Chess Openings For Dummies

Hello Folks

I recently bought the book 'Chess Openings For Dummies'

It's in a simple format and suitable for people like myself who enjoy the game of chess but are still just novices.

My intention with this blog is to encourage other members to share the experience of learning some basic chess openings to give ourselves a 'fighting chance' as our games progress to the 'middle game' and into the 'end game'.

I am hopefull that a better understanding of the various openings will lead to a better understanding of the complexities of what appears to be a simple game but which is in fact a complex and fascinating adventure.

Ronnie

Hey Ronnie! This is a great book for those who want to learn about chess openings in a simple format! As a chess teacher, I tell my students that the opening is the foundation upon which the entire game is built! The first step to getting good at openings is to fully understand "opening principles." Don't simply memorize an opening because unless you understand the underlying principles, you'll not fully be able to understand the reasons behind each move. A few principles to consider:

1. Gain control of the center of the board quickly.

2. Develop your minor pieces early (Knights and Bishops)

3. Castle early

4. Don't move the same piece twice during the opening.

5. Don't bring your Queen out early

6. If facing an exchange of material count the number of attackers versus the number of defenders.

7. When your opponent moves a piece, consider the squares that piece controls as well as where it can move to.

There is a plethora of other stuff to consider but this provides a few basic opening tips! Happy Holidays Ronnie!

Thanks Hugh, I know what you are saying, If I followed an opening sequence and don't understand the principles I will be 'scuppered' if my opponent makes a move that is not in the book, thanks for your advice.

Hey Ronnie, the great thing about fully understanding and using the "opening principles" is that it gives you an opportunity to safely respond to almost anything your opponent throws at you.

I teach chess in a classroom setting at a number of schools here in San Francisco. Our sessions are between 8 and 11 weeks. This is far to short to work on specific openings. While I do present games with specific openings, we apply the opening principles to each game so the student understands why a move is made. It also has the benefit of allowing the student to have a sound set of guidelines use during the game's start.

My adult students often try to memorize a specific opening, say the first 8 to 10 moves. Some of them, will take it a bit further and commit a small portion of mainline variations to memory as well. However, when I play them and throw them a provocative or obscure move, their opening crumbles. If you exercise the opening principles with a full understanding of them, you'll be able to understand specific moves from specific openings.

Another thing to factor in is finding the opening that's right for you. If you're an aggressive player, you probably will not do well with conservative openings and if you're a conservative player you'll be uncomfortable with aggressive openings. Find an opening that suits your personality is key. I'm going to go through the Dummies Guide to Openings again as well as the Kids Book of Chess Openings which is really good (even for adults). We should keep this posting going because we've only just scratched the surface!

Thanks for your comments Hugh.  As I said I am a novice, and as you probably know the book states quite early on to find an opening or openings that suit my personality when playing as white, but I also see the neccessity of understanding the principles in responding to different openings whilst playing as black.  These are early days in my development, I know how the pieces move and the idea behind the game but I want to develop and understand more, my theory being the better aquainted I am with openings the better chance I will get of winning in the later stages of the game.

Hi! I'm also interested in improving my openings' performance. Hugh's advices are very useful about the way to play in the opening. Here are some other things that may be obvious but are important:

- An opening's role is to create the middlegame setting. When playing an opening you should think about what the middlegame will look like.

- Every opening has two major goals: pawn structure formation and pieces' development, and every move you make in it should improve one of them or restrict the opponent's opportunities to do so.

- Keep attacking opportunities unless behind in material or development.

- Don't play passively.

- Exploit your opponent's passivity on the spot. If your opponent doesn't commit to pawn structue formation, create one that favors you. If your opponent doesn't develop well, gain space and important lines/squares control and/or create an attack.

What is most important in the openings is that they are the strategical preparation of the game. An opening is in fact a move sequence that reduces both sides' possible middlegame plans until it's clear what each side's plan is. This plan should be based on pawn structure features and its coordination with pieces' play. Those are the possible strengths and weaknesses of the sides, and those are the ones to consider when planning the middlegame, otherwise you'll stray away from the particular game, and lose. You should make use of your outposts, open or semi-open lines, space control, attacking possibilities, and prevent the opponent from doing so, by either not allowing him to create such strengths or by finding a way to neutralize them - in other words, in the middlegame you have to play the position. Vice versa, all you do in the opening is to prepare such a position, by your play. It is neither easier nor more difficult

I would recommend you to study some pawn structures' features and proper ways to play them, because although it changes, the pawn structure is the most permanent thing in the game, and the one that influences pieces' play to the largest extent, by providing available or unavailable squares and lines for their play, and by creating targets for the pieces to attack. If you are familiar with pawn structures, you'll have no trouble (well, almost ) with the opening.

Thanks Glex, I really appreciate your comments.  At the moment i have mainly been looking at openings that begin with 'e4' King's Pawn, as that is the structure of the book, I am in the process of examining the King's Gambit (accepted or declined), and some of the gambits associated when responding as black.

Fascinating stuff, I wish I had started sooner, but at least I am making a start now.

Ronnie I want to say respectfully that you are going down a road that leads to no where. And other people who encourage you are well intentioned, but  aren't really helping you at all. Please let me say upfront that I am no expert myself so take what I  say as something you might want to consider if it makes sense to you. Here goes: Chess is already complicated enough. Your analysis and thought process are making your formative period even more complicated and confusing. You neeedn't concern yourself about openings at this point in time. Chess.com has a series of videos by Dan Rensch, David Pruess et al that tell you what to think about as a beginner. Do not try to re-invent the wheel. They have already done that with the help of countless others . Go after Dan's beginner video lectures first. That is like going for the throat. Other than that all you have to do for a substantial period of time is play, play, play , play.................

Thanks arthurqq, I appreciate your comments, and whilst I am learning 'book openings' I am indeed playing a lot of games.  To be honest I am enjoying learning about 'Gambits' and 'Countergambits' so I will continue to read the book.  I know from experience that the best way to learn is by playing, but I am not just learning the openings by rote, as (you know yourself) my opponent seldom makes the move you hope for and that can throw you off your own game, but If I experiment with openings I hope to find one that suits my own style and at least have an idea of whites motives when playing black.  Thanks for your comment.

Hi   I started playing chess 2 years ago at the age of 54.  My memory isn't very good (a young person's brain is like a sponge; mine is like a concrete block) so it never did me any good to memorize openings anyway). A couple of months ago I asked my instructor if I should now start studying opening theory.  His answer was an empahatic "NO!  Keep working on tactics.  Tactics tactics and more tactics".  So, that would be my advice to anyone in the beginner's stage which I still consider myself.  And don't worry about not setting the chess world on fire.  It takes time to improve.  A very slow process.  My USCF rating was floating between 400 and 600 until this past Thanksgiving when I won a tournament in the U1400 section and saw my rating double to 1200...just like that! 

Ronnie, excuse me, but I really don't think you are getting what I am talking about at all. You just think you are understanding . Rather than you and I going around in circles about this,  just continue to waste your time doing what you are doing. I have 2 final comments. First, watch the Dan Rentsch videos I mentioned. Second after you have spent hours and hours and hours etc. ad nauseam studying openings just let all of us know what you have selected as the best openings for YOU. That should give all of us a good laugh in regard to your sought after discovery. Sorry, Ronnie, but  you are just chasing your tail.

Thanks for your comment Mike, much appreciated.  Like yourself, my mind is 'like a concrete block' so I don't try to memorize openings.  I am just looking into the variables to see if I can 'chip away' at the 'concrete block'.  Probably like yourself I wish I had looked at the game earlier in life, and I don't expect to 'set the world alight', but I hope to improve gradually.  I love the game but it can be a 'frustrating process of learning'!!  Again, thanks for your advice, I've taken it on board, as I have all the advice, but, like yourself, I have to venture forward where my mind takes me, even if I have to 'step back', 'retreat' and start anew in another direction.

I do study tactics, I use the facility on this site regularly, but without a sound basis from the opening I usually end up using tactics to avoid disaster!!

Hey Ronnie.   One more thing:  I much prefer "brick and mortar" tactics training ( using a chess board and setting up the puzzles).   Also, for a basic opening for white with e4 try the Italian.  It's pretty simple and accomplishes every item a beginner like us should be doing, ie controlling the center, developing quickly and castling early.

The James Eade series of books for novice players are excellant. As far as studying openings are concerned, if i was playing against a novice i certainly would expect to destroy them in the OPENING should they violate any opening principle ! Learn to play Fundamentally Sound chess from move one because tactics generally arise from a strategically superior position !    lol

Mike, just to say I have a chess board in front of me, well, in front of my sofa, which I set the positions upon, much better, 3D,  and 'mateologist' I think you have it in one, the 'opening' has 'fundamental rules' that you break at your peril, unless you have an understanding of 'why', which is where gambits 'kick in'.  Thanks to both of you for your comments.

I've enjoyed the book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Chess Openings" - which I assume is similar to "Chess Openings for Dummies".   It starts with a list of broad principles similar to those  Hugh shared earlier in this thread and then goes through common openings (starting with those beginning e4-e5).  I haven't memorized a bunch of openings or anything like that but I think it has been useful for me to see those broad opening principles applied and discussed in the context of the most common openings.

   I find that also helps when someone makes a move that is not 'by the book' as well - if you know why it isn't 'by the book' then you're better able to figure out a way to take advantage.

Tom, you are 'spot on' in as much as I feel by looking at openings you can begin to 'question', "Why have they played a move that the 'experts' have considered incorrect.  Thanks for your comment, I have found it really encouraging.

I have a further though on all of this and that is don't bury your life in chess or chess books. I did. I studied everything I could get my hands on, memorized everything I could find, beat many high ranked players including a Hungarian GM to what purpose ? In one split second I was hit from behind in a very serious car accident, suffered some brain damage and lost a lot of my memory including most of my chess ability. I learned that what was really important that I didn't lose was the love of my wonderful wife, my family, my friends and my faith and I wished I hadn't negleged them for all the success I had in playing and studing chess. Don't make the mistake I made. Enjoy Life and all it's worth and don't bury your life in chess, chess books etc (or anything else)and miss it all, until, it's too late. Something to think upon before life passes you by.   Blessings,  Enoch

Thanks Enoch for your considerate words, I have ca family who I see, but I feel I would like to have another interest also.  My children have grown up and have families of their own, and although I play a part in their lives I also have to live my own.

So very trgic what happened to you, but at least you had your family there when you needed them. God Bless You.