♚ Play Your First Game of Chess – Step-by-Step Tutorial
There is no better way to learn chess than to play. This step-by-step tutorial walks you through your very first game using the Italian Opening. We will break down every move to explain the "why"—demonstrating how quickly a game can be won if one side ignores the center and king safety. Follow along to see abstract principles turn into a concrete checkmate.
♟️ Step 1 – Control the Center
White opens with 1. e4, taking control of the center and freeing the queen and bishop. Black replies 1... e5, mirroring White’s control.
♞ Step 2 – Develop Knights
White develops the kingside knight with 2. Nf3, attacking the pawn on e5. Black defends it naturally with 2... Nc6.
♗ Step 3 – Bring Out the Bishop
White plays 3. Bc4, targeting the weak f7 square near Black’s king. Black mirrors the move with 3... Bc5, a logical developing choice.
♕ Step 4 – The Queen Joins the Attack
White plays 4. Qh5, threatening both the f7 pawn and the e5 pawn. Black plays the blunder 4... Nf6??, overlooking the direct checkmate threat.
♛ Step 5 – Checkmate!
White captures on f7 with the queen: 5. Qxf7#. The f7 square was weakly defended, and the bishop on c4 supports the queen for a quick checkmate.
✅ Summary
- Control the center early with e4 and e5.
- Develop knights and bishops toward the center.
- Always defend the f7 and f2 squares near your king!
- Beware of early queen attacks when your king is uncastled.
💡 Tip for Beginners
Try playing this exact game against a friend or computer. If you’re on the Black side, practice defending properly with 4... Qe7 or 4... g6 to avoid the quick mate.