How To Learn A New Chess Opening 📘👀

3-step process to learning a new chess opening. In this video explain the process I use to learn a chess opening for the first time.

Chess Links:
Openings Explorer:


Books:

Videos:

About This Video:

Learning a new chess opening can be difficult. Chess openings range from simple setup based openings, to complex theory based openings, and many new and beginner players get overwhelmed at the process of trying to learn all of the different lines and variations that make up a chess opening. But learning a new chess opening doesn't have to be so hard. In this video I will show you a 3 step process you can use to learn ANY new chess opening. I will go through the Benko Gambit as an example and show you exactly the process I use to learn a new opening.

[aniruddhvasishta]

1. Pick an opening to learn
2. Learn the main line. Play through it a few times from both sides till you memorize it. Learn the ideas rather than the exact moves.
3. Learn variations by practicing by yourself.

[Princesspony]

"If your games have more than five blunders...." I'll still watch i guess

[DarrenSaw]

No doubts this is my favourite channel right now, so much good content with simple explanation, no name dropping or egos. Love it.

[uimrvhf]

Man, thank you for your work. Keep it up, the content is always so relevant!

[znbrrch]

I'm really amazed by the fact that a master like you doesn't know some openings. Tells me alot about how chess is so complex and its all about what your opponent does.

[michelnormandin]

Well done. Simple. Good diction. To the point. My youngest son plays on Lichess at around 1700. But he knows the basics. At that level it is incredible the number of hope chess players who don't have a clue. As a teen I was lucky enough to have a very good coach. I studied and played tournaments for about 12 years. That was 50 years ago. You got a new subscriber.

[elderhiker]

Excellent instruction. I am teaching my 8-year-old grandson chess and he is doing all right. He is excited beyond belief. He joined the chess club at school and that is increasing my challenge and this video will help a lot. Sixty eight years ago, my uncle taught me the Rut Lopez opening and started me down this glorious path of chess. I don’t think I will start with the Ruy Lopez however. The London for white is popular right now so I will start there and maybe the PIRC for black. But I will use your approach. Thanks a lot for your help.

[kylen]

I think a good “level up” from this info is how to use a database to improve your openings…ie, looking for short decisive games between players with larger rating discrepancies to determine common tactical themes, middle game plans, end game outcomes, etc

[surij]

I lost a game to the Vienna opening and stumbled upon your channel. I am glad I did, this channel is great!! and you are good teacher!. Thanks!!

[stevenrichmond]

No disrespect to the great Garry Kasparov but your videos are better than his Master Class. I gain more knowledge of the game and how to play it from you, keep up the good work!

[drandrewdobo]

It's so nice when a chess master teaches. The provided structure, steps, and how to practice has high utility. So many of these youtube chess masters are just talking to other chess masters. I can take this video and apply the method to more than openings. Keep up the great work. I watched the 35 principles yesterday. Typed them out to continue to study them. Thanks so much.

[dancingbrave]

Love your videos Nelson..so clear and instructive..Thank you

[arya]

I think for a player under 1600 it's important to remember that most people aren't going to go long into theoretical lines.

You need a response to e4 and d4 (c4 and Nf6 if you have the time). Learn the key lines of these variations, the important part is to punish opponent mistakes and not make any of your own, you probably won't go much deeper than 6 or 7 moves unless you pick the sicilian (gross).

If you play e4 you need a response to c6, c5, d6, d5, e6, and of course e5. Be smart, pick simple lines with a low likelihood of branching out. For example, smith morra is a great response to c5. Orthosnapp to e6. Avoid all the theory that your opponent has put into their opening and piss them off in the process.

If you play d4 (boring) then don't play queens gambit it's a headache. Play london or stonewall and don't be surprised when you come running back to e4. You need to learn your system well and consistently out perform black in the opening. Also you need a response to the dutch (I would castle queenside) and the englund (a bad gambit with cheap tricks that you can and should always crush).

Unless you're like 2000, openings should be a fun thing to catch your opponent out and dodge traps - don't bog your head down with things like the benko. Get through the opening and just play lots of chess, it's the only to get any good really

[mikem]

Nice video Nelson, appreciate this a lot. Working on breaking through 1300 so it's time I really start learning openings and setting myself up better...

[thejames]

Really enjoyed this. Bought 1001 deadly checkmates on your recommendation and it’s great, so just ordered FCO too! Keep on creating 👍

[tangycheeseman]

Great work thanks! I ordered the FCO book based on your last video and I'm excited to get started.

[mattgiguere]

Thanks for showing me how to read my FCO book....much easier 😀

[Mahmoudery]

Another thing I love to do in order to get my head around new openings, is to maintain the ideas of a general good opening. Therefore I'm going to look for reasons why the opening helps me grasp the center more than my opponent, or can I get my pieces active right from the beginning, or am I going to castle my king safely?

The benko is a double-edged opening, which by you're resigning the center at some capacity by allowing two white pawns in the central squares, however, it could be really tricky with the open lines black would have and the restriction on the white king from getting castle early in the game.

[thomashindle]

In my personal opinion, I'd say rather than learn opening lines, it's better to learn pawn structures. Like out of a Spanish, you're most likely to get either a d5-chain structure, the symmetrical ruy structure, or a mobile ruy structure. Then learn recommended piece placements, likely pawn breaks, and general plans of attack. That's how I tend to approach opening theory.

[danhusker]

Interesting. I've always considered "Openings" as applied to white, but you flipped it to apply to black. Thanks for the insight. Now I have to re-think some things. I love chess. Thanks for a great channel. I've watched a lot of your videos.