How to Win Chess Openings: Playing Black
e4 e6 e4 - Moving the King Pawn two spaces forward is the most common move played in professional and amateur chess., D4 D5 D4 - Moving the Queen Pawn forward two spaces, now completely dominates the centre squares., Nc3 Bb4 Nc3 - Again a logical...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: e4 e6 e4 - Moving the King Pawn two spaces forward is the most common move played in professional and amateur chess.
e6
- Moving the king pawn a conservative one space forward is the defining move of the French Defense.
Although it does not control the centre squares as e4 does, it can lead to many strong positions.
Nimzovich in the book, "My System" made a case that the best ploy by white was to move d4 on the second move and e5 on the third move and go for a space advantage and an attack on the king.
Because of this, most players will play this way as white and this gives black the first attack on the queenside starting with 2) ... d5 and 3) ... c5, the Advance Variation. -
Step 2: D4 D5 D4 - Moving the Queen Pawn forward two spaces
D5
- Moving the Queen Pawn two spaces forward now forms a strong pawn chain(both the Classical and Winawer Variation of the French Defense complete this move). , Bb4
- Moving the bishop to B4 successfully pins whites Knight to the king.
This move allows development of another piece while prohibiting the movement of white. -
Step 3: now completely dominates the centre squares.
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Step 4: Nc3 Bb4 Nc3 - Again a logical move
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Step 5: white is now covering the pawn on e4 and has developed another piece.
Detailed Guide
e6
- Moving the king pawn a conservative one space forward is the defining move of the French Defense.
Although it does not control the centre squares as e4 does, it can lead to many strong positions.
Nimzovich in the book, "My System" made a case that the best ploy by white was to move d4 on the second move and e5 on the third move and go for a space advantage and an attack on the king.
Because of this, most players will play this way as white and this gives black the first attack on the queenside starting with 2) ... d5 and 3) ... c5, the Advance Variation.
D5
- Moving the Queen Pawn two spaces forward now forms a strong pawn chain(both the Classical and Winawer Variation of the French Defense complete this move). , Bb4
- Moving the bishop to B4 successfully pins whites Knight to the king.
This move allows development of another piece while prohibiting the movement of white.
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