Opening principles
Claim the center, develop your pieces, castle, and keep the queen home until it is safe.
The center
The four circled squares are the center. Pieces placed there reach the most squares, and pieces aimed at it can switch quickly between the two sides of the board. Most good opening moves either occupy the center or attack it.
Your first move
Your turn
Play a pawn move that puts a pawn in the center.
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That pawn takes a central square and opens a diagonal for a bishop and the queen.
Developing
Question
After 1. e4 e5, which move develops best?
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Nf3
It brings a piece out toward the center and attacks the pawn on e5 straight away.
Knights, bishops, castle
Your turn
Develop your kingside knight, then your kingside bishop, then castle. Black answers each move.
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In three moves two pieces are active and your king is tucked away behind its pawns. That is the Italian Game.
When the queen comes out early
Here White tried the opposite: 2. Qh5 and 3. Bc4. Queen and bishop both aim at f7, a square only Black's king defends. If Black ignores it, Qxf7 is checkmate. This is Scholar's Mate.
Defend f7
Your turn
You are Black. Stop the mate on f7.
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Mate is stopped. White's queen came out early and will lose more time running from your pieces.
Check yourself
Question
Which of these is NOT a good opening habit?
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Moving the same piece several times to grab a pawn
Every extra move with one piece is a move your other pieces stay at home. Grab material only when it is safe and the rest of your army is ready.
More in Openings
The London setup
d4, Bf4, e3, Nf3, c3, Bd3, Nbd2: one calm setup you can play against almost anything.
The Fried Liver Attack
In the Two Knights Defense one natural recapture lets White sacrifice a knight on f7 and drag Black's king into the open.
Legal's Mate
Give up your queen and checkmate with three minor pieces: the most famous fake pin in chess.