Best Chess openings for beginners

Sort:
Avatar of HussainMurtaza5
Hey everyone! 👋 I’ve seen many beginners struggle with what openings to play as White, so I wanted to share a simple list of the best beginner-friendly openings that give good positions without requiring tons of theory. These are easy to learn, hard to blunder, and teach you REAL chess principles. 1. The Italian Game (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4) Probably the best starting opening for beginners. Why it’s good: Fast development, Clear plans Helps you learn tactics like pins, forks, and attacking the f7 square Leads to both attacking and solid positions Main ideas: castle quickly, play d3 or d4, control the center. 2. The Queen’s Gambit (1. d4 d5 2. c4) A legendary opening that teaches excellent positional skills. Why it’s great: Strong center control Very flexible positions Helps beginners understand space and pawn structure Extremely common at all levels You don’t actually “lose” the pawn — it’s a gambit in name only. 3. The London System (1. d4 2. Bf4 or 2. Nf3 + Bf4) Modern, solid, low-theory opening. Ideal for beginners who don’t want to memorize lines. Why beginners love it: Setup is always the same Hard to go wrong Safe king, strong center, easy development Works against anything Typical setup: d4, Nf3, Bf4, e3, c3, Bd3, O-O.