Classification of Chess opening strategies and their relevance

Chess Strategies

Chess is a mind game and calls for the application of a series of tactics and strategies to gain upper hand over the opponent and ultimately say checkmate to him or her.  The opening stage of the game gains significance in that it lays down the platform for the game to proceed further and as such requires the application of well-planned chess opening strategies.

Both the players are provided with equal number of pieces at the beginning of the game.  The arrangement of the pieces and the available blank space in the board is also the same between the two players.  While the player playing white pieces has third and fourth ranks in his or her territory, the player playing black has fifth and sixth ranks in his or her territory. It is in this background that chess opening strategies play a vital role.  Effective implementation of the chess opening strategies will help one player gain an edge over the opponent in the initial stages and help in retaining this advantage over the course of the game.

Before dwelling further on each of the various types of chess opening strategies and the principles governing those chess opening strategies, let us try to assess the benefits of deploying the various chess opening strategies in the first instance.

The effective implementation of chess opening strategies helps a player to identify the important squares in a particular game and make moves that help him or her gain a fair control over those squares.  For most of the players, either beginners or professional players, control of the center of the  board or the important squares of d4, d5, e4 and e5 is deemed very essential to gain an upper hand over the opponent.  Effective implementation of the chess opening strategies helps a player achieve this objective.   The primary goal of the game is to capture the opponent’s King. It goes without saying that the player’s own King should not be allowed to be captured by the opponent. As such, safety of the King is of paramount importance.  Effective implementation of chess opening strategies ensures that the King is placed in a secure position.

The broad principles that govern the chess opening strategies are as follows :

• a.Controlling the center of the board

• b.Development of pieces before launching the attack

• c.Knights should be developed before the bishop

• d.Queen should not be developed in the early stages

• e.Ensuring the safety of the King

Realizing the importance of effective chess opening strategies that help a player gain significant edge over the opponent, six broad classifications of chess opening strategies have been formulated by experts in the game.  Each of these chess opening strategies has their own advantages and disadvantages.

• 1.Open strategy

• 2.Semi-open strategy

• 3.Closed strategy

• 4.Semi-closed strategy

• 5.Flank opening strategy

• 6.Unusual opening strategy

One common characteristic among all the six chess opening strategies mentioned herein is that the pawn is the first piece moved in majority of cases. Pawns should not be considered to be the weaker pieces based on their notional value in the game of chess.  They can prove to be very effective depending upon the squares they occupy in the board.  Another interesting aspect worth considering in chess opening strategies is that no single piece is moved more than once in the opening stages, unless necessitated by compulsion or threat by the opponent.