4 of 6

Write now Article Tools

For me, the best way to build up an openings repertoire is the old-fashioned way: study a book of chess openings and learn them one at a time! There are many books available, so go to Amazon.com or any other online book store and search for "chess openings", and you'll find many books to choose from.

Why are chess openings so important that dozens (perhaps hundreds) of books have been written about them? Because the opening often sets you up to either succeed or fail. Chess is a game of strategy and tactics, and if you're playing anyone except a complete beginner, you can expect the game to be one of jostling for position and control of the board, hopefully followed eventually by going in for the kill. The opening aims to set you up to have the most options and the greater control of the game, and in particular control of the centre of the board.

Why do I say a book is the best way? Because to build a repertoire of chess openings, it's important to actually study openings and to work out the weaknesses and strengths of each for both black and white at each move. Living in a computerized world has taught us to expect instant gratification to our every need, but chess is a game that requires thought and careful analysis, and with an open book and a real chess game set up in front of you, there is less chance you will want to cut corners and search for an easy fix. If you're going to play chess well, you need to learn how to think, and to imagine future possibilities.

All right, so you're a 21st century kind of a person and you don't want a book, so here is a website that will take you through the basics: http://chess.about.com/od/impr oveyouropenings/ss/ble50ndx.ht m. But you'll learn much more from a book.

And perhaps you don't own a chess set, or you want to save your information on the computer? Then you can download a chess program here: http://www.armageddon.szach.pl / (as one example). You can then play the openings (as human-human, with you playing both black and white, and then save each opening. You can then carry on the game from there, switching to human-computer play to see what can happen next. Since you have saved the opening, you can play many games exploring what might happen after the moves you have saved.

To build up your openings repertoire, start by always playing white (if this is possible) and always start with the same first move. Check your openings book or online information to see what the responses could be, and what the tactical advantages and disadvantages of each possibility are in each response.

As a first opening, P-K4 (also written as simply e4) is suggested, and then reply with P-K4 (e5), and then take it from there and see what can happen. There are many, many openings with these two first moves, including the Centre Game, Bishop's Opening, Vienna Game, King's Gambit, Two Knights defence, Ruy Lopez, and so on.

When you're thoroughly familiar with the P-K4, P-K4 openings, play the same openings as black. After that try the openings where P-K4 (e4) is countered by P-K3 (e6), P-QB4 (c5) (Sicilian Defence), or P-QB3 (c6). After you've thoroughly studied these openings, expand your repertoire by exploring other first move possibilities such as P-Q4 (d4), P-Q3 (d3), N-KB3 (Nc3) and so on, playing as both white and black.

The possibilities are endless. Which is why chess is so fascinating, why every game is different, and why chess continues to be the best board game on the planet.

Learn more about this author, Lin Edwards.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Chess tips: How to build up your opening repertoire?
We want to hear your view. Write now!