Chess · Stage 3: Opening principles

A map of the openings

There are hundreds of named openings, but only a few families. Knowing the family tells you what kind of game to expect before you know the name.

Already know this? Take the check: just the questions, no reading. Get them all right first time and the lesson counts as done.

Openings are grouped by their first moves, because the first pawn moves decide the structure, and the structure decides the kind of game. Open games start 1.e4 e5. Lines open early, pieces come out fast and tactics come soon. The Italian, the Ruy Lopez and the Scotch are open games.