chess openings

Introduction

It can be described as the beginning of a game from the very first move until all minor pieces are developed, the major pieces are coordinating and one has safely castled; but with the Hypermodern chess the description is broad. In this opening section we would like to acknowledge IM John Watson and many other authors who have shared their invaluable knowledge through books and journals.

Common rules to consider in the Opening

  1. Open with a center pawn in order to try and control the center. You also get to expose the bishops and the queen, ready to get in the midst of the attack.
  2. Develop with threats in order to keep your opponent always on his toes because you are not giving them room to conduct their attack. They will be thinking of defense and this is a good practical rule adhere to if you are the one having the White pieces.
  3. KNIGHTS before Bishops; we develop Knights before Bishops because they tend to control more squares in the center. But there are situations where developing them might block squares that other pieces are defending which might lead one to succumbing to an attack.
  4. Don’t move the same piece twice in the opening because it will delay development – bringing pieces out to favorable positions. That is why it is very important to consider piece placement from attacks
  5. Make as few pawn moves as possible in the opening. The disadvantage with pawn movement is that they can never go back once they have been moved forward. Furthermore, the more they are up the board the more susceptible they are to an attack.
  6. Don’t bring out your QUEEN too early. Queen is the second highest value from the King and might be susceptible to attack. In the process of the opponent attacking your Queen they get to develop a piece and you might find yourself lagging behind in development.
  7. Castle as soon as possible, preferably on the King side. Castling removes the king from the central position where it is susceptible to an attack from both flanks. Most Professional players prefer short castling as compared to long castling. This mainly is due to preference through practice and style of play but the position of the game should dictate which side you castle.
  8. Always play to gain control of the center. Controlling the key squares of d4, d5, e4, e5 ensure mobility of your pieces and creates way for placement of pieces which might influence the game outcome.
  9. Try to maintain at least a pawn in the center to help balance the equilibrium of the game. Central pawns tend to have more influence on the position than pawns on the flanks. That is why you might a master giving a flank pawn just to maintain the central pawn.
  10. Don’t sacrifice without a clear and adequate reason; most novice players try to emulate giants in the game of chess who sacrifice pieces just to gain a good position. Unfortunately, most of these novice players are unable to find a good continuation to their sacrifice because they didn’t understand the position properly.

Common Examples of Openings

Scotch Game Opening


1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 defines Scotch Game, the line runs 4…Nf6 (4…Bc5 5 Be3 {5 Nxc6 Qf6 6 Qd2! Qxc6} Qf6 6 c3 Nge7 7 Bc4 Ne5 8 Be2 Qg6 9 0-0 Qxe4 10 Nd2 leaves Black facing quite an attack) 5 Nc3 (5 Nxc6 bxc6 6 e5 Qe7 7 Qe2 Nd5 8 c4 Ba6 9 b3) Bb4 6 Nxc6 bxc6 7 Bd3 d5! 8 exd5 cxd5 9 0-0 0-0 10 Bg5 Be7?! 11 Bxf6 Bxf6 12 Nxd5! Bxb2 (12…Qxd5?? 13 Bxh7+)

Giuoco Piano


1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Bc5 defines Giuoco Piano, the main line runs 4 c3 (4 d3 d6 5 0-0 Nf6 Giuoco Pianissimo, 6 h3 {6 Bg5?! h6 7 Bh4 g5 8 Bg3 h5! 9 Nxg5 h4 10 Nxf7 hxg3 11 Nxd8 Bg4 12 Qd2 Nd4 13 h3 Ne2+ 14 Kh1?? Rxh3! 15 gxh3 Bf3 # is a beautiful finish to say the least} h6 7 a3 0-0 8 Nc3 a very quiet and solid choice) Nf6 5 d4 exd4 6 cxd4 (6 e5 d5! 7 Bb5 Ne4 8 Nxd4?! 0-0 9 Bxc6 bxc6 10 Be3 Re8 11 Nxc6 Bxe3! 12 Nxd8 Bxf2+ 13 Kf1 Ba6+ wins the queen back with bonus material) Bb4+ (6…Bb6 7 d5 Ne7 8 e5 Ng4 9 d6 Nxf2 10 Qb3! Ng6? 11 Bxf7 Kf8 12 Bg5!, trapping and winning the black queen) 7 Bd2 Bxd2 8 Nbxd2 d5! 9 exd5 Nxd5 (D) the battle will be between Black’s better structure and White’s piece-play

Evans Gambit


1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Bc5 4 b4 Evans Gambit, the main line runs 4…Bxb4 (4…Bb6 5 a4 { 5 b5 Na5 6 Nxe5? Nh6! Black threatens Bd4, d6 or Qg5} a6! 6 Nc3 Nf6) 5 c3 Ba5 ( 5…Be7 6 d4 Na5 7 Nxe5 Nxc4 8 Nxc4 d5 9 exd5 Qxd5 10 Ne3 Qa5 White’s better center compensating for Black’s bishop pair) 6 d4 exd4 (6…d6 7 0-0 Bb6 8 dxe5 dxe5 9 Qb3 { 9 Qxd8 Nxd8 10 Nxe5} Qf6 10 Bg5 Qg6 lets Black keep his extra pawn in return for some pressure) 7 0-0 d6 (7…Nge7 8 cxd4 { 8 Ng5 d5 9 exd5 Ne5! } d5 9 exd5 Nxd5 10 Qb3 Be6 11 Qxb7 Ndb4!) 8 cxd4 Bb6 9 Nc3 Bg4 (9…Nf6? 10 e5 dxe5 11 Ba3! Prevents Black from castling followed by Qb3 or Ng5)

King’s Gambit


1 e4 e5 2 f4 defines King’s Gambit, the line runs 2…exf4 (2…Bc5 3 Nf3 { 3 fxe5?? Qh4+ 4 g3 Qxe4+ } d6 4 Nc3 Nf6 5 Bc4 Nc6 6 d3 Bg4 ; The Falkbeer Counter – Gambit 2…d5 3 exd5 e4?! 4 d3! Nf6 5 dxe4 Nxe4 6 Nf3 Bc5 7 Qe2 Bf5 8 Nc3 Qe7 9 Be3! Nxc3 10 Bxc5! Nxe2 11 Bxe7 Nxf4 12 Ba3 Nxd5 13 0-0-0 leaves Black’s King stuck in the center) 3 Nf3 g5 (Modern variation 3…d5 4 exd5 Nf6 5 Bb5+ c6 6 dxc6 Nxc6 7 d4 Bd6 leaves Black f-pawn alive, cramping White’s pieces) 4 h4 (Wild Muzio Gambit, 4 Bc4 g4 5 0-0! gxf3 6 Qxf3 Qf6 7 e5! Qxe5 8 Bxf7+! Kxf7 9 d4 Qxd4+ 10 Be3! Qf6 11 Nc3 White is planning Qh5+, Nd5 or Bxf4) g4 5 Ne5 Nf6 6 d4 ( 6 Bc4 d5! ) d6 7 Nd3 Nxe4 8 Bxf4 Qe7 9 Be2 Bg7 (D) Black has an extra pawn in return for a slightly loose position

Philidor Defence


1 e4 e5 (1e4 d6 Modern Philidor 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 e5 4 dxe5 dxe5 5 Qxd8+ Kxd8 6 Bc4 Be6 7 Bxe6 fxe6 Black’s accept doubled isolated pawns since they control important squares and are hard to attack) 2 Nf3 d6 Philidor Defence, the line runs 3 d4 exd4 (3…Nd7 4 Nc3 {4 Bc4! Ngf6 [4…Be7? 5 dxe5 Nxe5 {5…Nxe5 ?? 6 Qd5!} 6 Nxe5 dxe5 7 Qh5! g6 8 Qxe5] 5 dxe5 Nxe5 6 Nxe5 dex5 7 Bxf7+! Kxf7 8 Qxd8 Bb4+ 9 Qd2 Bxd2 10 Nxd2 White is clear pawn ahead } Ngf6 5 Bc4 Be7 6 0-0 0-0 7 Qe2 c6 8 a4 Qc7 9 Rd1 b6 White has space advantage but it is hard to break Black’s fortress) 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 g6 6 Bc4 Bg7 7 f3 0-0 8 Be3 (D) Black gives up control of the center to White, intending to exert pressure on the long h8-a1 diagonal

Petroff Defence


1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6  Petroff Defence, the line runs 3 Nxe5 (3 d4 Nxe4 (3…d5 is possible too!) 4 Bd3 d5 5 Nxe5 Bd6 { Var {5…Nd7 6 Nxd7 (6 Nxf7 Qe7!?) Bxd7 7 0-0 Bd6 [7…Qh4 8 c4 0-0-0 9 c5 leads to dramatic play ] 8 c4 [ 8 Re1 Bxh2+ 9 Kxh2 Qh4+ draws] c6 9 cxd5 cxd5 10 Qh5 0-0 11 Qxd5 Bc6} 6 0-0 0-0 7 c4 Bxe5 8 dxe5 Nc6 9 cxd5 Qxd5 10 Qc2 keeps the pressure; 3 Bc4 Nxe4 4 Nc3 Nxc3 ( 4…Nc6! 5 Nxe4 d5) 5 dxc3 f6 ( 5…d6? 6 Ng5 Be6 7 Bxe6 fxe6 8 Qf3) 6 Nh4 g6 7 f4) d6 (3… Nxe4?! 4 Qe2 Nf6?? (4…Qe7 4 Qxe4 d6 is better) 5 Nc6+, winning the black Queen) 4 Nf3 Nxe4 5 Nc3 (5 d3 Nf6 6 d4 d5 is actually an Exchange French; 5 Qe2 Qe7 6 d3 Nf6 leads to a dull ending which is a problem if black needs to win) Nxc3 6 dxc3 Be7 7 Bf4 0-0 8 Qd2 Nd7 9 0-0-0

Ruy Lopez : Closed Main Lines


1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Be7 Closed Ruy Lopez, the line runs 6 Re1 b5 7 Bb3 d6 8 c3 0-0 (8…Na5 Bc2; 8…0-0 9 d4 Bg4 10 h3? Bxf3 11 Qxf3 exd4 costs him a pawn) 9 h3 Bb7 ((Chigorin Defence 9…Na5 10 Bc2 c5 11 d4 Qc7 (11…cxd4 12 cxd4 exd4 opens the game; 11…Nd7 12 Nbd2 exd4 13 cxd4 unbalances matters) 12 Nbd2 Nc6 13 d5 closes the game) ;( Breyer’s 9…Nb8 10 d4 Nbd7 11 Nbd2 Bb7 reorganizes Black’s pieces flexibly)) 10 d4 Re8 11 Nbd2 (11 Ng5 Rf8 12 Nf3, seeking a draw) Bf8 12 a4 h6 13 Bc2 exd4 14 cxd4 Nb4 15 Bb1 c5

Ruy Lopez : Marshall Attack


1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Be7 6 Re1 b5 7 Bb3 0-0 8 c3 (8 a4 ‘Anti-Marshall’ b4 9 d3 d6 10 a5 Rb8) d5 Marshall Attack, the line runs 9 exd5 Nxd5 (9…e4?! 10 dxc6 exf3 11 Qxf3 (11 d4 fxg4 12 Qf3 a5; 11 g3!? Bg4 12 d4 keeps more control) Bg4 12 Qg3 Re8 13 f3 Qd3) 10 Nxe5 Nxe5 11 Rxe5 c6 12 d4 ( 12 d3 Bd6 13 Re1 Qh4 (13…Bf5!) 14 g3 Qh3 15 Re4 g5? 16 Bxg5) Bd6 13 Re1 Qh4 14 g3 Qh3 15 Be3 (15 Re4 g5! 16 Qf1 Qh5) Bg4 16 Qd3 Rae8 17 Nd2 Re6

Ruy Lopez : Open Spanish


1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Nxe4 Open Spanish 6 d4! (6 d4 exd4 7 Re1 d5 8 c4!? ( 8 Nxd4 Bd6 9 Nxc6 Bxh2+ with a draw if White takes on h2) dxc3 (8…Bb4 9 cxd5) 9 Nxc3 Be6 (9…Bb4 10 Nxe4) 10 Ne5 Is an ambitious gambit) d5? (6… b5 7 Bb3 d5 (7…exd4? 8 Re1 d5 9 Nc3!!) 8 dxe5 Be6 9 Nbd2 ( 9 c3 Bc5 10 Nbd2 (10 Qd3 Ne7 11 Nbd2 Bf5) 0-0 11 Bc2 Nxf2 12 Rxf2 f6) Nc5 (9…Bc5?! 10 Nxe4 dxe4 11 Ng5; 9…Be7 10 c3 0-0 11 Re1 gives White pressure) 10 c3 d4 11 Bxe6 Nxe6 (11…Qxg5 12 Qf3!) 12 cxd4 Ncxd4 13 a4 Is the positional approach) 7 Nxe5 Bd7 8 Nxf7! Kxf7 9 Qh5+

Alekhine Defence


1 e4 Nf6, Alekhine Defence, the main line runs 2 e5 Nd5 3 d4 (Chase Variation, 3 c4 Nb6 4 c5 Nd5 5 Bc4 c6 (5…e6 6 Nc3 d6?! 7 Nxd5 exd5 8 Bxd5 c6 9 Bxf7+! With three pawns for a piece) 6 Nc3 d6 7 Qb3 Nd7 8 Nxd5 Nxc5 9 Nc7+ Kd7 is extra ordinary chess – from another planet!) d6 4 c4 (4 Nf3 dxe5 (4…Bg4 5 Be2) 5 Nxe5 c6 (5…Nd7?! 6 Nxf7! With an attack) 6 c4 Nb4!) Nb6 5 f4 ( 5 exd6 cxd6 6 Nc3 g6 7 Be3 Bg7 8 Rc1 0-0 9 b3 e5, the Sedate Exchange Variation) dxe5 6 fxe5 Nc6 (6…c5 7 d5 g6 8 Nc3 Bg7 9 Bf4 0-0 10 Qd2 e6) 7 Be3 Bf5 8 Nc3 e6 9 Nf3 Be7 10 d5 exd5 11 cxd5 Nb4 12 Nd4 Bd7 13 e6 crazily complex