Chessville
...by Chessplayers, for Chessplayers!

Today is

Site Map

Already
Play the
Colle System?

Learn to Play it Better!

The Moment of Zuke:
Critical Positions and
Pivotal Decisions for
Colle System Players

by David Rudel
author of Zuke 'Em

7 modules written just for Colle System Players. Over 150 practice problems accompany lessons written in Rudel's crystal-clear, inimitable style

Thematic Lessons
on game-changing
decisions Colle Players
frequently face

Two Free
Excerpts
Available

Advertise
with
Chessville!!

Advertise to
thousands
of chess
fans for
as little
as $25.

Single insert:
$35
x4 insert:
@ $25 each.

From the
Chessville
Chess Store

Basic Opening Strategy

General Principles: Introduction

Now that you know what the primary objectives of the opening are, it's pretty obvious that you should play opening moves which will help you achieve those objectives. Thus, for each opening move you make, take into account how it contributes to the development of your pieces and your control of the center.

In addition, there are several well-established general principles of opening play which you can rely on so that you don't have to "re-invent the wheel" each time you open a game. In the following pages, we'll look these principles and learn how each of them can help you achieve your opening objectives.

Please keep in mind that these are only general principles, not absolute rules. There are plenty of exceptions to each of them. Also keep in mind that the examples which I'll use to demonstrate these principles will follow the Classical approach to the opening. As we discussed earlier, this is just one approach to the opening, but the one which is best suited to novices.

When you become a more sophisticated player, you will no doubt come to understand that the instruction offered here is, in some very real sense, overly simplistic. Be that as it may, it has been chosen for maximum pedagogical efficacy, and should take the novice player well along the way to playing the opening with confidence.

Next: General Principle #1

The
Chessville
Chess Store

Advertisement