can't break 1400 - what gives?

i don't know any openings, except a few lines of the Ruy Lopez and Piano, just play by the seat of my pants. Any recommendations?

Originally posted by eldragonfly
i don't know any openings, except a few lines of the Ruy Lopez and Piano, just play by the seat of my pants. Any recommendations?

Read RahimK's thread on how to get to 1400. It'll be somewhere in the first 2 or 3 pages of his forum.

edit: http://www.redhotpawn.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=39309&page=2 half way down the page.

Nothing wrong with Lopez!
Suggest you only play one opening as white (Lopez), at least for a full season... that way, you'll learn more of the 'ins and outs' of it. Additionally, play only one defence as black against the same white moves.

Originally posted by Freddie2006
Read RahimK's thread on how to get to 1400. It'll be somewhere in the first 2 or 3 pages of his forum.

edit: http://www.redhotpawn.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=39309&page=2 half way down the page.

Thanks. I will look at it.

Originally posted by English Tal
Nothing wrong with Lopez!
Suggest you only play one opening as white (Lopez), at least for a full season... that way, you'll learn more of the 'ins and outs' of it. Additionally, play only one defence as black against the same white moves.

Some good advice there.

Originally posted by English Tal
Nothing wrong with Lopez!
Suggest you only play one opening as white (Lopez), at least for a full season... that way, you'll learn more of the 'ins and outs' of it. Additionally, play only one defence as black against the same white moves.

So you will play the Ruy Lopez if black plays c4, c3, e3 or d4 will you?

Thats at least 5 openings as white.

Originally posted by Dragon Fire
So you will play the Ruy Lopez if black plays c4, c3, e3 or d4 will you?

Thats at least 5 openings as white.

i think you have it reversed?

Originally posted by Freddie2006
Read RahimK's thread on how to get to 1400. It'll be somewhere in the first 2 or 3 pages of his forum.

edit: http://www.redhotpawn.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=39309&page=2 half way down the page.

Ah yes! You beat me to the punch. Anyways here is what I had planned:


It's because you haven't read my thread yet 🙂

Page 2 half way down. Follow that and you should be on your way to 1400 and beyond!

Originally posted by RahimK
Ah yes! You beat me to the punch. Anyways here is what I had planned:


It's because you haven't read my thread yet 🙂

Page 2 half way down. Follow that and you should be on your way to 1400 and beyond!

Again, i am much obliged. Looks like a good thread.

You've plateued and need to do something to get you out of your familiar habits. Read a book by Tartakower or Nimzovitch, or play through a game collection on Chigorin. Better yet, study the endgame.

Originally posted by der schwarze Ritter
You've plateued and need to do something to get you out of your familiar habits. Read a book by Tartakower or Nimzovitch, or play through a game collection on Chigorin. Better yet, study the endgame.

Sound advice.


And your avatar is sweet 😀.

Originally posted by der schwarze Ritter
You've plateued and need to do something to get you out of your familiar habits. Read a book by Tartakower or Nimzovitch, or play through a game collection on Chigorin. Better yet, study the endgame.

You're correct. I started to read Mason's The Art of Chess along time ago, and i also have read Logical Chess by Chernev, which was quite good. But one can always improve their endgame.

Originally posted by eldragonfly
You're correct. I started to read Mason's The Art of Chess along time ago, and i also have read Logical Chess by Chernev, which was quite good. But one can always improve their endgame.

if you can get a hold of Yasser Seirwans Winning Chess series then that would be perfect for you.

7 books in the series, I have read 6 and the new one which came out I haven't read yet. They helped me out a lot!

Originally posted by Dragon Fire
So you will play the Ruy Lopez if black plays c4, c3, e3 or d4 will you?

Thats at least 5 openings as white.

bird as white
philidor against e4 and dutch defence against the others are all the openings you need to know.

If you know those three you can always decide which opening will be [played and that cuts down on your studying 🙂

I hardly play them anymore though 😉

Originally posted by coentje
bird as white
philidor against e4 and dutch defence against the others are all the openings you need to know.

If you know those three you can always decide which opening will be [played and that cuts down on your studying 🙂

I hardly play them anymore though 😉

I agree that it is best to learn one opening system with White and two systems for Black (one versus 1 e4 and another against everything else.)

A good book for that purpose is "Opening Systems for Competitive Chess Players" by SM John Hall. As White, he recommends the Torre Attack ( 1 d4 2 Nf3 3 Bg5). As Black, he recommends the Caro-Kann versus 1 e4 and the Tartakower Defense (1...d5 2...e6 3...Nf6 4...Be7 5...O-O 6...b6) against other openings.

After learning the opening, I recommend studying tactics until your head hurts.

Read Reuben Fine's "ancient" (c. 1944) "Chess the Easy Way" to learn all you need to know about middlegame and endgame strategy to reach the 1600 level.