Anyhoo, I just wanted anyone's opinion on their favorite openings. I always play e4 as white, and that leads to little problem. However, as black, I am told I attack too early with e5 and that I should look into something more defensive, like a fiancetto. 😲 (b6 followed by Bb7 or g6 followed by Bg7) I am looking for anyone's input on this, and why.😉
Originally posted by Sicilian Smaug h5!! Then you can develop your rook
Hey, yeah...getting the rook out into the open takes three moves, giving your opponent plenty of time to fry your plan like a raw egg. Take 2. d4, for example. not only does it develop the center, it prevents the rook from advancing to h6.
😕 I'd hate to argue with someone with a rating 300 points higher than mine, but 1. e4 h5 2. d4 a5 is little development on black's part - if either rook advances to the 6 rank, a bishop is all over it.
Stick with classical openings for now: Bishop's Opening, Four Knight's, etc. with White; Petrov Defense and Queen's Gambit Declined (Classical Variation) with Black. Play the Sicilian Dragon Reversed against flank openings, including the English and King's Fianchetto. Once you've mastered these, then learn some asymmetrical openings. However, to progress as a player, you should become familiar with all types of positions resulting from the various openings: doubled pawns, isolated pawn, hanging pawns, backward pawns, two bishops, bishops of opposite colors, R+B vs. R+N, queenside majority, minority attack, etc.
Originally posted by der schwarze Ritter Stick with classical openings for now: Bishop's Opening, Four Knight's, etc. with White; Petrov Defense and Queen's Gambit Declined (Classical Variation) with Black. Play the Sicilian Dragon Reversed against flank openings, including the English and King's Fianchetto. Once you've mastered these, then learn some asymmetrical openings. However, to ...[text shortened]... bishops, bishops of opposite colors, R+B vs. R+N, queenside majority, minority attack, etc.
Originally posted by der schwarze Ritter Stick with classical openings for now: Bishop's Opening, Four Knight's, etc. with White; Petrov Defense and Queen's Gambit Declined (Classical Variation) with Black. Play the Sicilian Dragon Reversed against flank openings, including the English and King's Fianchetto. Once you've mastered these, then learn some asymmetrical openings. However, to ...[text shortened]... bishops, bishops of opposite colors, R+B vs. R+N, queenside majority, minority attack, etc.
don't listen to him, mess about with different openings untill you find one that you like
Ok if you couldn't tell the whole h5 + rook bit was a joke.
Personally I think everyone should first play until they don't blatantly drop pieces. Then just work on safe development and play for a good middlegame. When I started playing tournaments I always played e4 from there I played a scotch or a kings gambit based on how I felt that day. Both gave me excellent because the plans are rather straightforward. As black I quickly started playing a schivinegan scicillian. That actually gave me better results than my white openings.
Personally I advise you to become comfortable with symetric openings (I'm still not) then try a french (or Caro), a sicillian, some sort of gambit and an indian defense (I like the nimzo). That should give you 5 distinct styles of play and you can decide which you like best.
1. Mobilize your pieces
2. Control the center
3. Reduce the vulnerability of your king (and don't leave pieces or pawns vulnerable unless it produces disharmony in your opponent's army)
4. Coordinate your pieces for attack and defense, and control of key squares
5. Don't lose time in accomplishing these goals
If your opening does all this, does it matter whether it is named for a Russian river, dead chess master, important nation, or zoo animal?
Anyhoo, I just wanted anyone's opinion on their favorite openings. I always play e4 as white, and that leads to little problem. However, as black, I am told I attack too early with e5 and that I should look into something more defensive, like a fiancetto. 😲 (b6 followed by Bb7 or g6 followed by Bg7) I am looking for anyone's input on this, and why.😉
Do you mean that 1. ... e5 is too agressive, or that after playing 1. ... e5 you play too agressively later? 1. ... e5 leads to a set of perfectly good defences. You can combine 1. ... e5 with a kingside fianchetto which is the basis of the Zaitzev variation of the Ruy Lopez (Spanish).
On balance I agree with Schwarzer Ritter, although you don't have to choose the defences he listed. Get a basic repetoire you can rely on and then vary it by trying out one or two different openings at a time. Try to avoid the tempation to try out loads of different variations - you need to be able to cope with the middle game positions that arise from these things, which takes time to get your head around. Also don't go for novelty openings like the Grob (it can be useful, but it's value is more to confuse opponents in OTB games).
Also you have to understand that what opening technology is is technology, which your opponent has access to as well, you'll win more games by understanding how to convert slight endgame advantages than learning some 20 move long variation that comes up once every 50 games.
Favorite openings?
09 Mar '06 14:07
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