Develop your Chess Pieces Quickly

The player whose chess pieces are developed more quickly will usually control the course of the game. The best way to avoid an opening trap is to develop your chess pieces to useful squares as soon as possible. Get the Knights and Bishops out, then castle to protect the King. Developing your chess pieces quickly also may help interfere with the development of your opponent's pieces. If you have the White chess pieces, develop your pieces quickly and be aggressive. You should have the advantage with the first move. If you have the Black pieces, you are playing defensive unless White gets behind in development; still, you develop your own pieces quickly, looking for an attack or setting up a strong defense.

You want to develop all your chess pieces (not just pawns) to effective squares as quickly as possible. Those effective squares should control the center, help safeguard the center, and help attack or defend the position. Losing a tempo or an effective move could cost you time, space on the board, mobility, or the chess game. You may develop your pieces to reasonable positions, especially if you are not familiar with your opponent's opening or defense. Place your pawns in the center quickly to release your other pieces and restrain your opponent's pawn and piece development. You must develop quickly towards the center to protect and attack the central squares. Develop a piece with a threat when possible that your opponent must try to defend. You should develop your pieces first on the side where you intend to castle. That is usually the Kingside. Once you have gotten your Knights and Bishops out (the minor pieces), you may want to castle, then place a Rook on an open file if possible. Lastly develop your Queen, but not too early and not too far away from the protection of your pieces. Your Bishops, Rooks, and Queen should be developed to threaten more distant targets. Try to move each piece once in the opening so as not to waste time (tempo) or leaving other pieces undeveloped.

In the following position, it is White to play. Enjoy.