Chess Opening Things You’re Doing Wrong

Summary

In this chess tutorial, the speaker shares personal experience, climbing from 600 to 2100 ELO, and outlines nine common opening mistakes to avoid. Key points include not copying moves excessively, avoiding wasted moves, balancing pawn and piece development, protecting the king, and not moving the queen too early. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of having a plan, being aware of the opponent's strategy, and capitalizing on their mistakes. This guide aims to help players quickly gain an advantage in the opening phase of the game.

Takeaways

• 📚 Avoid copying moves beyond the first few in the opening to maintain an advantage and avoid dull play.
• ⏱️ Prevent wasted moves that don't improve your position, as they give your opponent an unnecessary advantage.
• 🤔 Develop pieces with purpose and avoid getting stuck on which move is best; trust your instincts when in doubt.
• 👑 Protect your king early by castling to avoid attacks and prioritize it over other moves unless it's unsafe.
• 👸 Limit early queen moves to avoid being put on the defensive and develop other pieces instead.
• 🏰 Ensure balance in pawn and piece development, avoiding an overemphasis on either.
• 🚫 Avoid moving the same piece twice unless absolutely necessary to maintain efficiency.
• 🧭 Have a plan with a system opening that can adapt to various opponent responses.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Be aware of your opponent's plans and potential threats before making each move.
• 🔍 Regularly scan for tactics and opportunities to capitalize on your opponent's mistakes.
• 🌟 Develop a habit of quick checks before each move to prevent blunders and spot advantages.

Q & A

What is the speaker's improvement in chess ELO points from 2021 to the present day?

The speaker has improved from 600 ELO in 2021 to 2100 ELO in the present day.

What is the first mistake to avoid in chess openings according to the speaker?

The first mistake to avoid is being a copycat, especially beyond the first few moves, as it does not provide any advantage and can lead to a dull game.

Why should players avoid making wasted moves in the opening phase of chess?

Wasted moves barely change the position and can give the opponent a significant advantage, similar to giving them extra turns.

What is the recommended approach when unsure of what to do in a chess position?

When unsure, the speaker suggests developing a piece or moving one out, and not to get bogged down on finding the absolute best move, but to trust one's gut.

Why is it important to balance pawn moves with piece development in the opening phase?

Balancing pawn moves with piece development is crucial to avoid being put on the defensive and to maintain a strong position.

What is the most important aspect to consider in all of chess according to the speaker?

The most important aspect is to not get checkmated, which means protecting the King should be the first priority.

Why should players avoid moving their queen too early in the opening phase?

Moving the queen too early can expose it to attack and allow the opponent to develop their pieces faster, putting the player at a disadvantage.

What is the general rule for moving pieces in the opening phase to maintain maximum efficiency?

The general rule is to only move each piece once to avoid redundancy and maintain efficiency.

Why is it important to have a plan or opening strategy when starting a game of chess?

Having a plan prevents early game mistakes and provides a clear direction for the opening phase, which is essential for setting up a strong middle game.

What should a player do if they cannot castle due to their opponent's strategy?

If castling is not possible, the player should move their king to a safe square and then bring pieces nearby to help protect against attacks.

How can a player avoid being blind to their opponent's plans during the opening phase?

A player can avoid being blind to their opponent's plans by doing a quick scan before every move to check for attacks and to spot any tactics.

What are some examples of system openings suitable for beginner to intermediate level players?

Examples of system openings include the Italian Game, the London System, and the King's Indian Defense, which are flexible and can adapt to various opponent moves.

What are the speaker's personal favorite openings for white and black pieces?

The speaker's personal favorites for white are the Vienna and the Fried Liver Attack, and for black, the Kacan or the Scandinavian Defenses.

What is the speaker's advice for players who need a quick opening to learn?

For a quick opening, the speaker suggests learning the London System, which can be mastered in under a minute.

Outlines

00:00

🤖 Avoiding Common Opening Mistakes in Chess

This paragraph discusses the author's journey from 600 ELO to 2100 ELO by studying openings and identifies nine common mistakes to avoid. The first mistake is being a copycat beyond the first few moves, which leads to dull games without advantage. The second is making wasted moves that don't improve the position, giving the opponent an unfair advantage. The author emphasizes the importance of developing pieces and not just pawns for a balanced opening. The third mistake highlighted is neglecting the king's safety, with castling being the primary solution. The paragraph concludes with a teaser about the next mistake related to the queen's early movement.

05:01

🏰 Essential Opening Strategies and Tactics

The second paragraph continues the discussion on opening mistakes, focusing on avoiding moving pieces twice to maintain efficiency. It stresses the importance of having an opening plan and choosing system openings that are resilient to various responses. The author addresses common questions about countering opening preparation and recommends specific openings for both white and black. The paragraph also advises being aware of the opponent's plans to prevent being caught off guard and to capitalize on their mistakes. The summary ends with a suggestion to watch a video on chess tactics for further improvement.

Keywords

💡Elo rating

The Elo rating system is a method for calculating the relative skill levels of players in two-player games such as chess. In the video, the speaker mentions a personal improvement from 600 to 2100 Elo points, indicating a significant advancement in chess skill. This serves as a benchmark for the speaker's expertise and the effectiveness of their study methods.

💡Openings

Openings in chess refer to the initial moves of the game, where players establish their positions and set the stage for the middle game. The video focuses on common mistakes in openings and how to avoid them, emphasizing the importance of a strong start to gain an advantage in subsequent phases of the game.

💡Copycat

In the context of the video, a 'copycat' refers to a player who mimics the moves of others without understanding the strategic implications. The speaker warns against excessive copying beyond the first few moves, as it can lead to a lack of original strategy and missed opportunities for gaining an advantage.

💡Wasted moves

Wasted moves are those that do not significantly contribute to a player's position or strategy. The video script describes these as moves that barely change the position or could be detrimental, highlighting the need for every move to have a clear purpose to avoid falling behind in development.

💡Development

Development in chess is the process of moving pieces from their initial positions to more active squares where they can influence the game. The video emphasizes the importance of developing pieces efficiently to reach a superior middle game, rather than making moves that do not contribute to this goal.

💡Castling

Castling is a unique chess move that involves moving the king and a rook simultaneously to create a more secure position for the king and connect the rooks. The video script advises castling as a priority to safeguard the king and facilitate a stronger position, especially when under attack.

💡Queen

The queen is the most powerful piece on the chessboard, capable of moving any number of squares along a rank, file, or diagonal. However, the video warns against moving the queen too early in the opening, as it can become a target and hinder the development of other pieces.

💡System openings

System openings are chess strategies that provide a solid framework for the game, regardless of the opponent's moves. The video recommends using system openings for beginners to intermediate players, as they offer flexibility and reduce the risk of early game mistakes.

💡Blind play

Blind play refers to playing without a clear plan or understanding of the opening. The video script advises against this approach, as it can lead to early mistakes and a lack of strategic direction, emphasizing the need for a planned approach to the opening.

💡Tactics

Tactics in chess involve short-term maneuvers that can provide an advantage or force the opponent into a disadvantageous position. The video encourages players to be aware of tactics and spot opportunities to exploit their opponent's mistakes, especially during the opening phase.

💡Advantage

In chess, gaining an advantage refers to obtaining a better position or more favorable circumstances compared to the opponent. The video's theme revolves around avoiding common opening mistakes to quickly establish an advantage, setting the stage for a successful game.

Highlights

Avoid being a copycat in openings beyond the first few moves to gain an advantage quickly.

Limit wasted moves to reach a superior middle game without giving your opponent a head start.

Develop pieces purposefully to avoid giving your opponent an advantage through inaction.

Balance pawn and piece moves in the opening for a well-rounded strategy.

Protect your king as the top priority to avoid checkmate and encourage early castling.

Avoid moving the queen out early in the opening due to its vulnerability.

Do not move pieces twice to maintain efficiency in the opening phase.

Have a plan with a system opening to avoid playing without a strategy.

Be aware of your opponent's plans to prevent being caught off guard.

Quickly scan for attacks before each move to avoid blunders.

Spot tactics and take advantage of your opponent's mistakes by staying vigilant.

Learn system openings like the Italian game, London, and King's Indian defense for flexibility.

Consider the Vienna and Fried Liver attack for white, and the Kacan or Scandinavian defenses for black as personal favorites.

For quick learning, the London opening can be mastered in under a minute.

Memorizing long opening theory is mainly necessary at higher levels of play.

Adapt to odd situations by creating a castling formation by hand if necessary.

If prevented from castling, move the king to a safe square and bring pieces to defend.

When in doubt during the opening, develop a piece as a safe move.

Transcripts

you are making critical mistakes in your

openings I know this because I went from

600 ELO in 2021 to 2100 ELO in present

day by spending hundreds of hours

studying openings and I'm going to teach

you the nine most common mistakes and

how I avoid them the first thing for you

to avoid in your openings is being a

copycat now if you copy the first few

moves that is totally fine but so many

people continue beyond this point some

for the entire opening which is one of

the worst things that you can do the

reason this is so terrible is because

you want to get an advantage in the

opening quickly but that is exactly what

you will never get because there are no

imbalances for either side now if you

don't mind a dull chess match then I

guess you'd be fine copying but if you

want to clench that Advantage fast and

actually improve keep the copying to the

first couple moves the second thing to

avoid in your openings are wasted moves

whether it's a slight queen move or the

all too common Pawn push to prevent a

pin at best it's a move that barely

changes your position and at worst is a

game killing waste of time if you go

overboard with these wasteful moves your

opponent will just be ahead of you like

if you gave them a head start of five

extra turns remember your goal in the

opening is to reach a Superior Middle

game by moving all of your pieces out

but you simply will not have enough time

to even do that if you waste your turn

on these moves so instead make sure

every one of your moves has some decent

purpose now if there is a threat you

should respond to that first but if you

actually have just no clue what to do in

a position then when in doubt just

develop a piece just move one out and as

a bonus if you have multiple options

that are about equal don't get bogged

down which one is the absolute best it

really does not matter so just go for

your gut and pick one the third thing to

avoid when you play the opening can be

seen in this game right here can you

figure out what white is doing wrong and

why it is so bad well the issue is white

is playing almost all pawn moves now do

not get me wrong pawn moves are

fantastic and necessary for achieving a

better position but what you really need

in the opening is balance so instead of

playing a whole bunch of pawn moves move

your pieces as well but keep in mind you

do need to make sure to keep balance for

both sides as well you can easily lose

if you only moved your pieces out and

avoided pawn moves so make sure to avoid

that as well the fourth thing to avoid

when you play the opening is neglecting

the most important thing in all of Chess

quick think of the most important chess

piece well your absolute first priority

at all times in chess is to not get

checkmated so the answer should be the

king but a surprising amount of people

just don't protect their King but the

problem here is that if you don't guard

it you are begging for your opponent to

go on a gigantic attack against you so

the easiest way to avoid this issue just

Castle but because your enemy at most

times can launch a brutal attack you

want to me castling not your third or

second priority But first you want to

Castle as soon as you possibly can if

you shouldn't Castle short perhaps your

kingside pawns were destroyed then just

Castle long but this does bring up the

problem what if your opponent forces you

to move your king preventing you from

castling a lot of beginners for example

will sacrifice a bishop on F7 to try and

force you to be unsafe but luckily there

is a super easy plan to defend first run

your king to a safe square and then

secondly bring pieces nearby to help

protect against attacks and that's

really it sometimes you will have to

adapt to odd situations but for the vast

majority of the time this is as simple

as creating the castling formation by

hand the fifth thing to avoid in your

openings is moving your queen now the

queen is super powerful but there's only

one good reason and only a couple good

squares for you to move it to in the

opening even though the queen is the

strongest piece in the opening it is

actually the weakest take the

Scandinavian defense where you move your

queen out on move two the problem here

is that while the queen is quote unquote

powerful every everything is defended so

the power of the queen is completely

negated but the second half of the issue

is that now white will move their pieces

and pawns out to attack your queen this

means they develop their pieces a lot

faster putting you behind so in normal

circumstances you should never move your

queen out but there is only one large

exception if you are safely castled and

have developed all of your other pieces

you should move your queen up one or two

squares that way your Rooks are now

connected the sixth thing to avoid in

your openings is moving pieces twice you

should just avoid it because you want to

waste as little time as possible and

moving any piece twice is just

unnecessary there are some cases where

you might need to move it twice to not

get checkmated or you should to perform

a tactic but the general rule you should

try to stick to is to only move each

piece once so you stay at maximum

efficiency for the entire opening the

seven thing to avoid in your openings is

going in blind this means playing

without using some sort of opening but

is it really that bad short answer yes

you really need to have some sort of

plan going in but if you don't know any

openings then you'll just be clueless

the easiest way to make an early game

mistake is to play without a plan so you

should always have one in mind but there

are two important things about openings

people always ask me first off people

always ask well what if my opponent goes

there or goes there or goes there

doesn't that just counter all opening

preparation I do no it doesn't because

the openings you should be playing at

beginner to intermediate levels should

be system openings some examples are the

Italian game the London the Kings Indian

defense because what all these system

openings have in common is your opponent

can play literally anything and you can

still follow through with your plans

memorizing long lines of opening theory

is really only ever necessary at higher

levels of play the other question people

always ask me is which openings they

should be playing along with those

system openings my personal favorites

are the Vienna and the fried liver tack

for white but if I'm playing Black the

kacan or the Scandinavian defenses are

also quite good but of course if you

need something super quick you can learn

something like the London in literally

under a minute the eighth thing to avoid

in your openings is being being blind to

your opponent's plans we all know this

feeling of getting into a nice groove of

your openings and pieces but your

opponent has been lining up their Queen

and Bishop meanwhile you did not even

notice and you get swiftly checkmated A

good rule to follow to prevent this for

the entire chess match but especially in

the opening is if you are about to play

a move just do a super quick scan to see

if you are being attacked it probably

sounds simple but so many of your

blunders you make when you simply aren't

aware you're even getting attacked in

the first place so this quick check

before every single move will prevent a

massive amount of these opening blunders

the ninth thing to avoid is very similar

to number eight when you get into your

opening Groove you are not paying

attention to your opponent but this

means you will not get an advantage when

your opponent makes a terrible blunder

because you probably will not have even

seen it but the great thing here is that

the solution is also very similar to the

last one just do a quick scan before

every move you make to spot any tactics

and you will literally immediately

improve but if you want to spot more

advanced tactics to take advantage of

more of your opponent's opening mistakes

you should check out this video of every

single chest tactic ranked worst to best

otherwise like And subscribe have a

great day