Decide
Step 1 · Which move has a purpose?
White to move
rnbqkbnr/pppp1ppp/8/4p3/4P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 2Both centre pawns are out. Now the pieces: three candidate second moves.
Which second move develops a piece with a purpose?
Quick check
- Knight to f3
- Knight to h3
- Queen to h5
Show the correct answer
Correct answer: Knight to f3 — 2.Nf3 brings a new piece out, attacks e5 and eyes d4. From f3 the knight reaches eight squares, and the way to castle is clearing.
- Knight to h3 — A knight on the rim reaches only four squares and attacks nothing that matters. Develop toward the centre.
- Queen to h5 — The queen comes out early. It attacks e5 and eyes f7, but Qxf7+ is only a check: …Kxf7. Then the queen gets chased: …Nc6, …g6, …Nf6. Watch it in the next step.
Watch
Step 2 · The queen out early
White to move
rnbqkbnr/pppp1ppp/8/4p3/4P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 22.Qh5 attacks e5 and eyes f7, but Qxf7+ would only be a check: …Kxf7. …Nc6 guards e5. 3.Bc4 adds a second attacker to f7, and now Qxf7 is mate; …g6 hits the queen. 4.Qf3 aims at f7 again, and …Nf6 blocks for good. Count: Black has two pieces out and the initiative; White’s queen has moved twice and both knights are still home.
The line: 2.Qd1-h5 Nb8-c6 3.Bf1-c4 g7-g6 4.Qh5-f3 Ng8-f6
Your move
Step 3 · A new piece, with a job
White to move
r1bqkbnr/pppp1ppp/2n5/4p3/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 2 3Black mirrored you. Bring out a piece that has not moved yet, and put it where it does something.
Hint: Bring out a piece that has not moved yet, toward the centre.
The move: 3.Bf1-c4
3.Bc4. A new piece, and it looks at f7, the square only Black’s king defends. Two pieces out, both toward the centre.
Also good here
3.Bf1-b5— Also good: the Spanish bishop pressures the knight that defends e5.3.d2-d4— Also good: the Scotch opens the centre at once, a sound plan of its own.3.Nb1-c3— A new piece toward the centre: fine. The bishop on c4 also aims at f7, which is why the lesson prefers it.
Why not another move?
3.Nf3-g5— The same knight again, and it simply hangs: …Qxg5 takes it. One piece twice is one piece too few. What follows:3…Qd8xg53.a2-a3— Playable, but a pawn move that develops nothing: Black gets a free move for development.
Watch
Step 4 · Development is a race
Black to move
r1bqkbnr/pppp1ppp/2n5/4p3/2B1P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R b KQkq - 3 3Black develops too, and the knight attacks your e4 pawn. The race includes not losing pawns.
The reply: 3…Ng8-f6
Decide
Step 5 · Guard and keep developing
White to move
r1bqkb1r/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/4p3/2B1P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 4 4e4 is attacked. Three ways to guard it.
Which reply guards e4 and keeps developing smoothly?
Quick check
- Pawn to d3
- Knight to c3
- Queen to e2
Show the correct answer
Correct answer: Pawn to d3 — 4.d3. The pawn guards e4 and opens the c1 bishop. Slow, solid, and every piece keeps working.
- Knight to c3 — 4.Nc3 develops and guards, but here Black has …Nxe4! Nxe4 d5, forking bishop and knight to win the piece back with a strong centre. That trap is the next lesson.
- Queen to e2 — 4.Qe2 guards e4 but blocks your own bishop’s retreat and the e-file. The queen is not a developing piece.
Decide
Step 6 · Why c4?
Black to move
r1bqkbnr/pppp1ppp/2n5/4p3/2B1P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R b KQkq - 3 3The bishop had three squares. It went to c4.
Why c4 for the bishop rather than d3 or e2?
Quick check
- It aims at f7 and d5
- It guards e4
- It prepares Qh5 and mate on f7
Show the correct answer
Correct answer: It aims at f7 and d5 — From c4 the bishop hits f7, the one square only Black’s king defends, and eyes d5. From e2 it looks at nothing; on d3 it blocks your own d-pawn.
- It guards e4 — The bishop on c4 does not guard e4; that will be the d-pawn’s job. Its purpose is the diagonal to f7.
- It prepares Qh5 and mate on f7 — Bc4 plus Qh5 is the beginner’s mate attempt, and it fails to …g6 or …Qe7. Bc4 stands on its own: development with a target.
On your own
Step 7 · On your own
White to move
rnbqkb1r/pp2pppp/3p1n2/8/3NP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 1 5A different opening, the Open Sicilian. Black’s knight has just attacked e4. Choose your fifth move.
Hint: e4 is attacked. Guard it with a piece that has not moved yet.
The move: 5.Nb1-c3
5.Nc3. A new piece, toward the centre, and it guards the pawn Black just attacked. The Open Sicilian’s normal move.
Why not another move?
5.f2-f3— Playable in some lines, but it develops nothing: …e5 kicks your d4 knight and Black gets on with development. The question was which piece.5.Qd1-d3— Playable, but the queen comes out early: …Nc6 and …Nb4 will chase it, and it blocks your bishop’s best square.5.Nb1-d2— The knight on d2 guards e4 but blocks the c1 bishop. c3 is the square.5.c2-c4— c4 does not guard e4: …Nxe4 takes a pawn for free. What follows:5…Nf6xe45.Bf1-d3— Playable, but the bishop on d3 blocks your queen and guards e4 no better than the knight would from c3. A new piece toward the centre: Nc3.
A quick refresher
In the app this position is not part of the lesson itself: it comes back later, as a review, to check that the idea stuck.
Your move
Which knight?
White to move
rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/2PP4/8/PP2PPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 3A queen’s-pawn opening. Which knight comes out, and to which square?
Hint: A knight to a square that does something: toward the centre, not the rim.
The move: 3.Nb1-c3
3.Nc3. A knight toward the centre, pressing on d5, and the c-pawn is already out, so the knight blocks nothing.
Also good here
3.Ng1-f3— Also a main move: the knight develops and prepares castling.
Why not another move?
3.Ng1-h3— The rim. From h3 the knight touches no centre square.3.Nb1-a3— The rim again: from a3 the knight only eyes b5 and c4.3.Qd1-a4— Check, and then …Bd7 and the queen must move again. Queen out early.3.c4-c5— Releases the tension for nothing; Black plays …b6 and the pawn is a target.3.e2-e3— Playable, but it shuts in the c1 bishop and develops nothing. The question was which knight.
What you learned
A new piece, toward the centre, with a job. Rim knight, same piece twice, queen out early: three ways to fall behind.
In your next game
Before an opening move, ask: does this bring a new piece out, and what does it do from that square? If your opponent attacks a pawn, guard it with a move that also develops.