King safety in the opening means getting the king out of the centre, usually by castling, so it sits behind a wall of pawns while a rook comes towards the middle.
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The centre often opens early, and a king still on e1 or e8 then stands on an open file. Castling hides the king and brings a rook out in a single move.
How to do it
- 1Clear the squares between king and rook, then castle, usually within ten moves.
- 2Castle on the side where your pawns have not moved.
- 3After castling, move the pawns in front of the king only for a clear reason.
For your level
Castle early. Your king hides behind pawns. Then leave those pawns alone.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the king in the centre to grab a pawn, then facing a check on the open e-file.
- Pushing the pawns in front of the castled king, which leaves holes those pawns can never cover again.
Questions
- Is it ever right not to castle?
- Sometimes, when the queens are traded early or the centre stays closed. In most openings, though, a king left in the middle becomes a target once the centre opens.
- Which side should I castle on?
- Usually the kingside, because only the knight and bishop need to move first. Castle queenside when the king is safer there or when you plan to attack on the other wing.