http://www.shredderchess.com/online-chess/online-databases/opening-database.html
Perfect site for openings. A little advice, do not blindly follow the opening book, think about your best move in opening before you use any reference like opening database. Then look at database moves and try to understand why they are good.
Good luck !
P. S. As for opening training, take Chessmaster 10th or Grandmaster edition and pass through Waitkin academy, there is a lot of stuff about opening principles too. Knowing opening principles is better foundation for developing good opening understanding then mere memorization.
Perfect site for openings. A little advice, do not blindly follow the opening book, think about your best move in opening before you use any reference like opening database. Then look at database moves and try to understand why they are good.
Good luck !
Thanks! That is a good strategy for learning, always testing yourself first. I am interested in learning the history of openings, so knowing classical lines from contemporary lines is of great interest.
Originally posted by pinetree33here's what I've done for openings study. it really changed my openings significantly -at least I don't lose the game in the openings now, ever-. (I'm talking about otb here, not cc.)
Perfect site for openings. A little advice, do not blindly follow the opening book, think about your best move in opening before you use any reference like opening database. Then look at database moves and try to understand why they are good.
Good luck !
Thanks! That is a good strategy for learning, always testing yourself first. I am interested i ...[text shortened]... he history of openings, so knowing classical lines from contemporary lines is of great interest.
my advice would be to firstly get a good database program (for example Chess DB is free and pretty good) and a good database (search "ibase" on google, it's free too. also search "RHP top 150" in the RHP forums for all games of top 150 players, it's probably the best database you can find on the net for free).
secondly, pick two openings which you can dictate the game, one as white and one as black. I'd recommend the french as black, which pretty much dictates white to follow you (if the game starts with 1.e4 of course), and the english as white. both have very common themes in almost all variations, and you don't have to memorize variations a lot.
then, after you have selected your openings, search GM games in your database which start with these, and make an "opening book", and stick to it in all of your games, for a long time. also go through several master games in those openings daily, try to catch common tactical and strategical motifs which occur again and again.
this may not be the best way, but I believe it's working for me.
P.S.: I just looked at your profile and saw your rating, you should probably focus more on tactics (maybe 90 % ) instead of openings. try chess.emrald.net.
Originally posted by diskamylYour % sign turned into 😵 smiley 🙂
here's what I've done for openings study. it really changed my openings significantly -at least I don't lose the game in the openings now, ever-.
my advice would be to firstly get a good database program (for example Chess DB is free and pretty good) and a good database (search "ibase" on google, it's free too. also search "RHP top 150" in the RHP forum ...[text shortened]... bly focus more on tactics (maybe 90 % ) instead of openings. try chess.emrald.net.
Originally posted by diskamylI also agree; this is particularly good advice for players who understand basic tactics but who aren't ready for the endless complexities of various well-known, frequently played openings. In my case, I played the English as white, and I still enjoy using it now. As black, I usually aimed to play defenses instead of allowing white to have the freedom to choose the opening.
...pick two openings which you can dictate the game, one as white and one as black...
As black against 1. e4, the Scandinavian is obviously a good choice, dictating the opening from black's first move. Also, the French is good, too, as there aren't many responses for white, either. The Sicilian, by comparison, allows white to choose between the c3 lines, the Bb5 lines, the Grand Prix attack, the Closed Sicilian, and the King's Indian attack if he so desires.
Playing 1. d4, white innately has more variations from which to choose, in my opinion, but again, defenses such as the Dutch or the various Indian defenses are also good choices for black players seeking to direct the game into a particular line.
Read books! Don't go for the seemingly easy solution. Start with overview books on openings, to get the ideas behind most common openings. Do not try to memorize lines unless you fully understand the moves. The comments between the moves are more important than the moves (if it are well written books). Then select a few openings (or follow a suggested portfolio) and struggle through monographies on these openings. Manually, using a physical chess set, it forces you to spend more time per page. Play through mastergames (from databases, but again I prefer books with lots of annotations). Play as many games as possible with the selected openings (standard time, rapid, blitz , the whole range). Analyse your own games (you can use engines to help you find tactical mistakes).
Oh yes, and do this in parallel with (1) tactics, (2) endgame and (3) strategy learning. Otherwise it is meaningless and won't help you.
Originally posted by Mephisto2And in your spare time, don't forget to post in the RHP forums 😉
Read books! Don't go for the seemingly easy solution. Start with overview books on openings, to get the ideas behind most common openings. Do not try to memorize lines unless you fully understand the moves. The comments between the moves are more important than the moves (if it are well written books). Then select a few openings (or follow a suggested port ...[text shortened]... tics, (2) endgame and (3) strategy learning. Otherwise it is meaningless and won't help you.