Best Chess Openings for Beginners (and the Principles Behind Them)

The best chess openings for beginners, from the Italian Game to the London System, plus the five opening principles that matter more than memorising moves.

You don't need to memorise long lines to play good openings. Beginners who follow a few principles, and pick one or two simple openings, get good positions in almost every game.

The five opening principles

  1. Control the centre with pawns: e4, d4 for White; e5, d5 for Black.
  2. Develop your knights and bishops before moving any piece twice.
  3. Castle early to keep your king safe.
  4. Don't bring your queen out too early; it will be chased.
  5. Connect your rooks by clearing the back rank.

For White

The Italian Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4)

The bishop aims at f7, the weakest square in Black's camp. It's natural, follows every principle, and is played from beginner to world-champion level.

The London System (1.d4, 2.Bf4, then e3, Nf3, Bd3)

A system you can play against almost anything. The ideas stay the same, so it's ideal if you don't want to learn many lines.

The Scotch Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4)

White opens the centre at once. It leads to open, active positions where tactics decide.

For Black

Against 1.e4: 1...e5

Mirror White in the centre and develop naturally. It teaches you the most about chess.

Against 1.e4: the Caro-Kann (1...c6 and 2...d5)

Solid and reliable. Black builds a strong pawn structure and rarely gets attacked early.

Against 1.d4: the Queen's Gambit Declined (1...d5 2.c4 e6)

A classical, sturdy defence used at every level.

Traps to avoid

  • Scholar's Mate: White attacks f7 with queen and bishop. Defend with ...g6 or ...Nf6 at the right moment, and don't panic: the early queen becomes a target.
  • Grabbing pawns with your queen in the opening, which lets your opponent develop with tempo.
  • Moving the f-pawn early, which weakens the diagonal to your king.

How to practise openings

FAQ

What is the best chess opening for beginners?

The Italian Game for White and 1...e5 for Black. Both follow every opening principle and teach you how chess works.

How many openings should a beginner learn?

One for White, and one reply each to 1.e4 and 1.d4 as Black. Understanding the ideas matters more than knowing many openings.

Should beginners memorise opening theory?

No. Learn the principles and a few key moves. Tactics and endgames will win you far more games than memorised lines.

Chess openings