Hey LaSalle Chess Team,
I decided to make a blog to help our team out. This is just for the basics and skills that everyone needs to know to play a good game. Anyone who has any comments or suggestions on my blog from the team can tell me at the practices (which will be on friday this week) or leave it in the comments section.

Lets start with the openings... This is definitely the most crucial part of the game because if you can't survive the opening, then you won't get to the middlegame even if you play like a GrandMaster in the middle game (which no one on our team plays like) lol. The first thing for everyone to realize is how they want to play. If they are agressive, then they are going to want to attack later on so it makes sense to set up an attacking position. If you want to play defensive then don't set up an attack, rather set up a defense.

Some of the major things for the opening that you should remember is to

Develop your minor pieces
castle
Control the center of the board

I have a few openings that I will go over now, but if you want any others for me to go over then make a comment. I will do my best to cover them.

First off I will look at whites choices

For aggresive players you are mostly going to want to play e4 (Look up modern chess notation on google if you don't know what this means)

For positional players or players who want to make it to the endgame and have a more solid game with out major tactics should play d4

These are just your two opening moves that make sense. Most of the others are good, but these are the most reccomended (by myself) If you want to play moves like h4 and a4 I highly don't reccomend it.

If you are an agressive white player I reccomend these openings I will later go over these openings... this is just an introduction.

Ruy Lopez
Italian Game
Evans Gambit: Comes from the Italian Game Giuco Piano variation
Fried Liver Attack: Comes from the Italian Game Two Knights Defense
Four Knights Defense
Halloween Gambit: Not reccomended for tournaments but a lot of fun to play because it makes the game really interesting.

Agressive players should be prepared against the Sicilian Defense, French Defense, and other miscellaneous defenses. The only ones to worry about are the two that I named.

For Positional Players:

The queens Gambit
The Blackmar Diemer: If you like to play an agressive Game as white, but like d4 to Start (SPENCER)

Be prepared for:

the benoni Defense
The Benko Gambit
The Albin Countergambit

Thats about it on openings. If you have any others you want me to add, please leave a comment. The be prepared for is for black. Even if you don't know an opening that is played against you, just follow opening principles. This should still give you a good enough game.