Chess Opening Fundamentals

Author: Chen Ri Xu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: An Introduction to Chinese Chess Series. The opening of chess is like laying a solid foundation for building a skyscraper—it is also the foundation of the entire game. With a solid foundation, one can showcase their talents in the middle and endgame. Why has the number of drawn games between top players increased in recent years? Besides their evenly matched strength, one major reason is their emphasis on and deep study of the opening, resulting in neat and standardized openings that prevent either player from gaining a significant advantage. In short, if the opening foundation is not laid properly, how can there be any middle-game battles or endgame contests? The opening of Chinese chess can be broadly divided into four major categories: "Cannon Opening," "Pawn Opening," "Elephant Opening," and "Horse Opening." This book elaborates on and analyzes these openings in eight chapters, each with its own focus yet interconnected as a whole. It aims to summarize the methods and key principles of Chinese chess openings in concise language. The numerous examples provided in the book cover the basic formations of Chinese chess openings, though of course not all of them. The author has added some recent significant and evolving openings, and in the "Introduction to Chinese Chess Openings," has supplemented the basic principles and related knowledge to reflect the spirit of keeping pace with the times.