There are many ways to open a game of chess, all of which have been thought through carefully with clear strategy in mind. In order to maximize movement for the rest of the game it is important to have a good opening. In your search for a good opening, it can become overwhelming sometimes because there are various chess opening strategies. Which is the best? Which one should you use? In understanding and learning various opening strategies, most people will tell you that your main objectives are to:
1. Control the center board
2. Develop your pieces
3. Safeguard your king
4. Stop your opponent from doing any of the above mentioned.
The player who gets all of these done first usually finds themselves in a better board position and with more options for piece movement. Some openings are quiet, and take a slow strategic approach to moving pieces and attacking the enemy. Other approaches are very aggressive and happen very early in the game making large obtrusive moves and capturing enemy pieces eagerly and making many threats to others. The key is finding an opening that works best for you as everyone is different and won’t like all approaches. The two most widely used are Gambits and hypermodern. Both have mainly the same goals in mind but go about reaching them differently. Let’s take a closer look at the opening strategies that can help give you the advantage in your game.
Take control of the center board
One of the best strategies known amongst all chess players is controlling the center board. When players talk about the center of the board they are referring to the four most center squares. The twelve squares directly adjacent to those four are also known as part of the center board; the extended center. The best way to take control of the center is to develop one of your chess pieces that will threaten one of your opponent’s pieces. This way you take control right away. Why would you want to do this? Because the center of the board is where most of the action occurs. You have to go through it or slightly around it to make any moves so this gives you a great advantage over your opponent. The player that controls the center board at the beginning of the game will usually maintain control of the rest of the game; and hopefully capture their opponent’s king.
Developing your pieces
It is important to develop your chess pieces early in the game; but more importantly it is important to develop them quickly and effectively. It should be thought out quite thoroughly where you want each piece to be placed and where they will best be used. The best positions and sequence of movements will differ with every game so it’s important to be on your toes all the time. With that in mind don’t make any hasty moves; this will only put you behind your opponent and waste your turn. Make the most of where your pieces are and the moves you have planned for them.
Safeguarding your King
Your number one objective in the game of chess is to keep your king safe at all times. If you lose your king you lose the game. Some players forget about their king because he doesn’t move around much, but positioning your pieces in such a way that they protect your most important pieces is critical to winning the game. Make sure as you think about strategies for your opening game that you keep this in mind. Making a dumb move and forgetting about your king can cost you the game.
There are various chess opening strategies used among millions of chess players. Some work and some do not. The opening part of your game can be the most important part as you can make some very critical moves. Think your opening strategies through carefully so you can gain the advantage from your opponent.
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