How do you Understand Opening Moves

Hey All,

I have the chess positional trainer and am "memorizing" 1.e4 e5 2.nf3..... using this superb program at rookie level on the system.

One hurdle I have come across is understanding why I am moving the pieces in the order recommend by the program, if I can solve this, maybe I could be quicker at memorizing the openings. If you can help, it would be great.

My rating has gone from an average of 950 to above 1000 on this method and I find I can give some players of rating 1300+ a serious workout.

Recently I read that some GM's do not bother with these book moves as they know why they are moving their piece, as opposed to moving them with theory.

Here's a couple of bookmoves from the program:

1.e4 e5 2.nf3 f5 3.Bc4 fxe4 4.Nxe5 d5 5. Qh5+ g6 6.Nxg6 hxg6 7.Qxg6+ kd7

1.e4 e5 2.nf3 nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Bc5 6. dxc6 Bxf2+ 7.Kf1 O-O 8.Qe2 Bb6 9.Nc3 bxc6 10.Qxe5 h6

1. e4 is played to open up lines for the bishop and king, and to take control of a share of the center.  2. Nf3 is to develop a piece with a threat against the e5 pawn

I recommend reading "logical chess, move by move" by irving chernev

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5 is the dangerous but unsound Latvian Gambit. As a beginner, you should not go near it at all.

What you should understand is this:

• Openings are a fight to control the center (e4, d4, e5, d5)
• The center is important because whoever holds it controls the board
• Both sides want to quickly develop pieces and center pawns, basically to control the center before the other guy gets to it
• With all those big guys coming to the center, the King is usually taken to the side (castling) to avoid death by accident.

It's all about the center, center, and center!

• Developing a piece to be near the center is good (Nf3, Nc3)
• Developing a line piece to point at the center is also good (g3 + Bg2)
• Developing a center pawn to the center is good
• Attacking an opponent's control of the center is good
• If you control the center you might be able to ultimately decide the game.

This "centrality" principle also works backwards, telling you what is a bad move.

• Developing away from the center is bad (Nh3, Na3)
• Developing a flank pawn without indirect central intentions is not good
• Moving the same piece a lot of times is bad, because you will ultimately have less pieces pointed at the center
• Moving the queen early is bad, because your opponent can develop more pieces and point them at the center.

How long before GambitKing detects someone referring to the Latvian as unsound and rushes to its defence ?

 Yeah, I know!  But I've always lost horribly when I use the Latvian.  I think the best part of it is to have the white pieces.

Probably that's why it's called the Latvian Defence. Not because it defends you; but because you have to defend it.