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Basic Opening Strategy

General Principle #1: "Open with a central pawn."

Pushing one of your central pawns two squares forward is one of the best possible first moves because it is one of the most direct ways to promote the development of your pieces and control of the center. Examine the board below:

After 1. e4 White's pawn helps control vital central squares, specifically d5 and f5; in contrast, moves like 1. a4 or 1. g4 would not. 1. e4 is also good because it doesn't get in the way of the development of White's Knights to c3 and f3, their most natural squares; in contrast, moves like 1. c3 or 1. f3 would block those squares. 1. e4 also opens diagonals for the development of the King-side Bishop and the Queen; in contrast, moves like 1. f3 or 1. h4 would not. With all of this going for it, it's not hard to understand why 1. e4 is one of the most popular ways to open a game, and arguably the best first move for novices, since it contributes to the development of the pieces and control of the center in such a straightforward manner.

If 1. e4 is so good for White, then it should be no surprise that the follow-up 1...e5 is good for Black. Examine the board below:

Everything that 1. e4 does for White, 1...e5 does for Black. Black stakes a claim in the center and plans quick development. These symmetrical e-pawn openings are referred to as the "Open Games." This is because they have a tendency to give rise to early pawn exchanges in the center, creating "open" positions in which both sides' quickly developed pieces have great freedom of movement, and are therefore more likely to come into conflict early in the game. As a result, the Open Games are known for their fighting, tactical character.

There are other perfectly good first moves, of course. We can't go through every single one of them right now, but we should examine at least one more. Examine the board below:

After 1. d4 White's pawn helps control vital central squares, specifically c5 and e5. 1. d4 is also good because it doesn't get in the way of the development of White's Knights. 1. d4 also opens a diagonal for the development of the Queen-side Bishop. Unlike 1. e4, it doesn't open a diagonal for the Queen, but that's okay. As we'll soon see, it's not usually a good idea to develop the Queen early anyway.

If 1. d4 is so good for White, then it should be no surprise that the follow-up 1...d5 is good for Black. Examine the board below:

Everything that 1. d4 does for White, 1...d5 does for Black. Unlike the Open Games, these symmetrical d-pawn openings do not usually give rise to early pawn exchanges in the center. Both sides' pieces have less freedom of movement, and are therefore less likely to come into conflict early in the game. Thus, symmetrical d-pawn openings are referred to as the "Closed Games" and are known more for their subtle, strategic character.

Again, there are other perfectly good first moves, such as 1. c4 and 1. Nf3, but they are a bit more subtle, and best left to more advanced players.

Next: General Principle #2