As a beginner chess player you may look at a chess board and wonder which piece is the best to move first. And believe me you’re not the only beginner player that has or will ever do this. Chess can be a complicated game of rules and strategy. It is important however that you realize now that your opening chess moves can be one of the most important parts of the entire game. Opening moves are designed to give you a good offensive kick off, or thwart other common openings for quick victories. Either way, you need a good opening to survive in this game. A beginner’s guide to chess openings starts with the first move you make. The following is a guide to some beginner chess openings strategies.
The Sicilian Defense
This is a popular opening for many chess players that will leave the king’s pawn in place. The pawn in front of the queen’s bishop will advance which allows for a quick exit of the queen. This can be used as a defensive or offensive strategy and is also a very popular move among even experienced chess players.
Castling
This move is not known or recognized as a technically pure opening move but has been performed by many very early on in the game so some count it as an opening move. Castling occurs when neither the king nor the rook chess pieces have been moved from their original positions. All pieces in between these two have already been moved so the space between them is vacant. The king is moved two spaces toward the rook and the rook is placed on the opposite side of the king. This move allows the rook to play at the center of the board (which puts you at the advantage of your opponent) and keeps your king protected behind a wall of pawns.
Fools mate
Every chess player, beginner and advanced has fallen prey to this particular opening strategy. It occurs when the more experienced player checkmates their opponent in four moves; also known as the four move checkmate. Here are the four moves:
1. The king’s pawn is moved one or two spaces forward on the first move.
2. The bishop beside the king is advanced three squares diagonally.
3. The queen is moved four squares diagonally. This makes it so that both pieces are lined up on the diagonal toward the pawn in front of the king’s bishop.
4. The queen is advanced toward the pawn and the king is checkmated.
There are also variations of this particular strategy; it can be done in six moves and sometimes even more so the opposing player will not see it coming.
The Queen’s Gambit
This strategy happens when the pawn in front of the king (and sometimes the queen) is advanced one or two spaces (two being the most popular). This makes it possible for the queen and/ or the bishop to enter the board more easily and can leave one or both of the pawns unprotected. If the pawns are lost the king becomes exposed if the opponent does not castle.
A beginner’s guide to chess openings can sometimes be overwhelming and confusing. Choose the strategy that works best for you and make sure you know your opponent well enough that they won’t see it coming. Don’t be afraid to change up your opening every now and then; sometimes word gets around when you’ve found a good one and your opponents will know what to expect.
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