The 7 Best Chess Openings for Beginners
You don't need twenty openings. You need one with White and one against each of your opponent's first moves, understood well enough that you know what you're trying to do on move 10. These seven cover exactly that, ordered by difficulty, and each comes with its plan — not just its move order.
How to choose your opening
Before the list, the question that actually matters: what kind of position do you want to play?
| If you enjoy… | Play… |
|---|---|
| Fast attacks, active pieces | Italian, Sicilian |
| Solid, clear positions | Ruy Lopez, Queen's Gambit |
| Closed structures and long plans | French, London System |
| One setup you repeat every game | London System |
One tip that saves months: pick one and play it fifty times. Switching openings every game is the fastest way to learn none of them.
1. Italian Game (White)
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4
The best first opening there is. It follows the three principles to the letter: pawn to the centre, knight developed, bishop onto an active diagonal aiming at f7.
The plan: castle quickly, play c3 and d4 to build a big centre, and bring your pieces toward the enemy king. Everything you learn here transfers to practically every other opening.
2. Ruy Lopez / Spanish Game (White)
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5
The most played opening in top-level history. The bishop pressures the knight that defends e5.
The plan: not to win the pawn (3...a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 gives the material back) but to accumulate a small, long-term positional edge. It's deeper than the Italian — move to it once the Italian feels comfortable.
3. Sicilian Defence (Black against 1.e4)
1. e4 c5
The most popular and most combative answer to 1.e4. Instead of mirroring White with 1...e5, Black strikes at the centre from the wing.
The plan: trade your c-pawn for White's d-pawn, keep a half-open c-file and counterattack on the queenside. It's sharp and theory-heavy, so start with a simple version like the Closed Sicilian rather than memorising twenty moves of Najdorf.
4. French Defence (Black against 1.e4)
1. e4 e6
2. d4 d5
Solid and highly structured. Black builds a pawn chain and accepts a slightly passive light-squared bishop in exchange for a position that's hard to crack.
The plan: hit the centre with ...c5 and pressure the d4 pawn. If you like defending and counterpunching, the French is your opening.
5. Caro-Kann Defence (Black against 1.e4)
1. e4 c6
2. d4 d5
Similar to the French but without its main drawback: here the light-squared bishop gets out before the chain closes with ...e6.
The plan: comfortable development, a healthy structure and a slightly better endgame. This is the opening for players who'd rather not gamble in the first fifteen moves.
6. Queen's Gambit (White)
1. d4 d5
2. c4
Despite the name it isn't a real gambit: if Black grabs with 2...dxc4, White regains the pawn without trouble.
The plan: offer the c-pawn to deflect Black's d-pawn and keep a dominant centre. It's the opening that best teaches what "controlling the centre with pawns" actually means.
7. London System (White)
1. d4 d5
2. Bf4
The honest shortcut. It's a system: you play nearly the same setup — d4, Bf4, e3, Bd3, Nf3, c3, Nbd2 — against almost anything your opponent does.
The plan: safe, automatic development, short castling, then a quiet kingside attack. If you don't want to study theory and would rather spend that time on tactics, this is your system.
A complete repertoire in three lines
If you want the minimum needed to stop improvising:
- With White: Italian (or the London System if you prefer 1.d4).
- Against 1.e4: Caro-Kann.
- Against 1.d4: 1...d5 with normal development.
That's it. These three will get you comfortably to move 12 against practically anyone below 1800.
The mistake that ruins any opening
Memorising moves without understanding the plan. The moment your opponent steps out of "your line" — and they will, by move 4 — you'll be out of ideas.
Do the opposite: on every opening move ask yourself does this develop a piece, control the centre, or make my king safer? If the answer is no, there's probably a better move.
Try one of these seven right now against the AI and play it five games in a row before switching. Repetition is what turns a list into a repertoire.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best chess opening for beginners?
The Italian Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4). It applies the three opening principles — centre, development, castling — directly, and the ideas you learn in it transfer to almost every other opening.
How many openings should I learn?
Three is plenty below 1800: one with White, one against 1.e4 and one against 1.d4. Knowing three well beats recognising ten by name.
Is the Sicilian Defence good for beginners?
It's the most combative reply to 1.e4 and gives rich positions, but it also carries the most theory. If you're starting out, pick a simple version like the Closed Sicilian, or play the Caro-Kann until the general principles are second nature.
What is the London System and why is it so popular?
It's a development scheme with d4, Bf4, e3, Bd3, Nf3, c3 and Nbd2 that you can repeat against almost any reply. It's popular because it needs very little memorisation and frees up your time for tactics.
Do I have to memorise opening moves?
No. You need to understand the plan: which squares you want to control and where your pieces belong. Memorising without a plan collapses the moment your opponent deviates — which is almost always, and almost always early.