Best chess openings for beginners
You need three openings, not thirty: one as White, one against 1.e4 and one against 1.d4. Here is what to pick, why, and what to leave until later.
What makes an opening good for a beginner
A good first opening follows the principles you are learning anyway: put pawns in the center, develop knights and bishops, castle, and connect the rooks. If every move has a reason you can say out loud, you can keep playing sensibly when your opponent leaves the book, which below club level happens within a few moves.
It should also lead to positions you will see again and again, so your experience adds up. A system you play every game teaches you more than a different trick each week.
As White
- The Italian Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4). The classic first opening. The bishop aims at f7, the plans are simple, and it teaches open, tactical chess.
- The London System (1.d4, Bf4, e3, c3). One setup against almost everything, very little theory, and a solid position every game. Good if you would rather play than memorize.
- The Queen's Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4). The step up from the London: more central fight, and a lifetime of classical plans.
- Next steps after 1.e4: the Scotch Game opens the center at once, and the Vienna Game adds the f4 attack with less risk than the King's Gambit.
As Black
Against 1.e4, answering 1...e5 teaches the same open games you play as White, and the Italian and Scotch guides cover both sides. If you want something calmer, the Caro-Kann gives a solid position with a clear plan, and the Scandinavian takes the game into territory you know from move one.
Against 1.d4, the Queen's Gambit Declined (see the Queen's Gambit guide) or the Slav holds the center with ...d5 and develops naturally. Both stay sound at every level, so you never have to replace them.
Openings to leave for later
Some openings are excellent but punish you for not knowing them. The Sicilian, the Grünfeld, the Benoni and the King's Indian are full of sharp, theoretical lines where one forgotten move can lose the game. Come back to them once the basics of central play are second nature.
Gambits like the King's Gambit are great fun and teach attacking chess, but they are a second opening, not a first.
Traps every beginner should know
You do not need many, but two come up constantly online. The Fried Liver Attack punishes a natural-looking recapture in the Two Knights, and the Stafford Gambit hides a trap behind every natural White move. Learn how both work and how to avoid them, and you will stop losing games in ten moves.
Whatever you choose, play it, lose with it and look at why. Import your games, find the move where the position turned, and go back to the guide with that question.
The openings in this guide
Italian Game
The classical way to open a chess game: develop, aim at f7, castle. The best first opening for most players.
London System
One setup against almost everything. The most popular opening at club level - and the most complained about.
Queen's Gambit
The most respected way to open with 1.d4, and the opening that gives its name to everything from the Slav to the Semi-Slav.
Scotch Game
White opens the center on move three instead of maneuvering. Clear, active positions with less theory than the Ruy Lopez.
Vienna Game
White develops the queen's knight first and keeps f4 in reserve. Flexible, sharp, and full of tricks.
Caro-Kann Defense
The solid answer to 1.e4 that keeps the light-squared bishop free - the French Defense without the bad bishop.
Scandinavian Defense
Challenge the center on move one. Low theory, clear plans, and a structure you get every single game.
Slav Defense
The Queen's Gambit Declined without the bad bishop - and one of the soundest defenses in chess.
Fried Liver Attack
A knight sacrifice on f7 that drags the black king into the middle of the board. The most famous trap in the Italian Game.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best chess opening for beginners?
For White, the Italian Game: every move follows a principle you can explain. For Black, 1...e5 against 1.e4 and the Queen's Gambit Declined against 1.d4. All three teach sound, central chess with very little memorization.
How many openings should a beginner learn?
Three: one as White, one against 1.e4 and one against 1.d4. That covers almost every game you will play, and learning three well beats sampling a dozen.
Should beginners learn gambits?
Learn how to meet them first, especially the common traps like the Fried Liver and the Stafford. Playing gambits yourself is a good second step once your development and king safety are solid.
How long should I study openings?
Much less than tactics. Knowing the first six to eight moves and the plan that follows is enough below about 1800; most games at that level are decided by tactics and middlegame mistakes.