Hi and welcome to the chess logo, (classic opening moves) page.

The Start of the Game

At the start of the game, the combinations are a long way off. At this stage the pieces are placed in positions of little power. They obstruct each other. How then should the player guide himself at the start?

The question itself points to its answer. The player needs to overcome the obstructions of the pieces, to allow the pieces their full capabilities on the game board.

Which will then allow them to fully engage the enemy without any obstruction with the other pieces in your army.

This problem applies to either player, which has the same obstructions to overcome in their own ranks.

The task at the start for the two players, is the same as that of two horses at the start of a short race. The horses have to get ready for their gallop, and the side that succeeds in the shorter time has the advantage.

Looking at it from this point of view it is easily seen that the most obstructive pieces should be moved out of the way first, and that this principle should be followed again and again.

The chess logo may seem easy enough, but there is a lot more involved in the game of chess than meets the eye!

The process of getting rid of obstruction indicates the task of “game development.” The task requires also that the men direct their power against vulnerable targets.

To sum up: At the start of the game the players, are getting rid of the obstructions their pieces are causing to each other, directing their men against vulnerable targets and developing their forces as rapidly as possible.

“Developed Force”?

This phrase might be questioned because it may be misunderstood.

The Queen represents a strong force, yet sending her into the front of the battle in all likelihood will expose her to danger, since the Q besides being powerful is also a very suitable target for the opponent.

At this point the player needs to rely on his own experience and judgment.

A game that does not call on the player’s creativity and ingenuity is useless. It is the function of a good game to make to make the player rely upon himself and have faith in himself.

Logic will only get you so far!

A careful survey of the initial position shows that the KP, the QP, the two Kts and the KB cause most obstruction to their fellow pieces. These men should be moved in the opening of the game as soon as the engagement with hostile forces will permit. The exception to this rule is it should be delayed if an opportunity for gaining some other advantage arises. But an opportunity such as this at this stage of the game is rare, since in the first 5 to 6 moves the centre of the board is almost empty and therefore presents few targets.

On the theory of “the opening” many books with the chess logo, have been written, some large. What they contain can almost be summed up by what has already been stated. For the guidance of the student a few examples will suffice, and he should rely on his own steady increase in skill, because to train and to improve his judgment is a more important task than to store his memory with facts, however valuable in the field of chess.

1 P-K4. This move gets an obstruction to Q, KB, KKt and K out of the way and takes hold of the two central points, Q5 and KB5. 1 …, P-K4. Black replies in the same way for the same reasons.

2 Kt-KB3. The Kt that has obstructed the KR moves towards the centre. It has a large circle of activity. It acts on the points Q4, K5, KKt5, KR4, and also on points situated in the White camp: Q2, K1, KKt1, KR2, and attacks a Black weakness-the K pawn. 2 …, Kt-QB3. A developing move on the Q side which defends the KP.

3 B-B4. The B gets out of the way of K and R, takes up a central position and points towards KB7, which is defended only by the Black K. 3 …, B-B4. The “Giuoco Piano” has arisen, an opening which was most in use in Italy during the time before Castling was introduced.

4 P-QB3. An attack which has to be carefully met. Its object is to advance with pawns in the centre. 4 …, Kt-KB3. Black uses the breathing space for further development.

5 P-Q4, attacking both B and KP. This P is attacked 3 times and defended 3 times. 5 …, P x P.

6 P x P, B-Kt5 ch. Black must not lose time by retreating, hence this check.

7 B-Q2. 7 Kt-B3 might be played with the consequence: 7…, Kt x KP; 8 Castles, underpinning the QKt; 8 …, Kt x Kt; 9 P x Kt, P-Q4, counter-attacking the B. Of course, many other lines of play are possible, which the student might try over the board.

7 …, B x B ch.

8 QKt x B, P-Q4! Black breaks the White centre and thus assures himself of the point Q4, which he manages to maintain.

9 P x P, KKt x P.

10 Q-Kt3, QKt-K2. Also Kt-R4 is possible but it rather misplaces the Kt.

11 Castles. Castles. Neither K wants to stay on the open K line.

12 R-K1. The R is now very active. 12 …, P-QB3. Now the position of the Kt on Q4 is not able to attack, and the Q gets an outlet to QB2 or QKt3.

Again;

1 P-K4, P-K4.

2 Kt-KB3, Kt-QB3.

3 B-Kt5. The “Ruy Lopez” move, named after a Spanish Bishop of the 16th century. 3 …, Kt-KB3. Counter-attack against the White KP.

4 Castles. P-Q3. Also 4 Kt x P may be played but leads to complications which a beginner is unlikely to master until after many games.

5 P-Q4, B-Q2. White threatens P-Q5.Black therefore unpins the Kt.

6 Kt-B3, B-K2.

7 R-K1, P x P.

8 Kt x P, Castles. In this position Black can hold his own, though White dominates more space.

Another defense to the Ruy Lopez: 3 …, P-QR3. This move dares White to capture the Kt. No material loss would however, result from 4 B x Kt, QP x B; 5 Kt x P, for Q-Q5 immediately regains the P. 4 B-R4, Kt-B3; 5 Castles, Kt x P; 6 P-Q4! Trying to get the obstructions on the K file out of the way, so as to occupy it with the Castle; 6 …, P-QKt4; 7 B-Kt3, P-Q4;8 P x P, B-K3; 9 P-QB3. This gives an outlet to the KB which White desires to preserve in order that he may soon play against the Black K.

9 …, B-K2; 10 QKt-Q2, Castles; 11 B-B2. To drive off the Black Kt. 11 …, P-B4. Black strengthens the position of the Kt and obtains action for his KR.

1 P-K4, P-K4; 2 Kt-KB3, Kt-KB3. The “Petroff” Defence named after a Russian master. 3 Kt x P, P-Q3; This development move is very useful; 4 Kt-KB3, Kt x P; 5 Q-K2, Q-K2; 6 P-Q3, Kt-KB3; 7 B-Kt5. White is slightly better off, but one may say that for all sound lines of play in the opening.

1 P-K4, P-K4; 2 P-KB4. A “Gambit” opening intended to break the even state of development. 2 …, P x P. Black might reply in many ways, for instance 2 …, B-B4 or 2 …, P-Q4, but to capture the P is also good. 3 Kt-KB3, P-KKt4. Black wants to hold on to his material advantage, and is determined to meet the impending attack.

4 B-B4, B-Kt2; 5 P-Q4, P-Q3; 6 P-KR4, P-KR3. The Black KR being guarded, Black may consider this move. 7 P-QB3, Kt-QB3. Black is sufficiently well developed, White cannot easily get the upper hand on any essential point.

The student of the chess logo, (subject) should try out different gambits, (sacrificing a pawn to gain an advantageous position on the board) in over the-board play with his friends or favorite chess computer.

1 P-Q4. This move also gets an obstruction out of the way and takes hold of two important central points: 1 …, P-Q4; 2 P-QB4. The offer of this gambit involves no sacrifice, since White can easily regain the P or, better still, leave the P a target and develop rapidly.

2 …, P-K3; 3 Kt-QB3, KKt-B3; 4 Kt-B3, QKt-Q2.

This position is very effective; it controls the points K4 and QB4. The blockade of the QB is only temporary. 5 B-Kt5, B-K2; 6 P-K3, Castles; 7 R-QB1, P-QB3; 8 B-Q3, P x P; 9 B x P, Kt-Q4. Black thus frees his position. 10 B x B, Q x B; 11 Castles, Kt x Kt; 12 R x Kt, P-K4 and Black has liberated his B.

To gain knowledge of other openings the reader may look over the games of Masters that are discussed at the end of this book. The student in the course of his chess practice will have many occasions to become acquainted with different openings.

Even if the student follows the principles laid down, traps and brilliant coups, which will take him by surprise will happen some times.

Critical analysis of his losses will teach him more than books can do. The above few lines of play suffice as an introduction to the individual who wants to rely mainly upon himself and to develop his own resources.

Which is why l have not excessively gone into examples in this e-book, as experience is a very valuable component, in learning chess.

Your mind is like a muscle, in order to strengthen it, it needs continual exercise, or in your case, constant practice.

At the moment it may seem that you will never be able to just sit down and enjoy a game of chess, because there is so much to remember about what each piece does, rules, etc, but just like riding a bike it will become automatic and one day the chess logo or niche will be so familiar to you that you can just sit down to a game and not worry about remembering anything, you can just enjoy the game for its own sake.

And winning a lot of games, makes it even more fun.

But that will take time, depending on whether you are evenly matched to your opponent or not.

Thank you for visiting the chess logo opening moves page.

Go to toy and game inventor home page or the iphone chess page.