If you are starting on guitar, you will recognise 90 % of pop, folk and rock songs using just these eight chords. None of them require a barre, all sit within the first three frets, and they flow into each other naturally. Here they are, in the order they are typically learned.
The 8 open chords to know
All of them are tagged "beginner" in our chord library. Click each chord to see its diagram, full fingering and a practical tip.
In which order to learn them
The recommended order follows physical ease: Em and Am first (only two fingers each), then E, A, D (three fingers), and finally G, C, Dm which require a little more stretching. Learning in this order lets you play simple transitions like Em → Am from day one.
Moving from list to practice
Do not try to memorise all of them at once. Pick two, play them in a shuffle for a week, add the third, and so on. The library details every chord with its diagram and a focused exercise.