Opening

The first few moves of a chess game is considered as opening. Opening is usually complete when all the pieces are out, castling is done and Rooks are connected. But openings is all about who controls the center of the board first.

Here is an opening which most of the beginners learn in the early stages - Italian Game,

While I was a beginner I used to play this but did not know that it has a name. This opening is for white.

Black also has some good openings. One of the most famous opening is Sicilian Defense. It is common to call openings for Black as defense because white starts first, we expect him/her to attack first and Black to defend those attacks.

While introducing chess openings, research a little and understand why did an opening get that name.

An opening can have a number of variations. It is not important to memorize all of them but it is good to know the tricks and traps that might happen early in the game.

The Elephant Trap

Here is a trap where white gets too greedy to take a pawn and looses the game. White is playing Queen’s Gambit.

Ruy Lopez Trap

In this game white looses horribly playing Ruy Lopez.

Fried Liver Attack

Fried Liver Attack is the most basic attack used by beginners. This should be taught to beginers along with proper defense for this attack.

More Openings

Use the below studies to learn few openings.

Ruy Lopez

Ruy Lopez Classical Variation

Ruy Lopez Morphy Defense

Ruy Lopez Closed Variation

Refer: Ruy Lopez Variations

Queen’s Gambit

Queen’s Gambit Declined

Queen’s Gambit Accepted

Refer: Queen’s Gambit Variations

It is not important for beginners to study openings. At least not as important as Endgame study. Beginners should figure out why the moves are so. I have seen many kids learn openings by heart and do not know the reason for those moves.

I teach my students few of the famous openings so that they do not feel missed out when other kids are using the fancy terms in tournaments.

WorkSheet

Ruy Lopez