Open Openings

What are some simple openings (for a beginner) that lead to very open games? Are there any general principles that will help lead to an open game? I am not looking to study the openings in depth (as I have heard beginner's should not), I just want some ideas of how to force the game open. Thanks.

Well, a bit of advice to get you going - play 1.e4 with white, and 1...e5 with black (vs 1.e4). That should allow you to play open games where the development of your pieces can be natural and "correct" in the sense of learning the game.

As white look at the basic opening of the Ruy Lopez (just the first few moves will do to get you going and to understand how the game develops) or the Giuoco Piano.

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/explorer?node=21724&move=3.5&moves=e4.e5.Nf3.Nc6.Bb5&nodes=21720.21721.21722.21723.21724

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/explorer?node=24145&move=3.5&moves=e4.e5.Nf3.Nc6.Bc4&nodes=21720.21721.21722.21723.24145

Or the scotch!Excellent opening 🙂

Opening: Giouco Piano, Bishop's Opening, Petroff's Defense.

Principles:
Develop, develop, develop.
Material is not as important as time.
Return sacrificed material at an opportune time.

Originally posted by der schwarze Ritter
Return sacrificed material at an opportune time.

Originally posted by basso
This is a new one on me. I always instintively try to hang onto whatever material I can. What's the thinking behind "returning sacrificed material at an opportune time"? Thanks.

The problem with giouco piano is that it can encourage symmetrical play between beginners leading to quite boring chess, resulting in becoming bored of the game. It does encourage development, but between beginners can be wholly undynamic. Scotch is good, as are many old-school openings, like the Evans gambit.

I normally play the giuoco piano, but some of the games have been a bit boring, or too positional for me. I like this scotch game, and I'm also trying the danish gambit and kings gambit, I will take a look at the Evans gambit too. Thanks.

Originally posted by shortstop47
Well, a bit of advice to get you going - play 1.e4 with white, and 1...e5 with black (vs 1.e4). That should allow you to play open games where the development of your pieces can be natural and "correct" in the sense of learning the game.

As white look at the basic opening of the Ruy Lopez (just the first few moves will do to get you going and to unde ...[text shortened]... /perl/explorer?node=24145&move=3.5&moves=e4.e5.Nf3.Nc6.Bc4&nodes=21720.21721.21722.21723.24145

Originally posted by huckleberryhound
whats the scotch?

Originally posted by james47
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4

Originally posted by cmsMaster
King's Gambit-Can't get much more open and exciting than that!

Originally posted by huckleberryhound
so whats the anotation for that then?



(its not in the FAQ, i checked)

Originally posted by cmsMaster
The King's Gambit wouldn't be in the FAQ 😛. The opening is...

1.e4 e5 2.f4

Giving up a pawn for easy development and central control. It can be tough to play at times though...

If you're interested I've emailed Russ about starting a King's Gambit tournament and it seems that it may happen here shortly.

Originally posted by huckleberryhound
oooh, looks a bit messy.
Opens up the diagonal to the king, and moving the kingside pawn. . .doesn't look like a good move for me, being a crap player an all.