Chess Openings

• There are over a thousand chess openings and variants! Opening moves that are considered standard are referred to as "book moves.”

• Luckily you do not need to memorize them all! However, as you continue to refine your skills, it is important to understand and learn the more common chess openings and the theory behind them.

• Don't play any opening just because it is popular! Many players realize that they play certain types of positions better than others. Therefore, most players specialize in certain openings where they know the theory well and achieve favorable positions. The set of openings a player has specialized in is called an opening repertoire.