How to Open With the Queen's Pawn in Chess

Move the pawn that is in front of your queen two squares forward. The player who is white gets to move first.

Counter your opponent's move. Your opponent has two logical responses to your queen's pawn opening. Your opponent may choose to play the queen's gambit or an unsymmetrical Indian defense. The queen's gambit leads to a very symmetrical position, while the Indian defense leads to an unsymmetrical position.

Move your queen-side bishop's pawn out two squares in response to the black player's queen's pawn countermove. In this move, you are offering your opponent the chance to capture your bishop's pawn. If your opponent captures your bishop's pawn, then you gain a positional advantage as white.

Move your queen-side knight in front of your bishop's pawn. If your opponent captured your bishop's pawn on your previous move, then move your king-side knight in front of your bishop's pawn.

Attack the Indian defense if your opponent does not move the queen's pawn on the first move. In this case, you should move your king's pawn out two squares so that you can control the center of the board.

Continue to fortify your position throughout the remainder of the game. Always try to dominate the center of the board and restrict the mobility of your opponent's pieces.