Ask Coach Jessica: Opening Tricks on Move Two (Part Two)!

Buon giorno ChessKids! Last week we discussed the first few moves of an extremely common opening: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3, attacking e5. Black had options to guard that pawn, most of which were bad in one way or another. Do you know what the best way to guard the pawn is? Let's look at more choices, and more tactics! By, Mrs Jessica E Prescott (aka BoundingOwl).

Queens are nice. What if we let our queen defend the pawn? Qe7 blocks the bishop we just let out though. So, Qf6?

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I have two issues with this move. One is that really that "f6" is the KNIGHT'S happy square. So she's blocking the knight. And another reason it's not so super, is that queens don't like to hang out defending pawns when they are such great attackers. It's much too early to get your queen out. Don't forget CDC!
 
Well, what if we just counter-attack the pawn! We'll put the knight on the happy square and Mrs Prescott will be happy...riiiighhhtt???
 
Nope! More tricks abound! A BoundingOwl will show you!
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If Black gets wise before losing his/her queen, there are still problems. Copying is not a good idea in chess because whoever gets check first cannot be copied! So we'll leave Black's queen at home, and instead retreat the knight back to f6. "Happy Square, Happy Square, Surely I'm Safe Here!" The knight is humming quickly.
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Whoa - wait, is that the king I see in the distance yonder? The queen and knight and opposing king are all lined up. What does that remind you of?  Devious Discoveries? Before I give you a hint, try to find the best move here for White.
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Here is your hint: where can the knight go to attack the most powerful piece on theh board? Remember that little pieces cannot capture this knight while the queen is giving check!
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Back to our original position. Move two was never so ridiculously complicated. What about guarding with Bd6?
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This is what chess players call "ugly." I know it's not nice to call things ugly. But positions in chess can be beautiful, so they can also be ugly. This move does not get the bishop to a new diagonal and the bishop is stuck behind its own pawn. It also blocks in the d-pawn, which blocks in the white-squared bishop, so basically everyone is eating concrete. Ugly.
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I don't think I've mentioned 2...Qg5 yet, have I? There's a reason for that...
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That leaves 2. Nc6, saving best for last! Ah, the knight has reached a happy square and does not block in any center pawns or bishops. Wow. I bet you have never put so much thought into defending a pawn with your knight on move two!
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Good for you! 
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Don't forget to give all your pieces a chance and don't block any of your stuff.

RELATED STUDY MATERIAL

  • Watch IM SkilledCloud explain what can happen if you guard your e-pawn in the wrong way;
  • Did you forget what "CDC" is? Read BoundingOwl's explanation;
  • Here are some other development basics from IM PoppaBear - look at that funny position he creates!;