This forum is to help provide some general understanding of opening strategy. This is so that even the novice player can have some understanding of the concepts that are being employed within the opening stages of the game.

Ps it would be really helpful if other players have any other principals in which they would like to mention about the opening phase of the game. Could the please post them here.

Emphasis on GENERAL, the main objectives for the opening are:

1. Control the center, with the idea of more space and mobility for your pieces and less opportunities for counterplay from your opponent.

2. Develop your pieces where they will have the greatest influence on the position (generally only a couple pawns, knights before bishops, and major pieces last). Also avoid moving the same piece twice in the opening, but this again is a general principle since in some openings moving the same piece twice is justified.

3. Castle your king (usually kingside) so your king is better protected and develop your rook out of the corner.

Also remember that there are many exceptions in chess, and nothing is more important than the position at hand.

Some General rules to follow when playing the opening are:

The goal of the opening is to develop your army so that they can devastate your opponents’ underdeveloped forces. However, during the opening there are several rules in which you must follow to be able to play the opening soundly.

Rules:

1.       Within, the first two moves have at least 1 pawn in the center of the board. I.e. On the fourth rank on the e or d file. See Diagram.

 

Notice: Both white and black have staked a claim in the centre. This game should lead to equality. The following unorthodox opening is an example of the catastrophic effects that can be felt by either side if they fail to centralize a pawn within the first two moves.:  1.h4 e5 2.a4 d5 3.Nf3 e4 4.Nd4 c5 5.Nb5 a6 6.N5a3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.       Develop your pieces of the back rank and always knights before bishops. For example the opening two knights defense.  Four Knights: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.Ba4 Nxf3+ 6.Qxf3 c6 7.0–0 d6

Notice how Black has only out two pieces, while white has out three.  This will lead to catastrophe for black due to white having more pieces out on the battle field. Black is fighting to gain any development. The rest of the line continues as follows. 8.d3 Be7 9.Nd5 0–0 10.Nxe7+ Qxe7 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bd2 Nd7 13.b4 c5 14.c3 Nb6 15.Bc2 cxb4.±

 

1. The final rule of the opening is to finish your development with your rooks or castles connected on the back rank. This is also shown in the four knights

Four Knights: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.Ba4 Nxf3+ 6.Qxf3 c6 7.0–0 d6 8.d3 Be7 9.Nd5 0–0 10.Nxe7+ Qxe7 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bd2 Nd7 13.b4 c5 14.c3 Nb6 15.Bc2 cxb4

Notice how white has his two rooks in line with one another. This is when you know that the opening has ceased and the middle game has commenced.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The opening is totally confusing. According to Capablanca - the endgame should be played to win, so in essence we should at least have a superior position in the endgame in order to win. That means the middle game should be played in order to gain an upper hand in the endgame. From logic we can proceed that an opening should be played in order to get your pieces well organized in the middlegame which could be effective for a better endgame prospect! - In short..an opening should be played with your eye on the middle game and eventually on the endgame.

My GENERAL strategy is play what I know and hope for the best.

Chess is about Space, Time, Force and "Dynamic". In the opening you try to get lots of it for yourself, and try to keep you Oponent from getting to much of it.

You try to get Space by Pawnmoves, but Pawnmoves weakon the Pawnposition, wich is best in the Beginning ( every pawn can protect or get protected by an other pawn).

You try to get Time by moving the Figures on their final place, so they cant be attaced by a developing move from your oponent. Thats the reason why USUALLY Knights should be developed bevor Bishops bevor Queen.

But mainly you have to develop your opening by looking in Opening Databases, reading Books about your Opening, learning by heart and analysing yours and others games with chessprograms.

Solid opening-knowlage give you  100-200 Elo more.