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Phases of a Chess Game: Opening and Development

Phases of a Chess Game: Opening and Development

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There are three phases of a chess game: opening, middlegame and endgame. The opening starts a chess game, it provides a base for a player to play the rest of the game. If the opening is played nicely, then the well-placed pieces can attack or defend as required.

There are many openings for both, white and black. For more information on them check out these blogs regarding openings-

https://www.chess.com/blog/Alpha14110/the-4-best-openings-for-white

https://www.chess.com/blog/HalfPastMate/2-best-openings-for-white 

https://www.chess.com/blog/Alpha14110/the-sicillian-defense

https://www.chess.com/blog/Alpha14110/the-disadvantageous-french-defense

https://www.chess.com/blog/Alpha14110/the-kings-indian-attack

Some openings for black-

Petrov's Defense, Kings Indian Defense, Sicilian Defense etc.

Some openings for white- 

Ruy López Opening, Italian Opening, Scotch Game, Trompowsky Attack, King's Indian Attack etc.

Openings are divided into two types- Classical and Hypermodern

Classical Openings- These openings focus on the control of the center squares and moving pieces so that hey are pointing towards the center. Classical openings are safe and not very risky, they often lead to solid, closed positions good for both players. E.g.- Ruy López Opening, Italian Opening etc.

Hypermodern Openings- Rather than directly attacking and controlling the center, hypermodern openings focus on controlling it from a distance. The lines in these openings are usually sharp and open. E.g.- Modern Defense, King's Indian Attack, Nimzowitsch Defense etc.

Between hypermodern and classical there is no obvious choice, a player should choose according to their preferred play style.

Development is a very important aspect of the opening phase. It means that pieces are moved to the most effective and powerful squares, this will help the player later in the game. It can really help in getting an advantage later in the game. Developing your pieces in such a way that they control the center is a great idea.

Center control and activation of pieces are the main objectives of the opening phase. This can be done using both' classical and hypermodern openings-

Modern Defense (Hypermodern)-

Scotch Game (Classical)-
As you can see, in both cases the center is controlled. 
If development is not done, you will not be able to threaten your opponent or defend against their threat. I played a game in which my opponent lost because his pieces were not well developed-
By the 15th move his pieces were not developed and hence not very effective.
Conclusion- Opening is the first phase of a chess game. It is very important to play the opening correctly. Openings are divided into 'classical' and 'hypermodern.' Development is necessary because it helps place pieces on their good and most effective squares. Not developing properly can lead to a bad position or even losing the game.
I hope this blog told you about the first phase of a chess game, the opening and also why development is extremely essential and this is the first blog in the series 'Phases of a Chess Game.'
I hope you like this blog!