Development: Every Piece Joins the Game

Count your developed pieces

Look at your back rank. How many pieces have moved? One? Two? The player who gets more pieces into the game faster usually controls the board. Developing means moving a piece off its starting square to a square where it attacks something useful.

Don’t move the same piece twice

In the opening, every tempo counts. Moving one piece twice while your opponent brings out two new pieces is like starting the race two steps behind. Develop a different piece each move.

The edge is no place for a knight

“A knight on the rim is grim.” From the edge, a knight attacks only two squares. From the center, it attacks eight. developing toward the middle squares gives your knight somewhere to jump.

Connect your rooks

Once the small pieces are out and the queen has a path, your two rooks can see each other along the back rank. That is the sign your opening is finished — and the middlegame begins.