Describe your opening

Something thats happened to me a few times is when im looking for new openings is that I want a basic idea what they are all about, more often than not short descriptions given by books etc leave me thinking "Well thats nice but it really doesnt tell me if this opening is one id enjoy playing". I mean ok I know the theory moves to quite a few openings thats I dont play but knowing the first 7 moves or so doesnt mean I understand the plans after that.......so I thought id make a thread where people if they like could post a short description of their openings ie

Benko :

An attempt by black to gain the inititiave via a pawn sacrifice. The opening moves are 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5. Play can continue 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 g6. After which black will recapture the a pawn. The basic idea of this opening for black is to put the rooks on the semi open files and gain long term positional pressure, white on the other hand can try to hit back in the center with a well timed e5.



This is a typical Benko position.

In the accepted lines blacks plan is very thermatic and pretty easy to learn almost anyone could grasp the ideas in a matter of hours, however the none accepted lines take a bit more work since you will have to memorize theory. The opening is considered sound at all levels of chess and is one of the more aggressive responces to 1.d4.

Play in the Benko can be mixed, sometimes you are quietly moving knights around for four or five moves placing them on the best squares at other times the games can get wild especially if white starts a kingside pawn storm or black breaks through on the a+b files. Benko is very much an opening for anyone who enjoys the initiative, at the price of a pawn blacks pieces end up very well placed and active while whites can often end up a bit passive.

Originally posted by Bedlam
Something thats happened to me a few times is when im looking for new openings is that I want a basic idea what they are all about, more often than not short descriptions given by books etc leave me thinking "Well thats nice but it really doesnt tell me if this opening is one id enjoy playing". I mean ok I know the theory moves to quite a few openings thats ...[text shortened]... blacks pieces end up very well placed and active while whites can often end up a bit passive.

Well generally I'd be all over the KG here, but since you've recently dropped it I'll spare you. 🙂

However, it's about time you use the proper response to 1.e4 - The Dragon. 🙂


Here's a quick coverage from my POV, anybody that has more to add or change should speak up! 😛


The Dragon is the most uncompromising variation of the Sicilian, it's main test being the ultra-sharp Yugoslav Attack with white attacking on the kingside (often sacrificing material to open up the h-file for mating attacks on black's king) while black throws everything at the queenside, with attacks down the c-file and common rook exchange sacs on the square c3 in order to smash whites pawn structure. There are 4 main tries for white, the fianchetto variation which is slow, positional, and unpopular (I've never seen it!), the Levenfish (6.f4) which is pretty easy for black to tackle if he avoids 6...Bg7?! and instead ops for 6...Nc6!, the classical with either 6.Bc4 or 6.Be2 which is a bit slower, and the Yugoslav Attack which is the only theory heavy line (which is VERY theory heavy) and extremely sharp/tactical and easily the most popular. It's very important for both sides to know the theory, because one slip in the Yugoslav Attack can lead to immediate disaster.


Yugoslav Attack Starting Position:



This represents the starting position for the Yugoslav Attack mainline, this position is reached after

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6
6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 O-O 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. O-O-O Rc8


In order to keep this post as brief as possible I will stop the descriptions here and close with a few of my example games, both good and bad, to see the ideas and common moves.


Game 2741022
Game 2943488
Game 2579064
Game 2575638

Clearly the last one still has play, but I wanted to clear up my game load.


Games from PC:

[Event "Rated game, 10m + 0s"]
[Site "Main Playing Hall"]
[Date "2007.01.18"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Karýnca"]
[Black "CMSMaster"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B70"]
[BlackElo "1257"]
[PlyCount "50"]
[EventDate "2007.01.23"]
[TimeControl "600"]

1. e4 {3} c5 {6} 2. Nf3 {2} d6 {2} 3. Nc3 {1} Nf6 {4} 4. d4 {4} cxd4 {2} 5.
Nxd4 {1} g6 {3} 6. Bg5 {7} Bg7 {2} 7. Bd3 {3} Nc6 {7} 8. Nxc6 {6} bxc6 {3} 9.
O-O {1} O-O {6} 10. Re1 {1} Qb6 {8} 11. Na4 {17} Qa5 {3} 12. b3 {19} Qxg5 {4}
13. Nc3 {18} Bh3 {9} 14. g3 {13} Nh5 {5} 15. f4 {2} Nxf4 {4} 16. Bf1 {13} Bxf1
{18} 17. Rxf1 {1} Bxc3 {34} 18. Rb1 {8} Bd4+ {2} 19. Kh1 {5} Ne6 {29} 20. c4 {
38} Qe5 {9} 21. Re1 {22} Ng5 {6} 22. Qe2 {24} Bc3 {18} 23. Red1 {21} Nxe4 {9}
24. b4 {20} Nxg3+ {5} 25. hxg3 {2} Qxe2 {
Karýnca resigns (Lag: Av=2.58s, max=12.7s) 3} 0-1




[Event "Rated game, 30m + 0s"]
[Site "Main Playing Hall"]
[Date "2007.01.19"]
[Round "?"]
[White "ErectedToast"]
[Black "CMSMaster"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B77"]
[WhiteElo "1671"]
[BlackElo "1605"]
[PlyCount "90"]
[EventDate "2007.01.21"]
[TimeControl "1800"]

1. e4 {7} c5 {3} 2. Nf3 {3} d6 {1} 3. d4 {2} cxd4 {1} 4. Nxd4 {3} Nf6 {0} 5.
Nc3 {4} g6 {1} 6. Bc4 {15} Bg7 {2} 7. f3 {27} Nc6 {3} 8. Be3 {3} O-O {3} 9. Qd2
{5} Bd7 {2} 10. h4 {3} h5 {12} 11. Nxc6 {8} Bxc6 {7} 12. O-O-O {2} Rc8 {5} 13.
Bb3 {4} Qa5 {25} 14. g4 {21} b5 {16} 15. gxh5 {16} Nxh5 {3} 16. Qg2 {30} Bd7 {
17} 17. Qxg6 {14} b4 {70} 18. Qxh5 {56} Qxh5 {5} 19. Nd5 {9} e6 {103} 20. Ne7+
{12} Kh8 {3} 21. Rxd6 {72} Qxf3 {17} 22. Re1 {35} Bxb2+ {74} 23. Kxb2 {13} Qf6+
{4} 24. e5 {42} Qxe7 {3} 25. Bg5 {17} Qe8 {29} 26. Bf6+ {7} Kh7 {18} 27. Rg1 {
31} Rg8 {67} 28. Rgd1 {6} Rc7 {26} 29. Kb1 {25} a5 {98} 30. c4 {5} a4 {6} 31.
Bc2+ {3} Kh6 {24} 32. Bg5+ {23} Kh5 {5} 33. Be4 {7} Qc8 {70} 34. Bf3+ {12} Kg6
{5} 35. Rg1 {25} Bc6 {73} 36. h5+ {166} Kh7 {9} 37. Be2 {54} Be4+ {21} 38. Kb2
{4} a3+ {14} 39. Kb3 {4} Rd7 {32} 40. Rxd7 {53} Qxd7 {3} 41. Rd1 {29} Qb7 {82}
42. Bf6 {40} Rg3+ {4} 43. Ka4 {19} Qa6+ {5} 44. Kxb4 {6} Bc2 {86} 45. Rd7 {25}
Qa4+ {ErectedToast resigns (Lag: Av=0.51s, max=3.0s) 7} 0-1




And finally a game that should have been won...

[Event "Rated game, 30m + 0s"]
[Site "Main Playing Hall"]
[Date "2007.01.21"]
[Round "?"]
[White "FT1001"]
[Black "CMSMaster"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B78"]
[WhiteElo "1707"]
[BlackElo "1626"]
[PlyCount "68"]
[EventDate "2007.01.21"]
[TimeControl "1800"]

1. e4 {9} c5 { 2} 2. Nf3 {3} d6 {5} 3. d4 {2}
cxd4 {7} 4. Nxd4 {4} Nf6 {6} 5. Nc3 {2} g6 {2} 6. Be3 {9} Bg7 {4} 7. f3 {2} Nc6
{2} 8. Qd2 {10} O-O {2} 9. Bc4 {2} Bd7 {2} 10. h4 {7} Rc8 {7} 11. Bb3 {10} h5 {
11} 12. O-O-O {5} Ne5 {3} 13. Nd5 {68} Nxd5 {23} 14. Bxd5 {6} Nc4 {5} 15. Bxc4
{5} Rxc4 {FT1001 reconnected. 4} 16. g4 {7} Ra4 {
t 17} 17. Kb1 {16} Qa5 {9} 18. gxh5 {6} Rxa2 {
26} 19. Qxa5 {7} Rxa5 {2} 20. hxg6 {7} fxg6 {9} 21. Nb3 {33} Rh5 {51} 22. Bxa7
{13} Rxf3 { 3} 23. Nc5 {110} Bc6 {66} 24. Ne6
{34} Bxe4 {40} 25. Nxg7 {7} Kxg7 {3} 26. Rd4 {33} Rf4 {33} 27. Kc1 {80} Rfxh4 {
37} 28. Re1 {20} Re5 {95} 29. Rb4 {15} Rh1 {21} 30. Rxh1 {16} Bxh1 {3} 31. Bd4
{3} Bc6 {29} 32. Bxe5+ {5} dxe5 {4} 33. Kd2 {2} Kf6 {2} 34. Ke3 {3} Kf5 {
CMSMaster offers a draw (Lag: Av=5.31s, max=28.1s) 7} 1/2-1/2


The soundness of the Dragon is often argued, but it has been played at virtually every level, and if black knows what he's doing he should be more than ok. If you're serious about playing it I highly recommend buying "Play The Sicilian Dragon."

This opening should be recommended for tactical players who play fearless chess only, but for those players it's a perfect fit.

I apologize for the length too. 🙂

mine is famously awesome

Not totally dropped it, just making people guess a little after I play 1.e4 😀

Any openings for white?

great topic!!

Pirc Def: solid, not too sharp
KID: gives exciting counterplay

Originally posted by Jusuh
Pirc Def: solid, not too sharp
KID: gives exciting counterplay

please elaborate these 2 openings. They're my favorites. I'd like to hear more about them from people who use them 🙂

and cms, please write about the KG 🙂

Originally posted by anthias
please elaborate these 2 openings. They're my favorites. I'd like to hear more about them from people who use them 🙂

well Pirc and KID are in many ways similar defences. Both include fianchettoing bishop to g7 and making timely e7-e5 or c7-c5 moves. And after e7-e5, f7-f5 is usually good idea.

I think main theme in KID is to expand on the kingside or on the queenside.

Originally posted by Jusuh
well Pirc and KID are in many ways similar defences. Both include fianchettoing bishop to g7 and making timely e7-e5 or c7-c5 moves. And after e7-e5, f7-f5 is usually good idea.

I think main theme in KID is to expand on the kingside or on the queenside.

I always get a miserably exposed king with those pawn pushes. how do you survive that? do you have any of your slow tournament games to elaborate on?

Originally posted by wormwood
I always get a miserably exposed king with those pawn pushes. how do you survive that? do you have any of your slow tournament games to elaborate on?

yeah plenty. lost or won?

In KID I think it is in most cases bad to expand on the queenside since blacks pieces are on the kingside and white can more easily shift his pieces to any side he wants.

Originally posted by Jusuh
yeah plenty. lost or won?

well, whatever games you think illustrate well the f5-push. if you have some phenomenal failures on that, I guess it would be educational. but it would also be nice to see when it works well.

With 1. c4 white stakes a claim to the central d5 square while holding his important e and d pawns in reserve until he knows where they belong. Whites early moves often enhance this control of d5 (i.e. g3, Bg2, Nc3) while his latter moves may often use the square as an outpost to start an attack. It is a slower positional struggle than most openings, but black may speed things up by playing certain lines of the sicillian reversed.