Opening Strategy Made Easy

This book has many large clear color diagrams. You do not need a chess set and board to read this book. You do need to know how to read standard chess notation.

Introduction

It is important to get off to a good start in the opening. Where should you place your pieces?

There are about 8 million possible positions after a mere 8 half moves (4 moves by each player.) There are many known opening lines. Understanding of ideas is more valuable than memorisation of specific moves. Ideas can often be applied in different situations. It does not matter how much opening theory you know, you will always get into opening positions you have never reached before. The ability to improvise is invaluable. In many games played as a master chess player I have found strong moves in opening positions I have never been before.

This book includes an overview of many types of pawn formations and in many cases examples of where to place your pieces in each case.

Stonewall Formation

White has a strong formation of pawns at the cost of a weak e4 square and a bad dark squared bishop.