ChessMinglePlay freeEnglish · Español · Deutsch · Русский
ChessMingle › Learn chess › Openings for beginners
Chess openings for beginners
You do not need to memorise lines. You need a handful of principles and one or two simple openings you understand. Here is how to start every game well.
What an opening is
The opening is the first ten to fifteen moves, when both sides bring pieces into play. Named openings are just well-tested move orders, collected in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO), which gives each a code from A00 to E99 across 500 codes. Players at club level rarely need more than a few of them.
The three opening principles
- Control the centre. Pawns on e4 and d4 (or e5 and d5 for Black) give your pieces room and take squares from the enemy.
- Develop your pieces. Bring out knights and bishops early, toward the centre. Do not move the same piece twice without a reason, and do not bring the queen out too soon.
- Keep your king safe. Castle, usually within the first ten moves, then connect your rooks.
A fourth, softer rule is to avoid creating weak pawns, like doubled or isolated ones, without getting something in return. See the strategy guide for more.
As White: start with 1.e4 or 1.d4
The Italian Game: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4
One of the oldest openings and a great teacher. The bishop on c4 eyes the weak f7 square, the knights develop naturally, and you castle quickly. Black's most solid reply is 3...Bc5 or 3...Nf6.
The Ruy Lopez: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
The bishop puts pressure on the knight that defends e5. It is rich and has been a favourite of world champions for centuries, but it has more theory than the Italian.
The Queen's Gambit: 1.d4 d5 2.c4
White offers a pawn to deflect Black's centre pawn. It is not a real sacrifice: if Black takes with 2...dxc4, White regains the pawn with a good position. It is the cornerstone of many d4 games.
The London System: d4, Nf3, Bf4, e3, c3
A system more than a line: you aim for the same set-up whatever Black does. It is easy to learn and sound, but do not play it on autopilot. Understand why each piece goes where it does.
As Black: simple replies
- Against 1.e4: play 1...e5 to mirror White and fight for the centre directly. Or choose 1...c5, the Sicilian Defence, the most popular reply at all levels, which is sharper and wins by unbalancing the game. The French (1...e6) and Caro-Kann (1...c6) are solid choices that prepare ...d5.
- Against 1.d4: play 1...d5, which meets the centre pawn with a pawn. Against 2.c4, you can accept the gambit or play 2...e6 (the Queen's Gambit Declined), a very sturdy set-up. Another route is 1...Nf6 followed by ...g6 and ...Bg7, the King's Indian Defence.
Traps worth knowing (so you avoid them)
- Scholar's mate: 1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6?? 4.Qxf7#. White aims queen and bishop at f7. Defend with 3...g6 or 3...Qe7, and develop your knights.
- Fool's mate: 1.f3 e5 2.g4?? Qh4#, the quickest possible checkmate. It shows why you should not weaken the squares in front of your king.
- Grabbing pawns with your queen early often loses time and sometimes the queen.
Opening mistakes beginners make
- Moving too many pawns. Every pawn move that is not about the centre or your development gives your opponent time.
- Early queen sorties. A queen out on move two is a target: the opponent develops with tempo, attacking her.
- Ignoring the opponent's moves. An opening is a conversation. If they leave a piece undefended, take it. If they threaten something, answer.
- Castling too late. A king stuck in the centre, with the files opening, is the most common way to lose a game in twenty moves.
- Copying a line without understanding it. If you do not know why a move is played, you will not know what to do when your opponent changes it.
How to learn an opening properly
- Pick one opening as White and one defence to 1.e4 and 1.d4 as Black.
- Play your lines for twenty games before you change anything.
- After each game, look at where you or your opponent left the normal path, and ask why.
- Learn the plans (where the pieces go, which pawn break comes later), not only the moves.
It also helps to know the board's coordinates; see chess board and notation. Then try your opening in a game with a real person on ChessMingle.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best opening for a beginner?
There is no single best one. The Italian Game or the London System with White, and 1...e5 or 1...d5 with Black, follow all the opening principles and need little theory.
Should beginners memorise openings?
Not at first. Learn the principles (centre, development, king safety) and a few plans. Memorising long lines is pointless if your opponent leaves them on move four.
Is the Sicilian Defence good for beginners?
It is very popular and strong, but it creates imbalanced, tactical positions with a lot of theory. Many beginners prefer 1...e5 first and move to the Sicilian later.