Best Chess Opening For Beginners

#12, like I said- at the under 600 level it would be quickest for improvement to play the King’s Indian. It helped me get to 600 from just learning the game in a matter of weeks. (Around 3 to be precise). Opening principles is for players 600+, additionally the Italian Game is the WORST suggestion for any below 1000 player. The Italian game has so many lines of theory and players will be left without guidance since they have less opportunities to create threats in such a solid opening. Anyone under 1000 should be exploring tactics by playing risky gambits- they can get free wins off of opening traps and familiarize themselves with the tactics they learn in puzzles.

I agree that for players under 600 Elo, one of the fastest ways to improve is by playing the King’s Indian Defense. It's a solid opening system that helps beginners reduce early blunders, and the fact that you practiced it and reached 600 Elo in just 3 weeks is truly admirable

I also agree that the Italian Opening involves a lot of theory. But in fact, every opening has plenty of theory if you dig deep enough – that's unavoidable

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However, I’d like to offer a few counterpoints:

- Remember that players under 600 Elo are beginners – if you teach openings in a mechanical way, they will also apply them mechanically without understanding the purpose behind each move. This often leads to confusion after the opening phase: they won’t know what to do next, won’t understand the role of each piece, and will easily get lost

- For newcomers, they should understand the basic rules first – such as draw conditions, en passant, and castling rules. These are fundamental concepts that many 600 elo players still don’t fully know, so they should be a top priority
(Source: https://www.chess.com/lessons/playing-the-game)

- After learning the rules, they should study basic opening principles like controlling the center, developing minor pieces, castling early for safety... These principles help them understand why certain moves are made, rather than just memorizing them.
(Source: https://www.chess.com/lessons/opening-principles)

- In addition, they should learn basic checkmate patterns, understand piece value, practice both attacking and defensive tactics, and avoid leaving pieces hanging

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About the Italian Opening:

It is considered one of the most beginner-friendly openings because its moves are VERY EASY to understand in terms of opening principles: DEVELOPING bishops and knights, CONTROLLING THE CENTER, opening lines for castling, and ENSURING KING SAFETY. That’s why it’s often used as a way to learn and apply opening principles.

Once the player has practiced enough and built a solid foundation, they can move on to more complex openings or explore styles that better suit their preferences

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Furthermore, it's important to note:

Not everyone fits the “aggressive gambit” style. While this may work well for you, there are still many beginners who prefer solid, slow play and dislike chaotic positions. Forcing them into gambit-heavy lines to speed up their learning may backfire – they could feel overwhelmed and lose confidence

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Lastly, about the King’s Indian Defense (my current main opening):

- When Black plays the KID, they don’t get to decide whether the game will be calm or sharp – that’s almost entirely up to White. White can choose highly unpleasant lines like the Sämisch Variation, where both sides get chances for violent attacks. A typical example:
https://i.postimg.cc/FFw2Rct3/image.png

Although the engine evaluates it as balanced, in real games – especially for beginners – this is a very sharp and risky position

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Every opening has its pros and cons. What truly matters is choosing the one that fits the player’s level, personality, and learning goals

yes

Yep, I also think that sharp lines make chess more entertaining—I myself play a lot of sharp variations, so I understand that very well. But is it really "especially" entertaining for "beginners"? I'm not so sure about that...

Teaching beginners to play openings like the London System is NOT a "serious crime"—it's about teaching them to practice the "basic principles" of the opening. Once they've mastered those, they can explore interesting lines or play more "freestyle"

Also, we need to reconsider the question: "As a beginner, I want to know the best opening to play to overpower my opponents." Can a beginner really overpower someone more experienced with sharp lines? That’s extremely difficult. If the game is just a casual one, then what both sides play doesn’t matter too much—as long as they enjoy it and learn from it. But if it’s a decisive tournament game where the result could affect later prizes (for example, a weaker player vs a stronger one like 2000 elo vs 2500 elo), then choosing a "simple line", "trading pieces quickly", and aiming for a draw is much more realistic than trying to win

I would say for white the Italian game and for black the king's Indian defence.