Opening Principles

Classical and hypermodern ideas for the opening phase of a chess game.

The classical principles of the opening have been the starting point for every opening repertoire since the late nineteenth century. They are not absolute rules, but a player who follows them will reach a playable middlegame in almost every game.

Control the center

The central squares — e4, e5, d4, and d5 — exert influence in every direction and are the most important squares on the board. Occupy them, or attack them, with pawns and pieces.

Develop the pieces

Bring the knights and bishops into play before the queen or rooks. Move each piece only once in the opening unless there is a concrete reason to move it again. Knights are usually developed before bishops, because the best square for a bishop often depends on the pawn structure.

Secure the king

Castle early, usually within the first ten moves, to move the king out of the center and connect the rooks.

Do not bring the queen out early

An exposed queen becomes a target and loses time retreating from attacks by minor pieces. Developing the queen too early is the commonest mistake in beginner games, and it is the basis of Scholar's mate.

Hypermodern principles

Hypermodern theory, developed in the 1920s by Richard Réti, Aron Nimzowitsch, and their contemporaries, offered an alternative to the classical approach. The center may be controlled from the flanks by pieces — typically a fianchettoed bishop on a long diagonal — rather than occupied by pawns. A central pawn mass built by the opponent is then treated as a target to be attacked and undermined.

Figure Error

The two approaches are not in opposition. Most modern openings combine elements of both: occupy some central squares with pawns, contest others with pieces, and be prepared to exchange pawns for activity.