Your pawn takes a central square and opens the way for the bishop and queen, the space every attacking plan grows from.

The knight develops toward the middle, attacks his central pawn, and prepares your own center strike; the most natural first piece move in chess.

The Scotch: open the position while they are half developed.

A pawn of rent for the f7 diagonal and fast play.

Two pawns of rent for open lines and a stuck king.

Rip the king off its only safe square; the fork comes next.

Check on the king, gun on the loose bishop.

Force an extra weakness before taking the bishop.

Material rebalanced and their king is stuck in the centre for life.

The bishop now owns the long diagonal pointed at their king.