Best Chess Openings for Kids Under 1200

The Foundation First

Before recommending specific openings, the most important thing to understand: at under 1200, opening principles matter far more than opening memorization.

A player who understands:

• Center control (put pawns on e4/d4 or e5/d5)
• Piece development (knights before bishops, both sides developed early)
• King safety (castle before starting attacks)
• Queen development (don’t bring her out too early)

…will navigate unfamiliar positions better than a player who has memorized 15 moves of a specific opening but doesn’t understand why those moves are played.

The openings below are recommended because they reinforce these principles — not because they require memorization.

Best Openings as White

1. King’s Pawn (1.e4) — Highly Recommended

Playing 1.e4 immediately stakes a claim on the center, opens diagonals for the bishops and queen, and leads to open, tactical positions where principles matter most.

Why it’s ideal for beginners:

• Positions are typically open and active — easy to understand
• Most responses by Black (1…e5, 1…e6, 1…c5) lead to well-known positions
• Tactical opportunities arise quickly — good for learning

After 1.e4: If Black responds 1…e5, you’re in the Open Games. The best beginner approach is to continue developing: 2.Nf3 (attack the e5 pawn, develop a piece), then castle kingside.

2. The Italian Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4) — Best First System

The Italian Game is the most beginner-friendly fully developed opening. Each of the first three moves has a clear, teachable reason:

• 1.e4 — control the center
• 2.Nf3 — attack Black’s e5 pawn, develop a knight
• 3.Bc4 — develop a bishop to a strong diagonal, target f7

The Italian is forgiving, leads to rich middlegame positions, and is used at all levels from beginner to grandmaster (the Giuoco Piano and Ruy Lopez are variations on these themes).

3. Queen’s Pawn (1.d4) — Solid Alternative

Playing 1.d4 leads to closed, strategic positions. These can be slightly harder for pure beginners to navigate (positions are less immediate), but 1.d4 is a completely valid choice.

Simple approach after 1.d4:

• If Black plays 1…d5: 2.c4 (Queen’s Gambit), or simply 2.Nf3 to develop
• If Black plays 1…Nf6: 2.c4 or 2.Nf3

At under 1200, the specific system matters less than playing principled moves.

Best Openings as Black

Against 1.e4: The Double King’s Pawn (1…e5) — Best for Beginners

Responding with 1…e5 mirrors White’s center claim, leads to open tactical positions, and is the most natural introduction to chess.

Why it’s best for young players:

• Creates clear, tactical positions — good for learning
• Leads to well-studied positions (Ruy Lopez, Italian, Scotch, etc.) where mistakes are well-documented
• Forces the player to develop actively — no passive play

Avoid as Black against 1.e4:

• The Sicilian Defense (1…c5) — complex, deeply theoretical, not suitable for under 1200
• The French Defense (1…e6) — can become passive and difficult to understand at this level

Against 1.d4: The Queen’s Gambit Declined (1…d5 2.c4 e6) — Solid Choice

The QGD is one of the most reliable responses to 1.d4. It’s solid, not passive, and leads to rich positions that don’t require extensive memorization at this level.

Alternative: 1.d4 Nf6 (Indian Defense systems like the King’s Indian or Nimzo-Indian) — these are valid but more complex. Save them for after 1200.

Openings to Avoid Under 1200

Opening	Why to wait
Sicilian Defense (as Black)	Requires deep theory; complex asymmetry; many pitfalls
King’s Indian Defense	Rich but requires strong positional understanding
Nimzo-Indian	Excellent but requires understanding of complex pawn structures
Hyper-modern systems (1…g6, 1…b6)	Understanding compensation for the center requires experience
Gambits (as a repertoire)	Fun but creates bad habits if the player doesn’t understand the compensation

This isn’t about these openings being bad — they’re played at the highest levels. They’re just not the right tools for players who are still building fundamentals.

How to Learn Your Openings at Under 1200

Step 1: Pick one or two options from above and stick with them.

Step 2: Learn the first 8–10 moves and, more importantly, understand why each move is played. “I played Bc4 because it develops the bishop to a strong diagonal and eyes the f7 square” is more valuable than knowing 20 moves of a specific variation.

Step 3: After each tournament game, note any position in the opening where you felt lost or made an obvious mistake. Look at that specific position — not a different opening.

Step 4: Don’t switch openings after every tournament. Depth in a few openings beats shallow knowledge of many.

Sample Basic Repertoire

As White:

• 1.e4 → 2.Nf3 → 3.Bc4 (Italian Game)
• Against non-1…e5 Black responses: play Nf3 + development, castle, connect rooks

As Black:

• vs 1.e4 → 1…e5 → 2…Nc6 → then develop, castle
• vs 1.d4 → 1…d5 → 2…e6 (QGD setup)

This is enough to play principled, competitive chess at under 1200 and up to 1400 with good middle and endgame play.

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Related: How Much Opening Study Does a Young Player Need? | Best Training Plan Under 1000

Frequently Asked Questions

Should kids memorize opening moves?

Light memorization of 5-10 moves in 1-2 openings is fine, but the priority should be understanding principles: control the center, develop pieces, get the king to safety. Players who understand why they're making moves outperform those who've memorized lines but don't understand the ideas behind them.

What happens when my child's opponent goes out of their preparation?

This is exactly why understanding principles matters more than memorization. When the opponent deviates, players who understand what makes moves good can adapt. Players who only know 'what the book says' often struggle. Teach openings as positions to understand, not sequences to recite.

When should a child start learning a serious opening repertoire?

There's no universal answer, but 1200-1400 USCF is a reasonable point to start building a more consistent repertoire. Below that, understanding basic principles and avoiding tactical blunders matters far more than opening preparation.