Openings

The opening is the first phase of the game, followed by the middlegame and the endgame. It consists of the initial moves of the game that follow established theory. These are a set of pre-established moves. There are many openings, more than 1327 recognized ones, each with its own name. This large number is due to the vast number of possibilities, already by the third move, there are already 8902 possible positions.

Openings are not an only sequence of movement, each one of them has lots of variations and different plays from which to chose. These are called variations or lines, and it makes the firsts moves much more varied and interesting.

The goals of the opening are:

Develop pieces to create plans against the opponent and position them in squares where they can impact the game. The sooner we develop our pieces, the sooner we can attack our opponent and damage their development and structure.

Achieving a good position that will provide an advantage in the future. It is important to get into a position where we feel comfortable and familiar, allowing us to play more confidently.

Controlling the center with our pieces gives us the ability to dictate the game. Since we don’t yet know which side of the board the action will unfold on, it is essential to place our pieces in a way that allows them to move quickly to any part of the board.

Protecting our king early in the game is crucial. This helps us avoid early attacks that could put us at risk. At the start, the king is in the center, where it is most exposed. It is safer on the sides of the board, which is why players usually castle during the opening.

They can be classified into six types:

Open games start with 1. e4 e5 and often lead to positions with many tactical moves and open lines.

Closed games occur after 1. d4 d5. These typically lead to slower positions where players try to gain a long-term advantage.

Semi-open games start with 1. e4, but Black does not respond with e5, instead, they make other moves that lead to openings such as the Sicilian, French, or Scandinavian defenses.

Semi-closed games are similar to semi-open games, but instead of 1. e4, White plays 1. d4, leading to openings like the Dutch Defense.

Indian defenses begin with 1. d4 Nf6. They typically follow the strategy of controlling the center with pieces and attacking the opponent’s advanced pawns. Some examples are the King's Indian Defense and the Nimzo-Indian Defense.

Flank openings start with a pawn move from the c or f file (flank pawns) by White, such as the English Opening and the Bird Opening.

Some openings you can add to your repertoire are:

The Caro-Kann Defense

The Ruy López

También se la conoce como apertura española. Las blancas consiguen controlar el centro, desarrollar sus piezas y prepararse para enrocar. A su vez, atacan el centro amenazando capturar el defensor de e5 y llevarse el peón.