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.