Learning Chess Opening Strategy Can Give You an Upper Hand over Your Opponent

A proper opening strategy may provide you the upper hand in a game provide you with tactics to stump your opponent. Chess ‘strategy’ involves setting and realizing long-term goals while at play, and ‘tactics’ can let you focus on the moves you can do immediately. They always go together, and if you take up chess lessons online, you could learn the best ways to utilize them from the experts. Guidance from chess experts can help you pick up and develop chess opening strategies that can give you an upper hand over your opponent. Here are a few examples of advanced strategies you can consider:

Queen

• The queen may be the strongest piece, but keep a rook or some minor pieces around it to keep her effective.
• Avoid taking this piece too far out while opening, or it could get attacked by your opponent’s minor pieces.

Pawns

• Pawns are stronger if they are arranged in a chain, so avoid splitting and isolating them into smaller groups. To ensure a strong chain, make sure your pawns are arranged in an inverted V. However, be careful when arranging your pawns and make sure they will not prevent your pieces, particularly the bishop, from moving freely.
• Hanging or isolated pawns are typically a liability, so avoid them up until towards the end of the game. Doubled pawns are weak, so avoid them as much as you can.

Bishops

• Develop your bishops early to prevent them from being bogged by your pawns, which can block the diagonal movements.
• Bishops do well with open diagonals. A pair of bishops in this type of set up can put you at an advantage.

Knights

• Figure out the value and plan the movement of your knights accordingly. They typically play well in locked and complex positions.
• You could get an upper hand over your opponent if you have knights on d6 and e6, so try to place them there and make sure they have good support.
• Keep your knights in the center of the board where they play well, unless your tactical plan requires them to be on the sides.

Rooks

• Rooks are like bishops, so they play better with a few open files. Control open files with them. Consider two rooks in a similar open file to make it easier to attack.
• Positioning a rook on the seventh or eighth row can be troublesome for your opponent. Two rooks there may provide gain of material or a mating attack.

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