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Chess Coach · one useful idea

Four small goals for the opening

You do not need to memorize an opening to start a game. Use these four goals to give your pieces useful jobs. Check the opponent’s threat before following any plan.

Four useful goals

Look toward the center

The four central squares are d4, e4, d5 and e5. A pawn can occupy the center; a piece can help by controlling it from another square.

Bring your pieces into play

Let your knights and bishops leave their starting squares and reach useful, safe squares. Developing means giving another piece a job.

Look after your king

Clear a route for castling when it is useful and legal. Check attacks first: castling is not allowed while in check, through check or into check.

Give more than one piece a turn

Repeatedly moving the same piece can leave the others waiting. Usually try to involve another piece, unless a threat or a useful opportunity gives you a reason to move again.

Watch pieces join the game

Step through the example. The center is shaded; the last move is outlined.

Tab to the board. Arrow keys move focus; Enter or Space selects a square. White to move.

Step 0 of 7

Both sides start with all their pieces at home. White moves first.

Read every step
  1. White moves the pawn from e2 to e4. It occupies one central square and controls d5 and f5. It also opens the bishop’s diagonal.
  2. Black replies with the pawn from e7 to e5. Black also takes space in the center; this is one possible reply.
  3. White brings the knight from g1 to f3. It controls d4 and e5, including the black pawn’s square. A threat is not a promise of winning that pawn.
  4. Black develops the knight from b8 to c6. It helps defend the pawn on e5.
  5. White brings the bishop from f1 to c4. The path through e2 and d3 is clear. Another piece now has a job.
  6. Black develops the knight from g8 to f6. It attacks e4. White still needs to consider Black’s replies.
  7. White castles: the king goes from e1 to g1 and the rook from h1 to f1. In this position neither has moved, the path is clear and the king’s route is not attacked.

Before your next move

First ask: is my king in check, or is a piece about to be captured? Deal with an immediate problem before developing another piece.

Then ask: can this move help the center, bring a new piece into play or improve king safety? Look at a possible opponent reply before choosing.

This board shows one legal example, not a sequence to copy in every game. Black can choose different replies. You can start with a different central pawn or develop a knight first.

Goals, not orders

Moving a piece again can be right when it must escape an attack, stop a threat or make a useful capture. Controlling the center does not always mean filling it with pawns. Castling can wait when another move is more urgent.

These goals help you ask questions; they do not prove that a move is best or safe. The current position and legal replies matter.

Bring the idea back to your game

In your next game, try asking which piece could join in. Use Coach for the current threat before choosing a move.

If you opened this page from Coach, return to your game when you are ready. You can keep playing and read these details later.

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Choose Pass-and-play or a practice bot on that board to try a whole game. The iPhone app is not publicly available yet.