Chess openings for beginners • page 1/2 • General Chess Discussion • lichess.org

I am closing in on 1200 elo (still a novice) and I think it is time for me to learn a bit of theory and add a couple of openings to my repertoire. Can you guys recommend some openings that are suitable for beginners? Obviously I'm not going to learn lines from the Najdorf Sycilian. Thank you in advance!

Koo8384

#2

At your level you should focus on tactics and endgames and not on openings

grafOrlok

#3

@Koo8384 I am also trying to practice those, but I notice that in a lot of my games, my opponent sets themselves up for a good middle game by executing some form of opening or trap. Those are the most frustrating losses for me, so I naturally want to improve in that area aswell. I can practice endgames all I want, but its all for nothing if I don't make it there.

Parahumanoid

#4

The italian game contains some straighforward opening theory ideas (Although the concrete main lines can get complicated).
Most beginners start with this opening as it deals with many basic opening ideas and fundamentals.

The italian game contains some straighforward opening theory ideas (Although the concrete main lines can get complicated). Most beginners start with this opening as it deals with many basic opening ideas and fundamentals.

grafOrlok

#5

@Parahumanoid Thank you for the suggestion, I'll look it up.

Mezmer edited

#6

My suggestion - for beginners to really get a good idea on how to play openings...

Play according to the basic chess opening principles - king safety, pawns to control the center, knights before bishops, connect the rooks, looking for weaknesses to attack, and replying to any threats and making your own threats. Write down what your opponent moved (and what that move means), and then think of some candidate moves for yourself and take notes about what you think about them.

Afterwards - review your game and look at an opening database of high quality games (or a book like Fundamental Chess Openings by Van der Sterren). Compare your choices and reasoning to the main lines (and looking a few moves down the line to see what the resulting position looks like). If any of those look particularly interesting to you - then you can do a little further digging into the lines.

This will teach you chess and for how to think for yourself right from move 1, and let you not only learn the opening moves, but get a really good understanding of what's going on.

Most will suggest 1.e4 for white, and 1.e4 e5 and 1.d4 d5 for Black as they are the most classically principled and easiest to understand (and find mistakes) openings for beginners.

My suggestion - for beginners to really get a good idea on how to play openings... Play according to the basic chess opening principles - king safety, pawns to control the center, knights before bishops, connect the rooks, looking for weaknesses to attack, and replying to any threats and making your own threats. Write down what your opponent moved (and what that move means), and then think of some candidate moves for yourself and take notes about what you think about them. Afterwards - review your game and look at an opening database of high quality games (or a book like Fundamental Chess Openings by Van der Sterren). Compare your choices and reasoning to the main lines (and looking a few moves down the line to see what the resulting position looks like). If any of those look particularly interesting to you - then you can do a little further digging into the lines. This will teach you chess and for how to think for yourself right from move 1, and let you not only learn the opening moves, but get a really good understanding of what's going on. Most will suggest 1.e4 for white, and 1.e4 e5 and 1.d4 d5 for Black as they are the most classically principled and easiest to understand (and find mistakes) openings for beginners.

achja

#7

@grafOrlok

I notice that in a lot of my games, my opponent sets themselves up for a good middle game
by executing some form of opening or trap. Those are the most frustrating losses for me

Learn those traps !
--- lichess dot org/study/search?q=traps
and learn from some videos as well :
--- lichess dot org/video?tags=beginner/opening

Have fun, good luck !

(meh --- You have reached the maximum amount of links per day, which you can post to the forum)

@grafOrlok >> I notice that in a lot of my games, my opponent sets themselves up for a good middle game >> by executing some form of opening or trap. Those are the most frustrating losses for me Learn those traps ! --- lichess dot org/study/search?q=traps and learn from some videos as well : --- lichess dot org/video?tags=beginner/opening Have fun, good luck ! (meh --- You have reached the maximum amount of links per day, which you can post to the forum)

grafOrlok

#8

@achja Thank you for those resources!

#9

TheRoyalPlayer

#10

Kings pawn games should suffice for now, it has all the basic opening ideas that a beginner should master (i.e. developing your pieces, playing for control in the centre, castling...). More advanced ideas should come later, at least in my opinion.