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Opening recommendations?

Opening recommendations?

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For both sides, which openings would you recommend to someone who is good at tactics and mating patterns, but bad at openings?

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@Arkturos said
For both sides, which openings would you recommend to someone who is good at tactics and mating patterns, but bad at openings?
Suggestion from a mid-level grunt like me would be:

White:
English Opening - A solid opening for white that few players prepare for.
Kings Indian Attack - Provides for king safety quickly, while allowing white to adapt
to blacks defense.

Black:
Against e4: Caro Kann - A favorite weapon of Karpov for many years.
Against d4: Slav - Similar piece and pawn structure to the Caro Kann
Both of these have relatively few mainline variations, which will reduce
opening study time and rote memorization, and (unlike the French)
allows for faster development of the queenside bishop.

Hope this helps 🙂


@Arkturos said
For both sides, which openings would you recommend to someone who is good at tactics and mating patterns, but bad at openings?
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Hope this helps.

2 edits

@mchill said
Suggestion from a mid-level grunt like me would be:

White:
English Opening - A solid opening for white that few players prepare for.
Kings Indian Attack - Provides for king safety quickly, while allowing white to adapt
to blacks defense.

Black:
Against e4: Caro Kann - A favorite weapon of Karpov for many years.
Against d4: Slav - Similar piece and pawn structur ...[text shortened]... nd (unlike the French)
allows for faster development of the queenside bishop.

Hope this helps 🙂
I like your Caro-Kann and Slav suggestions for black.

They are lesser known, so not gonna be surprised by someone better prepared as much.

I've been getting by with Sicilian and QPA/QPD, but as you say, tons of variations means it takes longer to become proficient.