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Intro to Chess: Openings

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Before
learning any
openings for
chess you’ll 8
have to know
what is a 7
chess
opening, and 6
basically
chess 5
opening is a
series of 4
theories
discovered by 3
either chess
players or 2
bots. It sets
up a basic 1
position for
you to win a
game of
chess. A B C D E F G H
Now after
knowing what
Chess
openings are, 8
I’ll know tell
you some of 7
the most
basic & 6
common
openings 5
you’ll see in a
game. 4

A B C D E F G H
The first
opening I’m
going to show
you is the Ruy 8
Lopez
opening & a 7
variation of it.
6

4
Series of moves
that derives from
3
standard chess
opening.
2

A B C D E F G H
It starts with
the move Ruy Lopez Opening
pawn e4
trying to 8
control the
center. 7

A B C D E F G H
Then with
black
responding
the move e5 8
stopping
white from 7
developing
their pawn 6
further
towards his 5
side.
4

A B C D E F G H
Now after the
white pawn
trapped in
the middle, 8
white plays
the move Nf3 7
(Knight f3)
attacking the 6
hanging
pawn. 5

A B C D E F G H
After the
white pawn
being
trapped in 8
the center
white plays 7
the move Nf3
(Knight f3) 6
attacking the
hanging 5
pawn.
4

A B C D E F G H
While the
black pawn is
under attack
by the horse, 8
black
responds with 7
the move Nc6
(Knight c6) 6
defending
the hanging 5
pawn.
4

A B C D E F G H
After the
move Nc6
(Knight C6)
played by 8
black, white
plays Bb5 7
(Bishop b5)
attacking the 6
knight/horse
threatening 5
to win a
pawn, and 4
this is the Ruy
Lopez 3
openings.
There’s many 2
variations of
this opening 1
as well, and
now I’m going
to show you
A B C D E F G H
one of them.
And one of
the variation
Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack
is called the
Marshall 8
attack, which
begins with 7
a6 (pawn a6)
attacking the 6
bishop.
5

A B C D E F G H
With the
bishop under
attack the
most 8
common
move here is 7
to trade the
bishop for 6
the horse, but
in this case 5
it’s the
Marshall 4
Attack which
white plays 3
the move Ba4
backing off. 2

A B C D E F G H
After white
moves out of
the attack,
black takes 8
advantage of
this and plays 7
Nf6 (Knight f6)
developing 6
the horse
controlling 5
more square
of the center 4
also
attacking the 3
hanging
pawn that’s 2
on e4.
1

A B C D E F G H
With the
pawn on the
e4 square
being 8
attacked,
white castles 7
putting it’s
king in a 6
safer spot
and 5
threatening
to win his 4
pawn as well.
3

A B C D E F G H
Incase you
don’t know
SPECIAL CASE
how white
wins a pawn 8
by castling.
7

Special case where 6

in one move you
can move the king 5
and the rook piece
when no other piece
4
is in between.
3
Example:
2

A B C D E F G H
Incase you
don’t know
SPECIAL CASE
how white
wins a pawn 8
by castling. In
this situation 7
there’s no
way to save 6
both the
horse and 5
the pawn
which means 4
it’s
guaranteed 3
to win a
piece. 2

Back to normal
A B C D E F G H
 Trading in chess term means taking one of the
After white’s opponent’s piece but then the opponents take back
castle black the piece that has the same material value
does not
want to trade 8
pawns, or
horses since 7
it makes his
position 6
slightly worse
than white 5
with equal
materials. 4

A B C D E F G H
So he decides
to develop
the bishop
and also 8
create the
space for 7
castling.
6

A B C D E F G H
After black
plays Be7
(Bishop e7)
white plays 8
Re1 (Rook e1)
developing 7
the rook to
the middle 6
file and also
threatening 5
adding extra
protection to 4
the pawn in
e4. 3

A B C D E F G H
In this
position both
sides are
equal in 8
chances and
materials, 7
though there
is a 6
unprotected
bishop on the 5
a4 square so
black attacks 4
it playing the
move b6 3
(pawn).
2

A B C D E F G H
With the
bishop under
attack for
white, the 8
only move to
not lose the 7
bishop is Bb3
which is what 6
white plays in
the Marshall 5
Attack
variation. 4

A B C D E F G H
After white
escapes the
attack there
isn’t really 8
any good
moves black 7
can make, or
any threats 6
given by
white so 5
black castles
putting his 4
king in a
safer spot. 3

A B C D E F G H
Now both
players are
equal in
materials or 8
position of
pieces, so the 7
only thing to
do here is to 6
protect
possible 5
threats which
in this case is 4
preventing
the horse to 3
develop
further, so 2
white plays c3
(pawn c3). 1

A B C D E F G H
For the last
move of the
Marshall
Attack d5 8
(pawn) for
black, 7
sacrificing
the pawn to 6
gain
positional 5
advantage,
planning for 4
the mid-
game. And 3
this wraps up
the Ruy 2
Lopez:
Marshall 1
Attack.
Italian Game
A B C D E F G H
Now moving Italian Game
on to another
common &
basic 8
opening you’ll
see in chess, 7
the Italian
Game. 6

A B C D E F G H
It starts with
the move e4
(pawn).
8

A B C D E F G H
Then with
black
responding
e5 (pawn). 8

A B C D E F G H
Then white
playing Kf3
(knight)
developing it 8
and also
attacking the 7
pawn.
6

A B C D E F G H
Black
responds Kc6
developing
the horse as 8
well also
protecting 7
the pawn on
e5 square. 6

A B C D E F G H
White plays
Bc4 (bishop)
developing
the bishop 8
also aiming
for the 7
vulnerable f7
square. 6

A B C D E F G H
Black plays
correspondin
g move Bc5
(Bishop) 8
aiming for
the weak-spot 7
of white f2.
And this is 6
the Italian
game, both 5
players
having their 4
pieces
developed as 3
well as a
position to 2
attack. Equal
position. 1

Evans Gambit
A B C D E F G H
The Italian
game: Evans
Italian game: Evans Gambit
Gambits Notice: The point of
starts when 8 the Evans Gambit is
you play the offering a pawn for
move b4 7 rapid development in
sacrificing early stage trying to
the pawn. 6 dominate the center
giving opponent
5 minimum space to
develop
4

A B C D E F G H
Obviously
black is going
to take the
unprotected 8
pawn so they
play Bb4. 7

A B C D E F G H
After the
pawn
sacrifice,
we’re hitting 8
the point of
the Evan’s 7
Gambit, a
rapid 6
development.
This rapid 5
development
starts with c3 4
(pawn)
attacking the 3
bishop and
also aiming 2
for the
development 1
chance in the
middle.
A B C D E F G H
The bishop
here has two
choices to
retreat and 8
I’m going to
show you the 7
one where it
plays Bc5. 6

A B C D E F G H
This move
Bc5 not just
retreats
protecting 8
the bishop it
also aims for 7
the
vulnerable f2 6
square,
aiming for a 5
aggressive
attack 4
pattern.
3

A B C D E F G H
Though white
sees what
black is
aiming for, so 8
white plays
d4 (pawn) 7
attacking the
bishop also 6
developing
itself. 5

A B C D E F G H
Black takes
back on d4
(pawn)
trading 8
pawns since if
black doesn’t 7
it’s a
disadvantage 6
positionally.
5

A B C D E F G H
White plays
d4 attacking
bishop
developing 8
the pawn
once again 7
which now
leading to 6
white having
the perfect 5
position
conquering 4
the center.
3

A B C D E F G H
Black plays
Bb6 (bishop)
retreating the
bishop since 8
there aren’t
any other 7
good moves
black can 6
play.
5

A B C D E F G H
Now the last
move of white
Kc3 (knight)
developing 8
another
knight for 7
complete of
development 6
in the center
dominating 5
the game and
this is the 4
end of the
Italian game: 3
Evans
Gambit, 2
having white
in the 1
supreme
position.
A B C D E F G H
In this
variation of Giuoco Piano: Evans Accepted
Evans Gambit
accepted, it 8
basically
shortens the 7
whole
process of 6
development
of the Evans 5
Gambit.
4

A B C D E F G H
Since this is
the shorten
variation,
black plays 8
Ba5
retreating the 7
bishop.
6

A B C D E F G H
There is no
good move of
attack so we’ll
develop play 8
d3 (pawn) to
develop the 7
pawn towards
the center 6
and also
protecting 5
the pawn on
e4 square. 4

A B C D E F G H
Though after
the
development
there is a 8
possible
threat for the 7
bishop, the
bishop also 6
pins the pawn
5

3
A piece attached
to the king, 2
when moved a
check is 1
discovered.

A B C D E F G H
Even though
black knows
the bishop
threat he 8
can’t really
attack the 7
pawn since
it’s protected 6
by the horse,
so black 5
decides to
play Kg4 4
(knight)
developing 3
the knight
further. 2

A B C D E F G H
White notices
the bishop
threat so
white castles 8
putting the
king in a 7
safer spot
and this 6
concludes
the Evans 5
Shorten.
4

1
King’s Indian
A B C D E F G H
Now moving
on the King’s
King’s Indian Defense
Indian
Defense, this 8
opening is
often played 7
because it
keeps the 6
king in a
position 5
where it’s well
protected, so 4
you won’t
have to worry 3
about it
being 2
attacked and
you can focus 1
on
developing
your pieces. A B C D E F G H
It starts with
the move Kf3
(Knight)
developing 8
the knight in
the start of 7
the game.
6

A B C D E F G H
Then black
responding
d5 (pawn)
developing 8
the pawn
towards the 7
center while
protected by 6
the queen.
5

A B C D E F G H
After black
plays e5,
white plays
g3 (pawn) a 8
move that is
not often 7
played unless
due to it not 6
really
affecting 5
anything, but
for the King’s 4
Indian
Defense this 3
move is
crucial if you 2
don’t play it.
1

A B C D E F G H
Now black
playing c5
(pawn)
developing 8
another pawn
towards the 7
center
limiting the 6
moves white
can play. 5

A B C D E F G H
White
responds Bg2
(Bishop)
developing 8
the bishop
also leading 7
to a castle
opportunity. 6

A B C D E F G H
Black
continues the
development
by playing 8
Kc6.
7

A B C D E F G H
White castles
completing
the King’s
Indian 8
Defense now
the king is in 7
a extremely
safe spot. 6

A B C D E F G H
Black now
starts it’s
threat
starting with 8
e6 (pawn)
officially 7
trying to take
over the 6
center.
5

A B C D E F G H
White
responds d3
(pawn)
adding 8
protection of
the center 7
towards his
side so 6
black’s pieces
doesn’t fully 5
invade.
4

A B C D E F G H
Now the last
move of black
for the King’s
Indian 8
Defense,
which is Kf6 7
developing
another 6
piece. Now
the King’s 5
Indian
Defense is 4
completed,
both players 3
having fairly
developed 2
pieces,
though 1
white’s king is
untouchable Four Knights Game
so it’s a slight A B C D E F G H
advantage.
Now moving
onto last
Four Knights Game
opening I’ll
show you, the 8
four knights
game where 7
both players
has equal 6
position,
equal 5
developed
pieces, in all 4
just a
balanced 3
game. (This is
probably the 2
most
common, 1
basic, and
boring
opening in A B C D E F G H
my opinion)
It starts with
e4 (pawn)
developing
the pawn 8
towards the
center. 7

A B C D E F G H
Then black
responding
e5 (pawn)
8

A B C D E F G H
Now, white
playing Kf3
(Knight)
developing 8
the horse
also 7
attacking the
pawn on e5. 6

A B C D E F G H
Black
responds with
Kc6 (Knight)
developing 8
his horse,
and also 7
protecting
the hanging 6
black pawn
on e5 square. 5

A B C D E F G H
After black
defending
the pawn,
white 8
develops
another white 7
towards the
center by 6
playing Kc3
(Knight) 5

A B C D E F G H
Now the last
move, black
playing Kf6
(Knight) 8
developing
another 7
knight. And
that was the 6
last move of
the Four 5
Knights
game, as well 4
as the end of
the last 3
opening.
2

A B C D E F G H
Thanks for making it to the end, if you’re
still interested in learning more chess
openings/gambit you can check the chess
analysis page by clicking here