The film subtly suggests Hélène's improvement at playing chess through her opening moves. At the beginning, with her mentor, she opens by moving a side pawn, a move typical for inexperienced players who don't understand chess openings. Half-way through the apprenticeship, she opens with the king's pawn, the most widely used opening move, which shows that she now understands that chess playing is more than moving pieces and has an inner logic to be followed. For her last game with her mentor, she opens with the queen's pawn, a more complex opening which requires a better understanding of the dynamics of the game.