Book recommendation for very basic chess openings?
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I am just starting to play chess. I recently read a helpful book called Basic Chess Openings for Kids by Charles Hertan. It taught me some basic principles for opening moves.
Now, I am looking for a book that would help me become familiar with a dozen or so basic chess openings that every player should know and recognize. I'd like to see what these openings are, how they are typically played, and how some of the more common variations are played. And I'd like it to use algebraic notation.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can make a recommendation.
John watson modern openings
Chess structures
Nov 10, 2019
0
#5
I wouldn't get too focused on trying to learn several openings and their lines. Better to learn general principles and tactics to see how openings try to exploit these.
I would recommend several books by GM Yasser Seirawan, including Winning Chess Openings, Winning Chess Strategies and Winning Chess Tactics. You were asking about openings, but another good book of his is Winning Chess Endings.
Here is a link to an old thread on this site regarding his books. Some of the books mentioned, Brilliantcies and Duels are for more experienced players:
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/are-yasser-seirawan-s-books-worth-reading?page=1
Good luck!!
Fundamental Chess Openings or FCO is an encyclopedia of openings much like MCO. Unlike MCO, FCO relies less on variations and more on explanation.
That being said, I have to agree with m_connors. If you want to get better as fast as possible, just rely on general opening principles for now and instead focus your efforts on tactics training.
I also agree with m_connors as to his book recommendations. Winning Chess Strategies was the first chess book I read from cover to cover. It's a great book from an excellent chess mind. While I still think studying tactics will be a more efficient path to improvement for a beginner, you won't go wrong by reading it.
"Winning Chess Openings" by Seirawan is a very good choice, as is "Chess Openings for Amateurs" by Peter Tamburro
@ceckerson -
As well as the openings book by Yasser Seirawan mentioned earlier (which is very good, as are all of his books) the following book will also provide you with exactly what you are looking for....a succinct overview of the all of the major openings, targeted to the beginner-novice player who wishes to compare/contrast and acquire a sense of them.....a very good book by a well-known expert on openings.....
Back to Basics: Openings by Carsten Hansen...
https://www.amazon.com/Back-Basics-Openings-ChessCafe-Chess/dp/1888690445/ref=sr_1_1?crid=HFYT9BSRWU9E&keywords=back+to+basics+openings&qid=1573417621&s=books&sprefix=back+to+basics+openin%2Cstripbooks%2C206&sr=1-1
I also highly recommend, for every beginner-novice...
Discovering Chess Openings by John Emms.....its focus is specifically and exclusively on opening fundamental principles, treating some openings only insofar as they serve to illustrate the principles under discussion.....this is the best book for learning the basics of the opening phase of the game in general, i.e., how to play (and not play) the opening...
https://www.amazon.com/Discovering-Chess-Openings-Building-Principles/dp/1857444191/ref=sr_1_3?crid=9PHK7J4OUROV&keywords=discovering+chess+openings&qid=1573417940&s=books&sprefix=discovering+chess+%2Cstripbooks%2C202&sr=1-3
While the two books above are as I have described them, the most comprehensive single-volume openings reference, providing a deeper treatment, including all the primary and popular variations, is...
FCO: Fundamental Chess Openings by Paul Van der Sterren...
https://www.amazon.com/FCO-Fundamental-Paul-Van-Sterren/dp/1906454132/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1I7GNXF1PHN4T&keywords=fundamental+chess+openings&qid=1573445131&s=books&sprefix=fundamental+chess%2Cstripbooks%2C208&sr=1-3
each of the books are commented on here...
Good Chess Openings Books For Beginners and Beyond...
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/good-chess-openings-books-for-beginners-and-beyond
also check out...
Chess Openings Resources for Beginners and Beyond...
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/openings-resources-for-beginners-and-beyond
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell
"... I can strongly recommend Mastering The Chess Openings: Volume 2 to all chess players from 1800 on up." - IM John Donaldson
http://dev.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Mastering-the-Chess-Openings-Volume-2-76p3570.htm
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Mastering_the_Chess_Openings_volume_1.pdf
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Mastering_the_Chess_Openings_volume_2.pdf
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Mastering_the_Chess_Openings_volume_3.pdf
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Mastering_the_Chess_Openings_volume_4.pdf
"... Chess structures: A Grandmaster Guide is not a primer of positional play; for that, try Michael Stean's Simple Chess, Herman Grooten's Chess Strategy for Club Players, or Silman's ... How to Reassess Your Chess. Instead, you might think of Chess Structures as positional chess 'finishing school.' ..." - John Hartmann
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/chess-structures-a-grandmaster-guide/
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7495.pdf
"... [Fundamental Chess Openings by Paul van der Sterren] is not particularly suited for players who are just starting out. I would imagine players rated at least 1400-1500 would get the most benefit from this volume. ..." - FM Carsten Hansen (2009)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626173432/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen128.pdf
http://www.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/FCO-Fundamental-Chess-Openings-76p3561.htm
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/FCO_Fundamental_Chess_Openings.pdf
ceckerson wrote:
I am just starting to play chess. I recently read a helpful book called Basic Chess Openings for Kids by Charles Hertan. ... Now, I am looking for a book that would help me become familiar with a dozen or so basic chess openings that every player should know and recognize. I'd like to see what these openings are, how they are typically played, and how some of the more common variations are played. ...
"... Overall, I would advise most players to stick to a fairly limited range of openings, and not to worry about learning too much by heart. ..." - FM Steve Giddins (2008)
Thank you for all the amazing (and rapid) input! I will look forward to digging into your recommendations in the days ahead.
"... For inexperienced players, I think the model that bases opening discussions on more or less complete games that are fully annotated, though with a main focus on the opening and early middlegame, is the ideal. ..." - FM Carsten Hansen (2010)
It can get to be pretty tedious to read about one opening after another. Perhaps you would like Yasser Seirawan's Winning Chess Openings.
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627132508/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen173.pdf
I think that it is the most readable book of its type. Unfortunately, it does not have much in the way of sample games. There is a lot of (I think) helpful advice for beginners in Back to Basics Openings, but, for much of the book, there is that same problem: one opening after another with not much in the way of annotated games. For that, you may want to look at The Mammoth Book of Chess by Graham Burgess.
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093123/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review756.pdf
But, really, rather than try to learn about a bunch of openings in quick succession, I suspect that, for now, your best choice would be books selected from those that try to introduce a limited set of openings using sample games. I am thinking of books like:
Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014)
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/openings-for-amateurs/
https://www.chess.com/blog/ForwardChess/book-of-the-week-openings-for-amateurs
https://www.mongoosepress.com/catalog/excerpts/openings_amateurs.pdf
First Steps: 1 e4 e5
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7790.pdf
https://chesscafe.com/book-reviews/first-steps-1-e4-e5-by-john-emms/
First Steps: Queen's Gambit
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7652.pdf
My First Chess Opening Repertoire for White
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9033.pdf
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/vincent-moret/
Opening Repertoire 1 e4
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7819.pdf
Perhaps it would be a good idea to start with Discovering Chess Openings, a book about opening principles.
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf
I imagine that there is some overlap with the topics in Basic Chess Openings for Kids, but GM Emms illustrated his ideas with lots of examples and included some details on several specific openings.
1_a31-0 wrote:
Winning Chess Openings by Yasser Seirawan
Certainly one of your best choices
Nov 13, 2019
0
#16
1_a31-0 wrote:
Winning Chess Openings by Yasser Seirawan
And helped me immensely. 
Nov 13, 2019
0
#17
m_connors wrote:
1_a31-0 wrote:
Winning Chess Openings by Yasser Seirawan
And helped me immensely.
sameee
Nov 13, 2019
0
#18
Understanding the Chess Openings by Sam Collins
is my favorite. I have 4 opening books and I go to Collins first if I want an
overview of an unfamiliar opening, or to rapidly review an opening I know.
He's the former Irish champion and writes clearly.
The Collins book is quite good. It would make a great second book.
Unfortunately, there is that same problem: one opening after another with not much in the way of annotated games.
"... For inexperienced players, I think the model that bases opening discussions on more or less complete games that are fully annotated, though with a main focus on the opening and early middlegame, is the ideal. ..." - FM Carsten Hansen (2010)
"... Players around 1700 won’t find a better or easier way [than Understanding the Chess Openings] to survey openings to include in their repertoire. …"
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627031504/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen76.pdf
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Understanding_the_Chess_Openings.pdf