You may be aware of some of the more common chess openings, but did you know there are also several “poison” openings? These are openings that are regarded as the worst chess opening options and can frequently result in a rapid defeat. In this article, we’ll look at some of the worst chess openings and explain why you should stay away from them.
Why is a Good Chess Opening Move Important?
Chess is one of the world’s oldest games, inspiring some of history’s finest brains to devise new plans and tactics. But what is the significance of a successful chess opening move?
A chess opening is the first series of moves each player makes in a chess game. There are hundreds of different chess openings, but they are of three types: the King’s Indian Attack (KIA), the Queen’s Gambit Accepted (QGA), and the Sicilian Defense (SD).
A strong chess opening move is significant for various reasons. For starters, it allows you to grow your pieces and get an advantage over your opponent. Second, it assists you in identifying flaws in your opponent’s stance.
Third, it helps you to hone your ability to assess the quality of your opponent’s position. Finally, it puts you in a situation where winning becomes simpler since you are no longer under assault.
A List of the Worst Chess Openings
This post will look at things from a slightly different perspective. We’ll review the five worst openers. You should strongly consider changing if you play any of the openers below.
Amar Opening – 1. NH3
In honor of Charles Amar, the Amar opening is also the Ammonia or the Drunken Knight Opening, among other titles. Although the terminology may alter, the initial move of moving the King’s Knight to the h flank file remains constant. Given the black pieces’ early 0.8 advantage, it may appear hasty before becoming bold.
Magus Carlsen is renowned for using this as an opening move; however, what is excellent for Magnus is bad for us. Playing the Amar Opening will bring us no good.
Barnes Opening – 1. F3
The Barnes Opening, so named in honor of Thomas Wilson Barnes, an English player who defeated Paul Morphy an astounding eight times, is a variation of the 1. f3 opening.
Even if those victories were amazing, one would not want to use the Barnes opening against a skilled black player who would instantly answer with 1…e5 and begin to seize control of the center of the board.
Bird’s Opening – 1. F4
The Bird’s opening, named after Henry Bird, a player who could push a piece or two, is the next opening move that you might be familiar with.
A frequent flanker is the Bird’s Opening. White’s strategy concepts include controlling the e5-square, which gives superb striking opportunities while weakening their kingside.
The Bird’s introduction, albeit less distinctive than the others on this list, requires consideration before being considered a play.
You should plan and study your partners’ routines and how they will respond to the opening of the Bid. Expect 1…d5 as a response.
Clemenz Opening – 1. H3
It would be unreasonable to compare this opening to the Grob’s Attack; the two should compete for the top 4-5 spots. In reality, if both sides play correctly, the Clemenz Opening can be transposed into Grob’s Attack.
1.h3 is a time-wasting move that achieves nothing beneficial in terms of piece growth, center control, casting, etc. It just wastes a tempo and exposes the king’s vulnerability. White is not in jeopardy now, but they will be if they continue to play passive plays like that.
Grob Opening – 1. G4
You won’t often see the Grob opening, a crazy flank pawn opening move from white, but it might happen regularly at the amateur level. It will give black an instant 1.1 advantage on balance, which is as awful as The Barne’s beginning. Expect black to respond with one immediately…d5 to seize control of the center.
It’s not a significant opening; use it sometimes to give your opponent pause or push yourself to turn things back in your favor.
The Grob should be used sparingly in competitive chess unless you are fairly certain you can recoup the advantage and outplay your opponent.
Kádas Opening – 1. H4
The Kádas opening is not a well-known opening move, and it is neither popular nor recommended. It immediately puts white at a disadvantage—white moves the h-file pawn two spaces to h4 in the Desprez Opening.
The Kádas opening is almost as unusual at the master level of competitive chess as Carlsen losing; suffice it to say, it is extremely rare. In contrast, players like Magnus Carlsen may indulge in some entertaining time control events with terrible openings for white.
There are virtually no advantages to making this your opening move in a chess game, so just don’t!
Mieses Opening – 1. D3
The Mieses Opening, named after the German-British grandmaster Jacques Mieses, begins with 1. d3.
It is not a common opening, but it is also not the worst opening for white, given the eight that have come before it in this list.
Prepare your black opponent by quickly moving the e pawn one square in anticipation of another unusual move.
The opening had a fascinating historical example: Gary Kasparov faced Deep Blue in a match in 1997.
Kasparov believed that forcing deep blue to think rather than rely on book movements would help his case. The match ended in a tie.
Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack – 1. B3
Despite a dozen ‘better’ initial moves, the opening move 1.b3 is a good decision for White to start a game.
The name of the move is after a renowned Danish GM, Bent Larsen, who was known for his unusual style; this tells you a little about it. It’s worth noticing that the introduction mentions GM Aron Nimzowitsch.
The goal is to prepare the fianchetto of the queen’s bishop, offering assistance to the center while simultaneously applying pressure to your opponent’s kingside.
Polish Opening – 1. B4
Not nearly as awful as the Amar, the Polish seems to give black a 0-7 advantage before moving a piece, which should be a simple 1…e5 reaction to enhance the situation of the dark pieces in an instant.
It is unusual, probably dangerous, and certainly not recommended if playing someone with intermediate chess ability. It is also known as the Sokolsky opening after Alexei Pavlovich Sokolsky.
It does free the Queen’s bishop, but there are better methods. From a balancing standpoint, it is the fourth-worst opening in chess.
Sodium Attack – 1. Na3
Given the algebraic notation for the move supplying the chemical symbol Na for Sodium, it is easy to see why this opening move for white is known as the Sodium Attack.
When performing this unconventional opener, be prepared for sodium burns and booms. You already know that this is the 5th worst opening move in chess, giving the black pieces a 0.6 advantage on balance without them having to play their first move, which should be 1…e5.
The Durkin opening, so named in honor of its originator Robert Durkin, is not advised when 15 other motions will do.
Ware Opening – 1. A4
Ware’s opening is the last on our list of chess’s ten worst opening moves. Another flank pawn single square move, which you should never play and rarely save as an amusement or shock tactic by an extremely self-assured player.
Preston Ware’s name selection is a tribute to this opening move for white since he was a proponent of unusual starting activities such as a4.
For reasons I don’t understand, this is also known as the Meadow Hay opening. There would appear to be, and are, no clear, rationally tactical reasons to play this as your first move in chess with the white pieces. Just keep to white’s finest opening moves.
Recommendations to Improve Your Chess Skills
Chess is challenging. Hiring a chess coach is the greatest approach to raising your rating. Magnus Carlsen and Anish Giri worked extremely hard, but Magnus emerged as the world champion. This post will look at ways to improve.
How to Improve at Chess – Opening Techniques
The first thing you learn when you start playing chess is the chess opening. A chess opening is a critical aspect of the preparation process. As a beginner, you should practice basic chess openings. It will assist you in comprehending various postures. Here are a few pointers to consider.
Stick To One Opening From Each Side
Many players attempt to learn many chess openings, which leads to confusion. As a beginner, it is best to limit yourself to one opening. It will also save you a lot of time when preparing different openers. If you are unsure about which opening to play, here are a few suggestions.
Best chess openings for white;
- e4
- c4
- Nf3
Best chess openings for black;
- King’s Indian Defense (Against 1.d4)
- Grunfeld Opening (Against 1.d4)
- Caro Kann (Against 1.e4)
- Pirc Defense (Against 1.e4)
Prepare Sidelines
Preparing sidelines is also the most effective approach to deceive your opponent. Always have some sidelines on hand. Usually, playing chess from the sidelines is not a good idea. It is critical to understand a few sidelines. Preparing and playing on the sidelines are highly effective in quick and blitz games because you have very little time, and your opponent is usually under time constraints.
Another advantage of being on the sidelines is that you will usually receive a better position. Typically, hardly one prepares the sides, which you can simply exploit. However, remember that you must develop the major lines from a longer viewpoint.
How to Improve at Chess – Middlegame Techniques
As a beginner, you should concentrate on the middle game rather than the opening. The opening represents just 10-20% of your overall game. The mid-game is crucial.
Solve a Lot of Chess Tactics
Solving many puzzles can help you improve your comprehension, strategy, math, and so on. It will undoubtedly benefit you throughout the competition. Daily, you must concentrate and solve tactical problems. Selecting a certain book, chess.com, or lichess problems is preferable. You might also consider this subscription, which will provide you with thousands of chess problems for less than the cost of a restaurant meal.
Analyze Your Games
Analyzing your games might reveal your faults and talents. You will also uncover flaws in your openers, middlegames, and endgames that you may correct by studying.
Analyzing is complex. When you begin studying your games, evaluate them, and utilize the engine. Analyzing your coach might help you get an advantage. The coach will assist you in identifying your errors.
Watch Top Players’ Games
You can improve your middle game and your openers by keeping up with the newest games and trends. It can aid you in comprehending elite-level opening patterns, how they think, and, on occasion, their insights.
You may watch the best players’ games using several different methods. Here are some resources to help you get started;
- Lichess
- Follow chess
- Chess24
- Agadmator chess – Youtube channel
- Gotham Chess – Youtube channel
- Chess.com
How to Improve at Chess – Endgame Techniques
Most novices will find the endgame tedious. Endgame knowledge is not critical for a beginner, but it is essential to understand fundamental endgame positions. You have to do boring things to get great at chess.
Understand Basic Endgame Positions
It is critical to understand fundamental endgame positions. In the exercises section of Chess.com, you may play the situation using endgames. Here are some basic endgame positions;
- Checkmate with king vs. king and rook
- Checkmate with king vs. king and two rooks
- Checkmate with king vs. queen
- Checkmate with king and queen vs. king and rook
- Checkmate with king vs. king and two bishops
Study a Lot of Endgame Books
If working on endgames is your true passion, you are better than 99% of individuals. There are several chess books available to help you improve your chess skills. When reading literature, you must attempt to solve every position. You should purchase a book from
Chessable because it will cost you about the same. Chessable, on the other hand, offers to move trainer technology that will give you an advantage. Best chess books for endgames:
- 100 Endgames You Must Know by Jesus de la Villa
- Silman’s Complete Endgame Course by Jeremy Silman
- Endgame Strategy by Mikhail Shereshevsky
- Mastering Complex Endgames by Adrian Mikhalchishin and Oleg Stetsko
- Capablanca’s Best Chess Endings: 60 Complete Games by Irving Chernev
Get Outside of Your Comfort Zone
Every chess player finds studying the endgame to be extremely tedious. However, to increase your strength, you must learn endgames. It is critical to step outside of your comfort zone. If you dislike studying endgames, you can locate a sparring partner to assist you in practice. You can engage him in various endgame positions.
How to Improve at Chess – Tips for general improvement
The preceding advice is for the opening, middle, and endgame. However, there are a few additional techniques. I’ve labeled these as available enhancements.
Play a Lot of Tournaments
Beginner players should participate in 6-8 over-the-board competitions yearly. Ten to twelve tournaments are sufficient for developing players. Several organizers run both online and physical events.
Here are some prominent chess tournament calendars to help you discover tournaments. You may just Google the following, and you will get relevant results;
- FIDE calendar
- Chess mix
- USA chess calendar
- Indian events chess calendar
- European chess tournament calendar
Read a Lot of Chess Books
Reading chess books expands your mental process. It also aids in the acquisition of knowledge and insights about chess players. You ought to generally read at least one chess book per month. Here is a list of several good chess books that everyone may read;
- Finding Bobby Fischer
- Mind Master: Winning Lessons from a Champion’s Life
- Vladimir Kramnik: The Inside Story of a Chess Genius
- The Anand Files
Hire a Chess Coach
A chess coach can assist you in developing your chess skills. Selecting a perfect chess instructor is critical. Many parents believe that a high rating equates to a skilled chess tutor.
An excellent coach is passionate, supportive, trustworthy, focused, goal-oriented, knowledgeable, wise, courteous, patient, and a good communicator. It is tough to find a chess coach. Recommendations may be an excellent resource for locating a chess coach. You may also look for chess coaches on the websites listed below;
- Chess.com
- Lichess Coaches
Parting Words
There is so much to learn in chess that you can never know it all in a lifetime! To improve, you must do three things: play, learn, and have fun. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t win all of your games right immediately. You can love chess indefinitely as long as you keep having fun and continue to learn from your losses.
Finally, telling someone to move their pieces arbitrarily when unsure of what move to make is one of the worst pieces of chess advice you can give them. It won’t teach kids how to play chess since they won’t know which moves are better than the others. Only professionals understand how serious this is.