Learning the best chess openings for beginners is one of the most effective ways to improve quickly. Rather than memorizing dozens of complex lines, beginners and intermediate players should focus on simple, sound openings that teach core principles.
Our visual chess opening posters are designed to help you remember and understand the most important openings for players rated under 1500 ELO. Let’s explore a few of them.
Why Learning the Best Chess Openings for Beginners Matters
Chess openings help you reach a good middlegame position. For beginners, the goal isn’t to memorize moves, but to:
- Control the center
- Develop your pieces quickly
- Get your king to safety (usually by castling)
- Avoid early mistakes or traps
Studying the best chess openings for beginners makes these principles easier to apply in your own games. A poster showing the most popular moves at your level can speed up learning.
Looking for a fast and visual way to remember the most common chess openings?
Our Main Openings Poster helps you see all the key opening trees at once — designed for players around 1000 ELO, with popularity and win rates included.
It’s the perfect tool to choose your favorite opening and start studying it visually.
👉 View the full poster in our shop
Best Chess Openings for Beginners Under 1500 ELO
Here are five great openings for beginners and intermediate players, with links to our visual posters that make them easier to study.
Italian Game – 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4
The Italian Game is straightforward and teaches key principles: control the center, develop quickly, and attack weaknesses. It’s a favorite among new players.
Queen’s Gambit – 1.d4 d5 2.c4
Popularized by the Netflix series, the Queen’s Gambit offers strong central control and teaches key pawn structure ideas. It’s flexible and great for building strategy.
👉 Available in our Main Openings poster — or ask for this opening to be added.
London System – Setup-Based Simplicity
The London System avoids heavy theory. It’s ideal if you want a solid, repeatable plan without memorizing dozens of lines. Play d4, Bf4, Nf3, e3, and c3.
👉 Available in our Main Openings poster — or ask for this opening to be added.
Sicilian Defense – For Fighting Back as Black
When playing Black, the Sicilian (1.e4 c5) is the most successful opening at all levels. It creates imbalanced positions and helps you learn counterplay.
👉 Available in our Main Openings poster — or ask for this opening to be added.
French Defense – Solid and Strategic
The French Defense (1.e4 e6) is very solid. It teaches pawn chains and strategic planning. It’s slightly more closed than other defenses, but very safe for beginners.
👉 Available in our Main Openings poster — or ask for this opening to be added.
Use Posters to Learn the Best Chess Openings for Beginners Faster
Visual learners retain opening ideas better when they see move sequences. That’s why we created chess opening posters that:
- Show popular moves at your level (based on Lichess stats)
- Highlight winning percentages and Stockfish evaluations
- Use clear arrows and structured diagrams for decision-making
These posters make it easier to remember the best chess openings for beginners, especially when placed near your desk or chess board.
Conclusion: Build Confidence With the Right Openings
The best chess openings for beginners help you learn the game while avoiding overwhelm. Stick to 1–2 openings for White and Black, and practice them regularly.
🎯 Ready to start? Browse our full collection of chess opening posters designed for beginners and intermediate players.
[Need a quick refresher on opening fundamentals? Check out the Wikipedia article on Chess Openings for a broad overview of principles and popular openings][24]. And if you want to see these openings in action or practice them against others, sites like Lichess and Chess.com offer free resources and lessons to supplement your learning.