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Crash course in "basic" chess openings

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Can someone point me in the direction?

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Originally posted by heinzkat
Can someone point me in the direction?
>>>>>>>>>

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Originally posted by heinzkat
Can someone point me in the direction?
Why would someone rated nearly 2000 need this?
It's a bit like an Olympic 100m sprinter requesting info on walking.

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It is quite a serious request though. I have yet to see a book or course where all the basic opening lines are somehow explained. I am not looking for the latest theoretical issues but just "basic introductions" to a broad range of chess openings... to check up what I "know" correctly and most of all what I do not know correctly.

At this moment I am sure that my opening play needs most serious review to take "the next step".

So if anybody would be so kind to point out where they learned their openings without having to dig up a special book for every single system ... :-)

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Originally posted by heinzkat
It is quite a serious request though. I have yet to see a book or course where all the basic opening lines are somehow explained. I am not looking for the latest theoretical issues but just "basic introductions" to a broad range of chess openings... to check up what I "know" correctly and most of all what I do not know correctly.

At this moment I am sur ned their openings without having to dig up a special book for every single system ... :-)
chess mentor by Silman, spit ding!, covers all of these, gives basic opening theory to lots of opening systems and also specific modules dedicated to specific openings, like the Sicilian, or Kings Indian, but the latter are add-ons. When you make a move that is 'out of book', he tells you why it is 'out of book', not that it is necessarily bad, but why its perhaps a little less accurate or that it transposes etc etc

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Originally posted by heinzkat
It is quite a serious request though. I have yet to see a book or course where all the basic opening lines are somehow explained. I am not looking for the latest theoretical issues but just "basic introductions" to a broad range of chess openings... to check up what I "know" correctly and most of all what I do not know correctly.

At this moment I am sur ...[text shortened]... ned their openings without having to dig up a special book for every single system ... :-)
john watson's mastering the chess openings (3 vol) should be the right books for you. Others will be too basic for your level.

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ABC of Chess Openings by Martin

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Originally posted by Squelchbelch
Why would someone rated nearly 2000 need this?
It's a bit like an Olympic 100m sprinter requesting info on walking.
Really? Is he 2000 OTB or here? Online CC ratings are useless in ascertaining one's OTB play. People here have subscriptions to the likes of chessgames.com to wheel out openings, pretty much useless OTB.

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Originally posted by heinzkat
It is quite a serious request though. I have yet to see a book or course where all the basic opening lines are somehow explained. I am not looking for the latest theoretical issues but just "basic introductions" to a broad range of chess openings... to check up what I "know" correctly and most of all what I do not know correctly.

At this moment I am sur ...[text shortened]... ned their openings without having to dig up a special book for every single system ... :-)
Understanding Chess Openings by Sam Collins should fit the bill

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Kramnik has been quoted as saying "Why do chess players spend so much time studying the openings? Because the initial stage is more crucial now, you might fail in the opening or gain a point.".

Look at a page like http://www.sudburychess.org.uk/ChessOpenings.htm and consider books like the Modern Chess Openings. Ask the guy in your local chess store, they may have something hot.

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I would recommend the updated edition (1993, I believe) of Reuben Fine's classic, Ideas Behind the Chess Openings.

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Originally posted by gaychessplayer
I would recommend the updated edition (1993, I believe) of Reuben Fine's classic, Ideas Behind the Chess Openings.
another rather fine recommendation, the book is now winging its way to my collection as we speak, thanks!

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Originally posted by heinzkat
Can someone point me in the direction?
Yasser Seirawan's Winning Chess Openings is a very good book for a basic overview of all the openings and was very influential in my development as a player

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i agree about seirawan, fine and collins books : all 3 are excellent. but they might be a bit "light" for a player above 1900 otb (which i suppose heinzkat is)
And the fine is really getting old! still interesting as a classic, but modern openings don't get many pages (check the sicilian for instance!)

But i strongly disaprove about the MCO or other such encyclopedies. they are no good for understanding basic opening ideas as heinzkat asked.

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http://www.eudesign.com/chessops/
might help 🙂

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