Strategies for Players Starting Out

Hearthstone is not a difficult game to play. When I started playing, there were not a lot of guides to be found on the internet so I had to learn from experience. The learning curve was tough not because of the concepts but because of the losses I had to deal with. As I progressed, however, I discovered simple strategies that have spelled the difference between winning and losing a game.
BattlecryI thought battlecry simply operated in a linear manner: cast the Elven Archer and deal 1 damage to the opponent, nothing, else. Unfortunately, I was at the wrong end of the board when my opponent casted Big Game Hunter to get rid of my 8/8 Ironbark Protector. He then played Youthful Brewmaster to return Big Game Hunter back to his hand and casted it again to destroy my buffed Gurubashi Berserker. I wasn't even mad; that was amazing. From that point, I used a minion's battlecry creatively. 
One play where I actually took full advantage of battlecry is through the Warsong Commander + Arcanite Reaper + Bloodsail Raider combo. Warsong grants charge to the Bloodsail Raider. Add the Raider's battlecry to gain an attack equivalent to the weapon equipped, which is the 5/2 Arcanite Reaper, and it grows into a formidable 7/3 minion with charge. Needless to say, the opponent was on the receiving end of a blistering 12 damage.
SilencePart of a minion's battlecry, silence can be used to remove taunt, especially in late game scenarios. In one instance, my opponent relied heavily on taunt to keep my minions at bay. However, I was fortunate to draw an Ironbeak Owl at a crucial part of the game when the powerful 7/8 Earth Elemental was standing between me and victory because of its taunt ability. I used the Owl to silence the Earth Elemental leaving my minions on the board free to finish the job.Silence can also be used to disable minion abilities such as healing and damage, and when employed correctly like in the play mentioned above, it can change the complexity of the game. 
Divine Shield If I need to remove a minion with divine shield, I would have to deal initial damage to pop the shield before I can do any actual harm.
When I was starting out, I thought there's nothing more to divine shield aside from its extra protection. I thought wrong. A minion with divine shield is a good candidate for buff spells because it is harder to remove. For example, I like playing the one to cast Argent Squire in the first turn. By the second turn, I'll cast Mark of the Wild to grant the Squire with +2/+2 and taunt. For sure, I'll deal at least six damage before the opponent can remove the Squire. After seeing the effects, I never thought of divine shield the same way again.
Charge If I'm looking for instantaneous damage coming out of nowhere, minions with charge are the best candidates. However, most minions with charge have low health, and they are relatively easy to kill. 
To avoid getting my minion killed after its opening foray, I make sure I have spells to increase my minion's health. A 3/1 Wolfrider buffed with Power of the Word: Shield will boost its health to 3, and improve its staying power. I follow the same play for other minions with charge so that the card is not wasted in a one and done incursion.Being a newbie is part of the game, and usually that stage comes with losses. However, following these simple strategies have made winning easier to spell out.