Learning chess openings

I've started practicing chess not long time ago. And now I want to start learning chess openings. But I have no idea where to start. I tried to pick just random openings on this website and start looking (and trying to remember) at it's variations in games database, but this is so random and this does not give me anything, because there are no any commentaries to opening moves, so I cannot understand sometimes why this or that move is done. Can you please suggest me, how to start learning openings (and how to learn them actually), which ones to chose, where to find analysis and commentaries about particular opening, etc.?

NaviePokoy skrifaði: I've started practicing chess not long time ago. And now I want to start learning chess openings. But I have no idea where to start. I tried to pick just random openings on this website and start looking (and trying to remember) at it's variations in games database, but this is so random as does not give me anything, because there are no any commentaries to opening moves, so I cannot understand sometimes why this or that move is done. Can you please suggest me, how to start learning openings (and how to learn them actually), which ones to chose, where to find analysis and commentaries about particular opening, etc.?

As a new player I was told not to study openings yet but use opening guidelines like move your pieces into the center, get your king to safety early, and not move l i take of pawns early on but move pieces. I think it's good advise and I haven't seemed to be troubled much in opening play so far.

Paul van der Sterren's Fundamental Chess Openings is the current 1 volume gold standard for learning chess openings.  Why FCO instead of the older MCO?  Simple, van der Sterren goes out of his way to explain the ideas behind the openings rather than just trot out line after unexplained line.  It's not a book for experts, and it's not designed to give you absolute cutting edge contemporary analysis.  Nor is it for someone who barely knows how the pieces move.  It's really in many ways a vastly updated version of Reuben Fine's 70 year old classic "The Ideas Behind the Chess Openings".

Obviously there is great debate over whether relative beginners should study openings at all.  It's absolutely true that "bang for the buck" tactics (including end games) are the best choice.  That said, you have to start studying them some time, and if you're interested then you should spend some time on them.  Just be aware that your opponents aren't going to know any more book than you do so you'll be out on your own quite quickly.  

I should mention a video series that I like also.  ChessKing's "Guide To Opening Ideas"  You can certainly find more comprehensive analysis on YouTube, but I like Steve Lopez's breezy introductions and simple explanations of really complex openings.  Three volumes for around $35. Hope that helps.

Thanks. I think I will start with reading Paul van der Sterren's Fundamental Chess Openings.

Please don't. It's really a reference work; it's not a book you sit down and try to read cover to cover unless you're a chess prodigy.  No what you want to do is use it in conjunction with your "online chess".  Say you're an e4 player and black comes back with c6.  OK this is the CaroKann so you look it up and see that d4 is the overwhelmingly best move.  But now on black's next move, d5. you're faced with a decision. Do I take, do I advance e5 or play something else?  Now you break out FCO and do some research.  It's a 3 day per move game, so it's not like you don't have time.

You find out your options have names: advance, exchange, classical, fantasy.  Now mind you, there is no guarantee that your opponent is going to cooperate, but you're laying the foundation for a chess education.  Maybe you can't quite make up you mind so you hit the YouTube and watch a couple of tutorials there.  You could Google it and see what Wiki has to say.  You could compare the stats from another database to the Explorer here and try out a few lines to see where they go.  I think you get my point; it's a research tool.  And if that's what you actually meant by "reading", then you have my apologies.  I do get a little wound up sometimes...

go to www.thechesswebsite.com or www.chessopenings.com

Oh, and just in case you don't get enough response to this thread, here are 40 or 50 older threads that might be of interest.  Have fun!

http://www.chess.com/forum/search?keyword=best+beginner+openings

It's pretty silly to spend a lot of money right away when there is so much information for free online about all openings.  Heck, someone could probably learn a soild opening repetoire just from Wikipedia articles.  Take baddogno's example of the Caro-Kann: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caro%E2%80%93Kann_Defence All important variations are given and ideas behind them explained.

Go to the internet and bring up Chess openings

Thank you, this is what I was planning to do.

 

Yes, I am aware that on the internet there is a lot of information and resources about chess openings. But still, I need a starting point. Where to start exactly, what to start doing exactly?

Do I get your idea right, that I should start by just picking random chess openings (or, in that order which they are listed in Fundamental Chess Openings, for example) and analyse them by myself, practice them in my games, watch videos and read arcticles about them? And then eventually I will start to understand their principles more and I will remember the "right" moves with practice?

Chess openings are not really a profitable thing to study at your level. I'm rated more than 1000 points higher than you, and I don't waste my time studying specific opening lines.

At your level, you should be trying to eliminate one-move blunders from your play; and studying tactics (tactics! tactics! tactics!), model mating patterns, endgames, Pawn structure (and the effect it has on choosing a middle-game plan), and working to improve the way that you choose WHICH of your possible moves to look at and analyze. You can't play the best move if you don't even look at it.

Play slow time-control games (not Blitz) and analyze them afterwards... ESPECIALLY your losses. Post some of your lost games on the forum, and ask good players where you went wrong. It's hard on the pride, but it will help you identify which areas of your play need work. Join a group that includes a few high-rated players who are willing to play unrated training games against weaker players.

I suggest memorizing the Ruy Lopez Morphy, a 1.c4... opening, and the Modern Defense: King Pawn Fianchetto, and the Zukertort Opening: Sicilian Invitation to start with.

When I started out, I learned a few openings to a depth I was happy with.

I beat guys rated a few hundred points above me using the Najdorf Poisoned Pawn.

I think it's a good idea to know a few openings well.

Not many here will agree but not many here may be going places.

It is good to know some opening principles:

http://www.chess.com/article/view/the-principles-of-the-opening

Learning depth in openings theory isn't going to help much as a 1000 rated player since you opponents are unlikely to play the book moves. However learning a little bit about a couple openings can be good. By a little bit I mean you want to know what the first 3-4 moves generally are and where the pieces (especially your pieces) wind up.

I'd recommend picking a preferred first move (d4 or e4) that you will play most of the time as white (but vary it up occassionally so you don't get bored). You opponents will usually play d5 or e5 back. So then pick an general opening to use.

I'd recommend Queen's gambit for d4 or Roy Lopez if you like e4. I think d4 Queen's gambit is probably better for a beginning player but opinions will differ. Again don't obsess about every variation just think along the lines of where you pieces go and try to keep opening principles in mind.

As black you should choose a standard response to d4 and e4. For d4 I'd recommend d5 with an eye to Queen's gambit.  For e4 I'd suggest looking into the Caro-Kann, it is solid opening and beginnig players generally don't know how to respond. (Count how many times they respond with the dubious hillbilly attack.)
 

I know that learning openings is not recommended for beginners. I just want to learn them :) I kinda want to join the chess community, and I don't feel myself a chess player without learning chess openings

NaviePokoy asked:

Do I get your idea right, that I should start by just picking random chess openings (or, in that order which they are listed in Fundamental Chess Openings, for example) and analyse them by myself, practice them in my games, watch videos and read arcticles about them? And then eventually I will start to understand their principles more and I will remember the "right" moves with practice?

No, not really.  What I'm suggesting is that you try to explore what your opponents throw at you, whether they stick past the first few moves of book or not.  So as an e4 player for white, you should have an idea of what your options are when your opponent answers e4 with e5, or c5 or c6, or even d5.  There are just way too many openings to try and just learn them randomly.  See what shows up in your games, research those first.  I'm sorry if I've confused you, and as well meaning as everyone is, you're of course getting sometimes conflicting advice.  Might not be a bad idea to take a look at the chess.com study plans as a way out of the confusion.  Start with the 5 or 6 openings they suggest for beginners, and then if you're feeling really ambitious take a look at the intermediate study plan as well.  That lists maybe 30 or so most common openings that tournament players run into.  The study plans are the last listing in Learn at the green banner at the top.  They were written by working titled chess professionals who, let's face it, are bound to give better advice than us enthusiastic but often illinformed patzers.

at this point you should just try everything and see what sticks, and then go over the games after. try all kinds of openings, it cant hurt your chess

Don't be so hard on yourself NaviePokoy. When MichaelPorcelli

said that "at this point you should just try everything and see what sticks, and then go over the games after. try all kinds of openings, it cant hurt your chess", He was wrong. It would take too much time. So I agree with baddogno when he said "There are just way too many openings to try and just learn them randomly,".
There are just way too many openings to try and just learn them randomly like
baddogno. Try 1.e4... and 1.d4... openings.

which would be 95% of openings, and notice i never said radomly :)