Chess Openings For Dummies

by James Eade, Carsten Hansen

Overview

Set yourself up for success by understanding the art of the chess opening

Chess Openings For Dummies helps beginning and intermediate chess players improve their game by making the first few moves count. With a strong opening, you can dictate the flow of the game, control the center, and keep your king safe. This book shows you how to make tactical early moves that put you on a strong footing for the rest of the game. Chess master James Eade shares his expert knowledge for coming out triumphant in open, semi-open, closed, and semi-closed games. Plus, you'll discover the perks of advancing with flank openings and learn the major mistakes to avoid. Learn the importance of online competitions, computers, and faster-paced chess events and their impact on the game. In language anyone can understand, this Dummies guide helps you gain a strategic advantage in chess.

• Discover the most effective openings for open and closed games
• Advance your game with new and advanced opening techniques
• Learn why certain openings have become more popular—and why you should use them
• Gain the upper hand in the first few moves and keep opponents on their toes

Looking to improve your chess openings? Chess Openings For Dummies makes it easy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781394344994
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	12/02/2025
Edition description:	2nd ed.
Pages:	416
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 1.25(h) x 9.00(d)

About the Author

James Eade became a United States Chess Federation chess master in 1981. International organizations awarded him the master title in 1990 (for correspondence) and in 1993 (for regular tournament play). Today, he writes about and teaches chess.

Carsten Hansen is a FIDE Master (1990) and Trainer (2016) and is one of the most prolific authors of chess books, with more than sixty books to his credit.

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Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part I: Principles of Play 7

Chapter 1: Understanding Chess Openings 9

Chapter 2: Exploring the Elements of Chess 17

Chapter 3: Picking the Right Type of Opening 27

Part II: Winning with Open Games 35

Chapter 4: Gambling with Gambits 37

Chapter 5: Opening Softly with a Big Stick: The Bishop Makes Its Move 57

Chapter 6: Workin’ on Some Knight Moves 71

Chapter 7: Employing the Royal Ruy 79

Chapter 8: The Best of the Rest of the Open Games 99

Part III: Having It Both Ways with Semi-Open Games 111

Chapter 9: Sharpening the Sicilian 113

Chapter 10: Parlez-vous the French? 135

Chapter 11: Anyone Can Caro-Kann 155

Chapter 12: Rope-a-Dope with the Pirc and Modern Defenses 171

Chapter 13: The Best of the Rest of the Semi-Open Games 185

Part IV: Conquering with Closed and Semi-Closed Games 195

Chapter 14: Offering the Queen’s Gambit 197

Chapter 15: Declining with the Slav and Semi-Slav 213

Chapter 16: Getting Hypermodern with the Nimzo-Indian 229

Chapter 17: Fighting Back with the King’s Indian 241

Chapter 18: Grinding in the Grünfeld 255

Chapter 19: The Best of the Rest of the Semi-Closed Games 265

Part V: Advancing with Flank Openings 283

Chapter 20: Speaking the King’s English 285

Chapter 21: Getting Réti 305

Chapter 22: The Best of the Rest of the Flank Openings 313

Part VI: The Part of Tens 327

Chapter 23: Ten Common Mistakes to Avoid in the Opening 329

Chapter 24: Ten Best Ways to Study Chess Openings 339

Chapter 25: Ten Great Chess Web Sites 345

Index 349