It's not normal really but I have a member in my club who's never read a chess book and he has a very respectable chess rating. I suppose you just end up recognising positions and patterns through experience. At my level (Just played the Scarborough Open with the best players in Yorkshire) however, you would need to learn opening theory but on correspondence chess, it doesn't really matter.
It's not ''normal'', but it probably means that you spent your time studying more valuable things. However, you should now try to specialize in certain openings, because you will never come out of the opening with equality (nevermind an advantage), against people who are very good with theory and know the ideas behind their openings.
Say you reach 1900 because you're very good with tactics and endgame, you'll still be playing pretty much all of your middlegames from a disadvantage, for the rest of your life! Is that something you want?
Fortunately, improving your openings is probably the easiest thing to improve.
Also, D4 is definitely not a defensive opening. It's (probably) the opening move with the most enduring initiative (in general), albeit less tactical than E4 (also in general).
Originally posted by EmLaskerThe only sure test of an opening line is if she goes home with you.
is that normal? I normally play e4 if i want to be aggressive and d4 if i want to be defensive. Sometimes i play c4 then knight to c3 too just because i want to.
I don't know what grunfeld is...nor nimzo indian. I simply do not see the point of memorizing an opening line.
Paul
Originally posted by EmLaskerYou are rated over 1700, and you don't know any opening lines at all?! If you believe that one folks...I have a bridge I'll sell ya. CHEAP!!😏
is that normal? I normally play e4 if i want to be aggressive and d4 if i want to be defensive. Sometimes i play c4 then knight to c3 too just because i want to.
I don't know what grunfeld is...nor nimzo indian. I simply do not see the point of memorizing an opening line.
Originally posted by bill718I know e4/d4 and the first 2 moves of the English opening for white. that's about all...
You are rated over 1700, and you don't know any opening lines at all?! If you believe that one folks...I have a bridge I'll sell ya. CHEAP!!😏
does that count? I rely on tactics.
Originally posted by EmLaskerIf your opponents aren't well-versed in opening theory, then it doesn't matter.
is that normal? I normally play e4 if i want to be aggressive and d4 if i want to be defensive. Sometimes i play c4 then knight to c3 too just because i want to.
I don't know what grunfeld is...nor nimzo indian. I simply do not see the point of memorizing an opening line.
Most players under 2000 aren't going to be able to hold on to the small advantages they get from knowing theory anyhow.
- Joined
- 10 Jan 08
- Moves
- 22896
Originally posted by bill718i believe him. i'm pretty much the same... i know how the scotch goes but i learned the opening before knowing its name. other than that, not a lot... f4 is the bird but i don't know what you're 'supposed' to do after the opening move. as for defense names as black? forget about it, not a clue do i have.
You are rated over 1700, and you don't know any opening lines at all?! If you believe that one folks...I have a bridge I'll sell ya. CHEAP!!😏
Originally posted by EmLaskerSo what will you do when you meet strong players? Give away your pieces like this?
is that normal? I normally play e4 if i want to be aggressive and d4 if i want to be defensive. Sometimes i play c4 then knight to c3 too just because i want to.
I don't know what grunfeld is...nor nimzo indian. I simply do not see the point of memorizing an opening line.
Originally posted by CCNoobi blame this on calculation error and carelessness
So what will you do when you meet strong players? Give away your pieces like this?
[pgn][Event "Challenge"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2009.08.09"] [EndDate "2009.09.02"] [Round "?"] [White "DawgHaus"] [Black "EmLasker"] [WhiteRating "2173"] [BlackRating "1751"] [WhiteELO "2173"] [BlackELO "1751"] [Result "1-0"] [GameId "6592850"] 1. d4 e5 ...[text shortened]... d7c6 14. h3 Bg4e6 15. Bc1g5 Rd8d4 16. Qe1e3 Qc6b6 17. Re5b5 1-0[/pgn]