Chess Principles 101 – Important Thumb rules for the opening stage

Chess Principles 101 – Thumb rules for the opening stage

(also called – 90% rule for a reason)

Chess Principles 101 - Thumb-rules for the opening


Many chess beginners want to simplify chess principles in a way that can be easily understood and retained in memory. So here are my Thumb-rules for the opening stage.

When a new student wants to join our academy for chess classes I ask him if he knows to play chess. They confirm that they are able to beat their family members and due to that they want to try chess as a professional sport. Then I make them play with some younger students in the academy and they think that these tiny kids will be no match to them. 

Then the fun starts.

These new students though much older than my junior students, get ripped apart slowly and they have a puzzled look on their face. 

Having seen the puzzled looks on most of the older kids when they lose to someone much younger than them,

I felt it was a gross injustice to the elder newbies who were lost due to a lack of knowledge of the opening principles.

I believe Chess must be first taught in chunks and only then can the full picture be slowly understood.

Memorize them and see your game improve or at least achieve some decent amount of coherence.

But before memorizing them, remember that they are also called 90% rules. That is because they are applicable only 90% of the time and depend on the position.

Caveat: Please take these rules with a pinch of salt and follow them with discretion.


Thumb-rules for the opening stage

  • The simplest way to start the game is to occupy the center of the board with a pawn.
  • Develop your Knights and Bishops as quickly as possible (usually Knights before Bishops).
  • Castle early, usually on the Kingside, to make your King safe.
  • Don t move the same piece twice in the opening – except to make or evade capture.
  • Don’t bring the Queen out early, unless you can win something (or give a checkmate) by doing so.
  • The Rooks are the last pieces to be developed, usually only moving to occupy central that are not blocked by pawns.
  • Don t develop pieces by blocking your other pieces, instead, try for a harmonious development of all your pieces.
  • Don t make too many pawn moves at the start of the game. Move your two central pawns, and sometimes also your c-pawn to fight for the center.
  • Don t move your f-, g- and h-pawns in the opening – you will need those to remain unmoved to defend your King when you castle on the Kingside.
  • Be careful about grabbing pawns in the opening, when you are yet to develop pieces, fully.

I cannot stress how important it is to adhere to these Thumb-rules for the opening stage at least till you have a decent rating of say 1500.

Till then these thumb-rules will serve as guideposts and will help you navigate through the black and white jungle.

These principles not only guide you on how to play the opening stage in chess but also help to make sense of more advanced opening ideas.

After that, you are free to do what you deem fit 🙂


Suggested reading:

Tournament Chess Set Triple Weighted – 100% satisfied!

Correct Attitude to Learning chess | 5 Tips to success

3 Important Questions To Ask Before a Chess Move

The Tao Of Chess: 200 Principles to Transform Your Game and Your Life

Thumb-rules for the opening stage

Thumb-rules for the opening stage

Kish

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