The importance of following the opening principles
Inexperienced players usually disregard or don't know the opening principles and how important they are. When applied, they can be the difference between victory and def
eat. I used to be a noob too so I know what it's like to lose game after game after game. That all changed when I learned and applied these rules.
Before you understand the importance of following the opening principles, you need to know what you are following! The opening principles are simple, develop your pieces toward the center, and develop quickly (before move 10 or 15. preferably 10), occupy and control the center (usually accomplished via pawns), castle (Before move 10 or 15), and connect your rooks! Easy!
Now that you know what they are you are probably thinking, "Why are these important to know? Can't I just play the moves?" Well, yes, you can. But what good is "just playing the moves?" If you want to actually get better at chess you need to have REASONS behind the moves that you play. You need to see what your opponent is planning, and try to either stop their plan, or try to further your own. But it's hard to do when you are simply playing moves because they are on a list, or because Bobby Fischer played them at some point in time. And as soon as the book is gone, your play turns to TRASH.
Now that should be reason enough to follow them, but for some it's just not enough. When your rating is below 1000 (sometimes higher) you don't want to learn specific lines. Here are a few benefits of putting the opening explorer/book on the shelf for awhile.
• You will understand the reasons you played each move
• You won't be playing someone else's games!
• If you make a mistake in the opening you can learn from it! But when you follow the book you just "play the moves" without learning anything!
• It's fun to be able to say that you found and played a good move all on your own!
Now if I played a game with you (probably daily) and you just "played the moves," or just "followed the book" you will notice that I will win the game (if your strength is about the same as mine). Here is an example.
Ok, now that example may be a little extreme, but it is mostly for demonstrative purposes. While white had better tactical calculation, you can see how ignoring the opening principles allowed white to gain the upper hand.
If black had instead played e5 (occupying & controlling the center) or c5 (controlling the center) or even Nc6 (developing quickly, toward the center as well as controlling it) he wouldn't have given white the chance to gain material and checkmate as he did. He also could have defended if white had tried to attack early after the aforementioned moves. But his lack of basic opening knowledge caused his demise.
Now you have learned that the opening principles are development, control and occupation of the center four squares, castle, and connect your rooks. They are useful when your opponent neglects to follow them. As well as the fact that you can lose entire games if you don't follow them.
Yours sincerely
~Ethan/Waredude
