Opening Principles for low rated players

Chess as played at the lower levels is nothing like that played at the higher levels.  This is nowhere more apparent than at the start of the game. Lower rated players are told not to even study “Openings” but to play openings principles such as the following:  1. Make only a few pawn moves, 2. Knights before bishops 3.castle early 4. Do not bring the queen out early.  As soon as this concept is taken to heart we get our butts kicked by some guy who brings his queen out on the second moves and never comes close to castling.  

Yes part of the problem is lack of skill, however the biggest issue is that Opening Principles are based on how skilled players play and not on how poor players play.  

As stated in my earlier post I believe it is more reasonable to play in the same way as Greco did.  From studying his games I have come up with the following:

1. Seek to establish two pawns in the center.  The reason for this is that it limits the mobility of the other player and thus limits their ability to defend against an attack.  This may involve multiple pawn moves and some development of pieces.  
2. If you have established two pawns in the center and one of them is attacked it is often better to advance the attacked pawn than to exchange it.  
3. Complete your development.  If at all possible make an attacking move. If you can not find an attacking move, make a developing move If there is no good developing move make a restraining move.
4. Play the same opening moves as often as possible 

Chess Openings Resources for Beginners and Beyond...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/openings-resources-for-beginners-and-beyond

A restraining move prevents the development of the other player.  For example playing h3 can be a restraining move if it is played to restrain Bg4 to pin the Knight.  

Maybe an 1200-rated player should not try to make chess theory. Maybe if he does, nobody should listen. Maybe.

The rules in the OP describe "how to win your next game as a beginner", not "how to improve your play beyond beginner rank".

I am curious, at what ranking are you no longer considered a beginner? 

FIDE will not issue ratings below 1000. Is that the dividing line?

Opening Principles:

1. Control the center squares – d4-e4-d5-e5.
2. Develop your minor pieces toward the center – piece activity is the key. Centralized piece control more squares.
3. (King Safety)
4. Connect your rooks. There should be no pieces between your Rooks.

The objective of development is about improving the value of your pieces by increasing the importance of their roles (Piece Activity).  Well-developed pieces have more fire-power than undeveloped pieces and they do more in helping you gain control.

Now we will look at 5 practical things you can do to help you achieve your development objective.

They are:

1. Give priority to your least active pieces.

• Which piece needs to be developed (which piece is the least active)?
• Where should it go (where can its role be maximized)?

2. Exchange your least active pieces for your opponent’s active pieces.
3. Restrict the development of your opponent’s pieces.
4. Neutralize your opponent’s best piece.
5. Secure strong squares for your pieces.

Don’t help your opponent develop.

There are 2 common mistakes whereby you will simply be helping your opponent to develop:

1. Making a weak threat that can easily be blocked
2. Making an exchange that helps your opponent to develop a piece

Beginners Advice.

1. Stop playing blitz, and bullet.  Play longer time controls of at least G45, or longer.  
2. Follow Opening Principles:

• Control the center.
• Develop minor pieces toward the center.
• Castle.
• Connect your rooks.

3. Study tactics...tactics...tactics.  One of my favorite quotes is this: "Until you reach Master, your first name is tactics, your middle name is tactics, and your last name is tactics”.
4. Double Check your moves.  Before making a move, ask yourself: "Are my pieces safe?"
5. After your opponent moves, ask yourself: "What is my opponent trying to do?"
6. Analyze your games WITHOUT a chess engine, then have someone stronger go over the games, or post them online for review.
7. DO NOT memorize openings. Learn and understand the pawn structure, and piece placement for the opening you wish to learn.
8. Learn Basics Mates:

• K vs. KQ
• K vs. KR
• K vs. KRR

9. Learn Basic King and Pawn endings.

• KP vs. K
• Opposition

10. Have Fun!

Pre Move Checklist:

1. Make sure all your pieces are safe.
2. Look for forcing move: Checks, captures, threats. You want to look at ALL forcing moves (even the bad ones) this will force you look at, and see the entire board.
3. If there are no forcing moves, you then want to remove any of your opponent’s pieces from your side of the board.
4. If your opponent doesn’t have any of his pieces on your side of the board, then you want to improve the position of your least active piece.
5. After each move by your opponent, ask yourself: "What is my opponent trying to do?"

Develop your pieces and castle

cerebov,

I agree a 1200 rated player should not make chess theory.  And if they did no-one should listen.  

However, I see nothing wrong with a 1200 rated player learning old versions of chess theory and sharing it with their fellow beginners.  

In some post above IMBacon lists a number of modern Opening Principles, lets see if they included the old Opening Principles I listed.

1. Seek to establish two pawns in the center.                   Control the center squares -d4-e4-d5-e4.
2. Complete your development.                                      Develop your minor pics towards the center… connect your rooks.
3. If at all possible make an attacking move.                        Look for forcing moves: Checks, captures, threats.
4. If you can not find an attacking move, made a developing move.                                                                                 Give priority to your least active pieces.  
5. If there is not a good developing move make a restraining move.                                                                              Restrict the development of your opponent’s pieces. 
6. Play the same opening moves as often as possible.             Do not memorize openings.  Learn and understand the pawn structure and piece placement for the opening your wish to learn.  

Now granted understanding pawn structure to any depth at all is beyond most beginners capacity.  As is identifying strong squares.  Furthermore the Opening Principles as stated by IMBacon number more than 20 which can be overwhelming for a beginner to remember and to determine when to apply. This was my situation when I realized that people who play chess like I do play a lot more like people did 600 years ago than Master Players of today.  The principles I listed helped me rase my rating by 400 points. As stated playing the opening correctly is only part of improving for us beginners the other parts are as IMBacon stated: Tactics, and a knowledge of basic mates.

Low skilled players do not follow opening principles - that means you're actually at a significant advantage if you do follow them! You dont fight fire with fire, you fight fire with water.

nice

https://www.chess.com/blog/KeSetoKaiba/opening-principles-again 

This is a useful resource for this topic (not just saying this because I wrote it xD).

I am not quite at a level to give specific chess advice, but look at it like this: generally principles are a good idea, but in chess (as in life) you have to be prepared to adapt them), I'll give some examples:

"Always drive on the legal side of the road at a steady pace, don't stop suddenly"? - well, if there's a rock on your side of the road, you have to evaluate whether it is a good idea to swerve to the other side, or slam on the brakes. (Plenty of examples of opening traps where the mantra of not moving a piece twice, or moving x piece before y might be made a lie.)

One mistake I always made was making the opening like a ritual, I would just move the pieces in the right order - a good practice I have found is evaluating every move, even if it is the first or second move. What are the next two or three moves my opponent could make? He's just moved a piece, what WAS it doing in it's former position, and what is it doing now - and before I move a piece, what is it doing now V what I want it to do.