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1. f4

1. f4

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Is 1. f4 played at the GM level? If so, what is this opening called and what are your thoughts on it? I am looking for a good opening move that shocks the opponent. Is the Grob better?

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The Grob is not better. 1 f4 (Bird's Opening) is considered OK, it's the Dutch Defense with move in hand, nothing wrong with that. I don't think it's seen much at the big boy level, but it is played sometimes. The Grob is not.

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What opening throws your opponent out of the book right away? By this I mean that I could study all the theory on it and they would have litle or no experiance with it. (1400-1700 range)

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a3

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Originally posted by Diet Coke
a3
What does that move accomplish? It sounds like white is trying to give away the initiative and play like black normally would.

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Originally posted by spartan warrior
What opening throws your opponent out of the book right away? By this I mean that I could study all the theory on it and they would have litle or no experiance with it. (1400-1700 range)
1. f3, any. 2. king f2.


That has actually been played at master level, google it.

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Originally posted by spartan warrior
What opening throws your opponent out of the book right away? By this I mean that I could study all the theory on it and they would have litle or no experiance with it. (1400-1700 range)
It would be much better not to worry about trying to throw your opponent out of book right away. Book moves are in books for a reason. Anything that throws them out of book on move 1 or 2 is probably unsound, and GMs may be able to pull of brilliance with it, but don't count on doing it yourself. Just stick with good, solid opening principles and don't worry about trying to throw them out of book immediately.

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There is no opening, no matter how dreadful, that has not been tryed at one time or another. Umbrage of Snow is right, except for blitz games, you want to go for openings that give you a theoretical advantage and they tend to be the ones that are found in books.

Bird's opening (1. f4) is a good choice if you want something that is relatively unexplored by theory. It will throw some of your opponents.

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GM Danielsen always opens with 1 f4. IM Tim Taylor usually opens with 1 f4 and has written a book on Bird's Opening.

7 edits
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Game 3299942
Game 3291556
Game 3275304
Game 3227397
Game 3197408
Game 3188432
Game 3186309 (Transposed French Defense game)
Game 3182390

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Originally posted by spartan warrior
What does that move accomplish? It sounds like white is trying to give away the initiative and play like black normally would.
it's Andersson's Opening...
personal favorite when in tournament play, and I am doing well as black...
it gives me a chance to play a black side of a Caro-Kann, but I don't have to waste a move preventing check on what would normally be the b5 square...
meaning that the following lines are avoided:
Ruy Lopez, Rossolimo, and a few others...
it is certainly not refutable, and it's great when at a lower level of chess where that one extra move doesn't matter (i.e. under GM and master levels)

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Originally posted by UmbrageOfSnow
It would be much better not to worry about trying to throw your opponent out of book right away. Book moves are in books for a reason. Anything that throws them out of book on move 1 or 2 is probably unsound, and GMs may be able to pull of brilliance with it, but don't count on doing it yourself. Just stick with good, solid opening principles and don't worry about trying to throw them out of book immediately.
yeah, but when everyone plays book, you get repeat games hrough move 25
whe players leave book, they are leading the opposition into a forest where he has no experience or theoretical study...
this, in my opinion, can bring out the best in a player...
testing their own abilities, not the abilities of countless
GMs over the ages...
everyone resorts to databases to find the correct 12th move on move 30 of Petroff's (don't get me wrong, I have used internet to look up an opening myself)
but no one actually goes to a tournament, and in the motel lobby, sets up a board and tries to find their own move that they think they could play out of...
don't forget, if you've never studied it or seen it on a database, ods are that your opponent hasn't either...

5 edits
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Originally posted by spartan warrior
Is 1. f4 played at the GM level? If so, what is this opening called and what are your thoughts on it? I am looking for a good opening move that shocks the opponent. Is the Grob better?
The Grob is fine.

Here is a game against the renouned Grob killer, Game 3091829

OK its not as sound as e4 or d4 but if you know the principles behind the opening you get your opponent out of his book pretty damn quick and that can result in some quick wins.

For example: -
7 moves Game 3135358;
10 moves Game 3250510;
12 moves Game 3268516;
6 moves Game 3092030;
1 move Game 3135356.

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Originally posted by Dragon Fire
The Grob is fine.

Here is a game against the renouned Grob killer, Game 3091829

OK its not as sound as e4 or d4 but if you know the principles behind the opening you get your opponent out of his book pretty damn quick and that can result in some quick wins.

For example: -
7 moves Game 3135358;
10 moves Game 3250510;
12 moves Game 3268516;
6 moves Game 3092030;
1 move Game 3135356.
Game 3091829
Game 3135356
Why did they resign? 😕

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Originally posted by Dutch Defense
Game 3091829
Game 3135356
Why did they resign? 😕
Game 3091829 - The threat down the d file is overwhelming.

Game 3135356 - The openings reputation preceeds it.