Chess Guide for the Intermediate Player/Some basics for openings

What is the opening?
The opening is the first phase of a game. In the opening, you will need to:


 * 1) Develop the pieces quickly. This can help in many cases, because pieces are powerful and fast. In later lessons, we will see how things can go wrong if you aren't developing pieces.
 * 2) Control and occupy the center. This is very important because you can gain more space for your pieces. Pieces in the center can be powerful because they can control more squares.
 * 3) Protect the king. This one is pretty much obvious as if you lose your king you lose the game. Finding the correct shelter can sometimes be tricky, though.

Two different kinds of openings
This example will show you two different kinds of openings.

This position demonstrates the two different kinds of openings, that is, center controlling first (called "classical", which is what Black is doing here) and development first (called "hypermodern" which is what White is doing here). White's idea is probably not as obvious, but we'll see what's the point of pushing the g pawn one square one move later.

Black played 2...d5, another pawn pushing to the center.

Black developed the knights and supported the pawn center (before this they are weak, after Black moves his queen white can play Bxd5). So after four moves for both sides, we can see the two different approaches to the center. Black is both occupying and controlling the center, while White has some central control, but has not actually occupied the center yet. We should prefer Black's position here, but White's position should be fine.

Developing
Developing is very important. If you can develop your pieces onto the correct squares, then you can create an attack on your opponent's weak squares (e.g. f7) and take the lead quickly.

White has a very good position. in this position, White has quickly developed his pieces, put them on useful squares, and is controlling and occupying the center. But black has not quickly developed his pieces, nor put a piece in a useful square. He also did not control the center at all. However, the most important thing is that his king is weak! Attacking and sacrificing on the weak f7-square is a common checkmate pattern. We'll talk about checkmate patterns later, just remember attacking f7 can force your opponent's king into a dangerous square. Then his king will lose protectiob and you'll win easily.

So the question is: What move can White play here to draw the black king out and develop a checkmate attack?

Notice how all of White's attacking moves are also checks! That saves tempo.

Exercise

Check

How to protect your king?
Now that we know how to attack the opponent's king, we will learn how to protect your own king.

Here comes the Evans Gambit. First, you need to know what a gambit is: a gambit is a sacrifice, usually of a pawn, or, rarely, a larger piece.

Black has captured two white pawns, but his position is weak. Notice that White didn't break the "pawn shelter" on f2-g2-h2. It protected f1, g1, and h1, so White needs to let the king into the "protected" square as fast as he can. Remember:

Flank pawn is powerful!

O-O, a wonderful choice! The king is in the protected square g1, and the rook has been developed. Now White can prepare to attack on f7 like before! (Do you remember "Good developing vs. Bad developing"?)

Black takes another pawn, but now White can simply create a battery on b3-f7 (we will learn about batteries in the next chapter).

Now Black is going to lose. His f7-square has become weak. (Did you notice this move is also a checkmate threat?) This exact position has been reached many times in the history of chess, and Black has lost most of those games.

White's first move
Many chess players get stuck on the first move. How do you choose the first move when you are playing White?

There are 20 legal moves in the starting position. We will analyze the 5 most common moves which are played in 98% of chess games (if you are looking for more in depth chess theory, there's a Wikibooks book titled "Chess Opening Theory").

Flank pawn move
Playing the rook pawn (a3, a4, h3, h4) is a wrong move! It does not develop any pieces, nor control the center in any way. Plus, Black can simply play d5 or e5, controlling the center.

Playing b3 and g3 are good moves. They prepare to fianchetto a bishop (we will learn about the fianchetto later). b4 is fine, although Black could play e5 and White must defend the pawn. g4 is quite bad, because it weakens the kingside, and Black could play d4, threatening the white pawn.

Wing pawn move
Playing c3 is not too good. Although it controls the d4 square and frees the queen, it blocks the c3-square for the b1-knight. c4 is good because it frees the queen and controls the important d5-square. f3 is one of the worst moves White can play, because it weakens the kingside. f4 is risky. It controls the important e5-square, but does not develop any pieces, and weakens White's kingside slightly.

Center pawn move
Playing d3 and e3 are quite passive. They develop pieces, but do not prevent Black's d5 or e5. However, d4 and e4 control the center, prevent Black from easily playing e5 and d5, respectively, and develop pieces. They are one of the best opening moves.

Knight move
Playing Na3 or Nh3 develop the knights to useless squares. Playing Nc3 is playable. It controls e4 and d5, while developing a piece, although White's c-pawn is blocked. Nf3 is probably the best knight move. It controls d4 and e5, and develops a piece while preparing kingside castling.

Black's first move
Chess player do not always play White, so how do you make your first move when you are playing Black? Let's assume your opponent plays e4 first.

Flank pawn move
Playing the rook pawn (a6, a5, h6, h5) is just like playing Anderssen, Ware, Clemenz, or Desprez for White. The move does not develop any pieces (The Ware and Desprez openings prepare to develop a rook but it is nearly useless and can lead to a trap in which you give up a rook for a bishop).

Playing b6 is a good choice (although not very popular), because it can be used to defend any White's first move, and you have a plan to fianchetto the bishop. Also, playing g6 is a good choice because of the same reason.

Playing g5 is too radical. You have a "floating" pawn, away from your stronghold, and didn't even use it.

Playing b5 is a wrong move! You may ask, "Why is there no wrong move for White's first step, but a wrong move for Black's first step?" That is the unfairness of Chess. White moves first, so he can makes a strong threat with his first move - e4. So Black has to avoid his threat (That's why almost all Black's opening move are called "XXX Defense", and almost all White's opening move are called "XXX Attack"!) You may ask: "Then, anyway, how is b5 wrong?" That's because it simply "gives" a pawn for White. White can simply play Bxb5, capturing your free "floating" pawn! Although this can be called a "gambit", it gives up a pawn for nothing, so don't play it.

Wing pawn move
Playing f5 is a wrong move! It sacrifices a pawn for nothing, just like b5, and White can plays exf5 capturing the pawn.

Playing f6 is also a wrong move, because it strongly weakens Black's king side, and White can attack through the "gap" that is defended and blocked by the kingside bishop pawn.

Playing c5 is known as Sicilian Defense, a very popular first move for Black in the 1950s. Even though it is one of the best moves against 1. e4, it has drawbacks. If you didn't play carefully (Beware: You usually do this in your level), the position will be dangerous. So if you don't have much experience, don't try it.

Playing c6 is known as Caro-Kann Defense. It is a solid, good move that can counter any of White's first moves.

Knight move
Playing Na6 or Nh6 develops a piece, but to a useless square. This move is not recommended.

Playing Nf6 is known as Alekhine Defense. This defense is okay. Although it invites White to push his pawns, Black will soon strike at the center.

Also, playing Nc6 is known as Nimsowitsch Defense. This move is playable. After White plays 2. d4, Black can push the d-pawn.

Center pawn move
d5 is known as the Scandinavian Defense. It usually leads to 2. exd5 Qxd5, bringing the queen out, and White can play 3. Nc3, developing a piece and chasing the black queen around. In this case Black usually plays 3...Qa5, so if you want to play it then remember this line.

e6 is a solid move known as French Defense. Also can play against any White's first move. Notice: This can make complicated trouble, and I've lost a game with this. If you really want to play this, then here is a line that you could remember: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 (3. Nf3 Nc6) 3...exd5

d6 is the Pirc Defense, a good defense like the French Defense. We'll talk about it in more advanced lessons.

e5 is the one of the two most popular first moves for Black, known as Open Game (or Double King's Pawn Opening). I really recommend it to you! It has very interesting lines, and we'll mostly talk about it in this book.

What is the Scholar's Mate?
Some player may set this "Scholar's Mate" trap for beginners. Using this opening, you can win the game in only four moves. However, this trap is easy to avoid, and in this lesson, we'll talk about how to defend against this. Let's take a look.

This position is the King's Pawn Opening. After playing 1. e4, White can bring out his bishop and queen.

After Black copies White's first move, White brings out a bishop. What is White's plan? He is planning to attack the f7-pawn, because only the black King is protecting it, so White can simply win it by attacking it twice when it is only defended once. Next, Black responds with a very passive move - 2...Nc6.

The more popular move is 2. ... Nf6, attacking White's e4 pawn and White needs to save it, and it also avoids the trap because it would defend h5. The next move is...

Now the f7 pawn is attacked twice by White Bishop and White Queen, however, is only defended once by Black King! White threatens checkmate on the next move, but if Black blocks the f7-square and keeps it safe, Black can avoid the trap.

A variation of this move is 3. Qf3. However, Black can block it with 3...Nf6.

Here Black plays a "blunder". A blunder is a terrible move.

Exercise

Check

You have learned the Scholar's Mate! Remember to avoid it. Don't let the opponent win this way.

Why Copycat strategy does not work
You may ask, "What is Copycat strategy?"

Copycat means to "Copy the opponent's move". Only Black can use this strategy because he does not have to move first.

However, it didn't work. Let's take a look at a famous trap, where Black uses the Copycat strategy.

Remember, this is the Open Game.

There is still nothing wrong here. This is called Petrov's Defense, trying to counterattack White's e4-pawn.

White plays a good move, capturing Black's pawn on e5. Black copies, that is...

Oops! Black should have played 3...d6, attacking White's Knight. Instead, he continues playing the Copycat strategy. White has a great plan.

White is threatening to take Black's attacking knight. Not only this, but White has a powerful plan.

He saved his knight, but White plan is now unstoppable! We'll talk about the "tactic" later in this book. Let's take a look.

You may ask, "This is sacrificing a knight for nothing! Black can simply capture the White knight with the pawn!" Nope! Did you notice Black is also under check, by the white queen? Also, Black's queen is under attack, too! This powerful move is called a "discovered check". For now, you don't need to remember it.

Black was forced to block the check. He will lose the queen.

Black's resigning time. Don't be a "copycat" in chess!

Another trap
We've seen two opening traps, right? Here's another opening trap.

This is the Queen's Pawn Opening. This move is also good (See "White's first move" section).

Popular and good.

This is called a gambit - sacrificing a pawn for some better position. This opening (1. d4 d5 2. c4) even has a name: Queen's Gambit or QG.

Black declined the gambit! This is called Queen's Gambit Declined, or QGD.

Simple developing.

Also simple developing. Still nothing wrong here...

This is still developing. Notice how on White's kingside, no piece has been developed. Also, even though "pinning" the Black knight is a well-known tactic (we will learn about pins later), the White bishop is far-away, isolated, and in danger, but the pinned knight might have a chance to run away (for example, Be7 protects the queen and then Black can move the knight away). This opening even has a name: "QGD Modern Variation", but "modern" doesn't always mean "good".

This is a good move, although Nc6 is better.

White is planning to win the exchange on d5. There are two attackers and only one defender, so White decides to take it first. (Note that the f6 knight is pinned, if Black moves it, he will lose the queen. Therefore, it is a "false defender".)

It looks like White has taken a free pawn, however Black plays a surprising move!

Although Black loses a queen here, he can win it back soon. Also, Black is ahead in material, because he captured a knight which took a "free" pawn.

White takes the queen.

Check! Now White has to block the check with the queen, because he didn't develop any kingside material. The white king was unsafe.

}} Forced.

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Of course. It seems messy, but since White's knight might go pawn hunting and unexpectedly get captured, Black is ahead. The bishop on d8 is obviously dead, because Black can take it next move.

Another quick checkmate example
The last opening trap to end this chapter!

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 is called the Philidor Defense. 3. Bc4 Bg4?!. Like I said before, even though this is a tactic, the unsupported bishop is in danger.

Another mistake.

This looks a bit like the previous example, where it uses the pinned knight. Black has a much better move: dxe5, even though after Qxg4 he would be down a pawn, he would still have chances.

If you want a quick checkmate, you need to attack the f7-square twice while it is only defended by the black king.

Forced.

Checkmate.

The End
You have completed the Some Basics for Openings chapter. You learned to:


 * 1) Control the center.
 * 2) Develop your pieces.
 * 3) Keep your king safe.
 * 4) Choose your first move.
 * 5) Avoid some common opening traps.

See you in the next chapter, Tactics for Beginners!