Move A Day - #1
1. e4
Correct Response(s) - Many.
This is, by a very slim margin, the favored opening move among complete beginners and super Grandmasters alike.
White opens up the diagonal for two pieces (Queen and Bishop), the only opening move to do this. While a beginner may take the 'logical' route and proceed by developing these two 'available' pieces as soon as possible, most of the worlds strongest players prefer to keep the queen in reserve, using her only towards the end of the opening. The reason? Moving your queen early gives your opponent a target early. Unless you have a very good reason, it is usually best to keep your queen at home until after the threat of wasting time (or losing her!) by constantly moving her around to safety is passed.
Although 1. e4 has many 'layers' it is generally fair to say that this opening move is simple, straightforward, adaptable, and yet strangely subtle and tactical. It tends to be the truth that 1. e4 leads to the most tactical games, although it must be noted that tactics are really up to the player, not the opening.
Check in tomorrow for the black reply!
And as a fun little 'sub-game' lets see who can figure out who played on each side of this board first!
-Matt
Diagram:
"The ability to work hard for days on end without losing focus is a talent. The ability to keep absorbing new information after many hours of study is a talent." - Garry Kasparov
