Learning openings should not necessarily be a priority for new chess players, or even those players at the low club levels. Of course, even beginners should get a handle on basic opening principles early in their chess career, but learning specific lines and variations shouldn't take up too much of your study time -- most players will improve their chess faster by studying tactics and endgames, playing serious games, and analyzing those games with stronger players.
Still, there will come a time when every player wants to pick a few openings to study and make them their own. While stronger players may memorize large amounts of opening theory (a process made considerably easier in the modern game thanks to computers and specialized opening training software), most club players with limited study time need to take a more practical approach to learning their openings of choice. Here are a few tips to make the process go a little easier:
- When choosing opening systems, pick ones that will give you the kinds of middlegame positions that you enjoy playing and understand well. For instance, the Evans Gambit may not be a good choice for a positional player, but is ideal for one who enjoys highly tactical positions.
- Don't try to do too much. At first, learn the main lines of your openings, along with the basic plans for each side. At an early stage, learning any common traps in the opening is important too -- both to minimize early losses, and to take advantage of easy wins your opponents might hand to you.
- Here's a great tip I've heard from a host of chess teachers: after playing any game, whether a serious tournament contest or a quick match online, look up the opening in your opening reference of choice. Find out where the game left the recommended lines, and see why your book says that the move(s) they recommend is superior to the one you (or your opponent) played. By doing this diligently, you'll quickly build on your existing opening knowledge without taking on too much at once.
There may come a time when you want to spend more time and energy on learning a specific opening system, but for most casual players, the above tips should allow you to get a solid handle on the early stages of a chess game while leaving plenty of study time for other topics.
