How to start a game of chess

It's important to get off to a good start in a game of chess. How well you play in the opening can have a lasting impact on the game. In this tutorial we'll look at the basic principles of opening play, what you should be aiming for in the opening, and what you should avoid. We will not be looking at opening theory in great depth - memorising long lists of opening moves is not something you should be thinking about doing until you're almost a master. Just sticking to the general principles will get you a long way in the opening, but we'll look at the first four or five moves to get you started.

To get started, click here, or select a page from the list below.