. If you ever forget the theory in a game, fall back on them.
Openings for White
Italian Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4
The bishop on c4 aims straight at f7, the weakest square in Black's camp because only the king defends it. White plans c3 and d4 to build a big center, or a slower d3 setup. It teaches the three opening principles at once: control the center, develop pieces, castle early.
Plan: Castle quickly, then push c3 and d4. Watch for Black's ...Ng4 or ...Bc5 ideas against f2.
Ruy Lopez (Spanish Game)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
One of the oldest and most respected openings. The bishop pressures the knight that defends e5. It does not win a pawn right away, but it creates long-term pressure that world champions still play for.
Plan: After 3...a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O White keeps the tension. Do not rush to take on c6 and e5; the pawn is defended indirectly at first.
Queen's Gambit
1.d4 d5 2.c4
White offers the c-pawn to pull Black's d-pawn away from the center. It is not a real gambit: if Black takes with 2...dxc4, White usually wins the pawn back. Black's two main answers are 2...e6 (Queen's Gambit Declined) and 2...c6 (Slav Defense).
Plan: Develop Nc3, Nf3 and Bg5 and fight for the e4 square.
London System
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4
A setup more than a sequence of forced moves. White plays d4, Bf4, e3, Nf3, Bd3, Nbd2, c3 and castles, against almost anything Black does. It is popular with club players because it is easy to learn and safe.
Plan: Build the same solid triangle of pawns (c3, d4, e3) every game, then attack on the kingside with Ne5 and Qf3.
Openings for Black
Sicilian Defense
1.e4 c5
The most popular answer to 1.e4 at master level. Black fights for d4 from the side instead of copying White. The positions are unbalanced, which gives Black real winning chances, but there is a lot of theory to know.
Plan: After 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Black gets a half-open c-file and an extra central pawn in return for some space.
French Defense
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5
Black builds a strong chain of pawns on e6 and d5 and attacks White's center. The position is solid, but the light-squared bishop on c8 can get stuck behind its own pawns.
Plan: Strike back with ...c5 and ...f6 to break White's pawn chain from the base.
Caro-Kann Defense
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5
Similar to the French, but the c6 pawn supports d5 while the light-squared bishop stays free to develop to f5 or g4. Known for being solid and hard to beat.
Plan: Develop the c8 bishop before playing ...e6, then finish development and castle.
Scandinavian Defense
1.e4 d5
Black challenges e4 on the very first move. After 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 the queen moves again, usually to a5 or d6. It is simple to learn and avoids a lot of theory.
Plan: Develop quickly with ...Nf6, ...Bf5 or ...Bg4, ...c6 and ...e6.
King's Indian Defense
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6
Black lets White build a big center, then attacks it. The bishop on g7 becomes very strong, and Black often starts a kingside pawn storm with ...e5, ...Nh5 and ...f5.
Plan: Castle kingside, play ...e5, and if the center closes, attack with the f-pawn.
Three opening traps to avoid
Scholar's Mate
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Qh5 Nf6?? 4.Qxf7# ends the game in four moves. Defend f7 with 3...g6 or 3...Qe7 and then chase the queen with your knights.
Fool's Mate
The fastest possible checkmate: 1.f3 e5 2.g4?? Qh4#. Moving the f- and g-pawns early opens the diagonal to your king.
Moving the queen too early
A queen in the center can be chased by knights and pawns, and every time it moves, your opponent develops another piece with tempo. Develop minor pieces first.
How to practice
Pick one opening for White and one answer to 1.e4 and 1.d4 for Black. Play them against the computer at a level where you win about half your games, then look back at the move list to see where your plan worked and where it didn't.