Opening

I have no idea which opening to use!

Im a 1400ish player and I want something that most players wouldnt be prepared for and that would take them out of their comfort zone, but I want it to be a relatively established and well respected opening. So I dont really want 1. e4

I dont want an opening that leads to me playing defensively. Maybe something that takes control of the center and leads to more wins and losses than draws.

Any suggestions?

Originally posted by LogicNinja
I have no idea which opening to use!

Im a 1400ish player and I want something that most players wouldnt be prepared for and that would take them out of their comfort zone, but I want it to be a relatively established and well respected opening. So I dont really want 1. e4

I dont want an opening that leads to me playing defensively. Maybe somethin ...[text shortened]... at takes control of the center and leads to more wins and losses than draws.

Any suggestions?

I know you said no e4, but how about the King's Gambit? It leads to fun wins/loses.

Originally posted by LogicNinja
I have no idea which opening to use!

Im a 1400ish player and I want something that most players wouldnt be prepared for and that would take them out of their comfort zone, but I want it to be a relatively established and well respected opening. So I dont really want 1. e4

I dont want an opening that leads to me playing defensively. Maybe somethin ...[text shortened]... at takes control of the center and leads to more wins and losses than draws.

Any suggestions?

leningrad dutch with reversed colors.

1.f4-Nf3-g3-Bg2-d3 type of setup.

something like this:

Originally posted by LogicNinja
I have no idea which opening to use!

Im a 1400ish player and I want something that most players wouldnt be prepared for and that would take them out of their comfort zone, but I want it to be a relatively established and well respected opening. So I dont really want 1. e4

I dont want an opening that leads to me playing defensively. Maybe somethin ...[text shortened]... at takes control of the center and leads to more wins and losses than draws.

Any suggestions?

I faced this awhile ago myself. Try either the Kings Indian Attack or the English. 😏

Originally posted by LogicNinja
I have no idea which opening to use!

Im a 1400ish player and I want something that most players wouldnt be prepared for and that would take them out of their comfort zone, but I want it to be a relatively established and well respected opening. So I dont really want 1. e4

I dont want an opening that leads to me playing defensively. Maybe somethin ...[text shortened]... at takes control of the center and leads to more wins and losses than draws.

Any suggestions?

The problem is that you can´t choose the opening. You can decide to play the Queen´s gambit and start 1. d4, but as soon as black plays 1. ... f5 it´s the Dutch. You simply can´t choose one single system. You have to identify a set of openings which lead to either similar positions or at least positions you can cope with.

The difficulty you had with 1. e4 was that it doesn´t take opponents out of their comfort zone. The problem is nothing else does either. Chess opening theory exists to give grandmasters lucrative publishing contracts for opening books. Your opponents read this stuff and know how to cope with all sorts of wacky lines. In correspondence chess your opponents will be able to use databases as well.

woodworms suggestion of 1. f4 is sensible, you get an attack and it´s not 1. e4.

The easiest way of opening is the Reti opening, which starts off with the following moves (almost regardless of what Black might play).

1. Nf3 ... 2. c4 ... 3. g3 ... 4. Bg2

although the opening is more strategical then tactical, it is easy to play with clear plans for the middle game (attack the centre that Black most often already has occupied with d5). You will probably not run into a lost position or a blunder with this opening, but you should not mistake this opening as a defensive or slow game. The idea is to indirectly attack the centre and you must build up your pressure fast. If you hold back, you have will have lost the centre and will have a very difficult game.

As Black you can play something like 1. ... g6 2. ... Bg7 3. ... c5, most often followed up by playing Qa5 and Nc6. If White is unprepared he could make small mistakes quite easily.

The fun part with both opening systems is that you are prepared for almost everything you will ever face and can play the game with basically the same plans.

I almost forgot: the is correspondence chess, so skip my previous post (which is more suitable for OTB). You have plenty of time to study an opening if you stumble upon something new to you.

How about 1.b4? It's a little underrated. Bobby Fischer used it a few times in simuls.

1.b4 d5 2.Bb2 or 1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 Bxb4 3.Bxe5

Objectively it's about even.

Piece roles

White c pawn goes to c4 (sometimes)

White d pawn can stay at home or go to d3/d4

White e pawn goes to e3 (except for exciting gambit 1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 f6 3.e4)

White f pawn can (but doesn't have to) go to f4 to help control e5.

White g pawn usually stays home (but g3 and Bg2 is a possibility depending on the position).

Queen's Knight goes to c3 (after pawn to c4) or to d2

Queen's Bishop goes on the long diagonal on b2

King's Bishop goes to e2 (or d3 eyeing h7 ... or g2)

King's Knight goes to f3

White usually castles kingside.

1.b4 isn't necessarily the best move, but it leads to playable positions.

It's called the Orangutan, Polish Opening, or Sokolsky Opening.

1.Nf3 and 2.b4 is a delayed form, known as Santasiere's Folly.

Do you like open position or clased are you ok at the endgame give us a little info.

A good opening for White that your opponent probably won't have a prepared line against is Bird's Opening (1 f4). And even if you meet that rare "bird" who does have a line against it, you still get at least an even game.

I can warmly recommend Bird-Larsen Attack and Winning with 1 f4, both by Andrew Soltis. They're both available at http://www.labatechess.com

I often play Bird's Opening myself, and usually with success.

A fun gambit opening is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit. For a measly pawn, you get a lead in devlopment and open lines for your pieces.

Here's the main line: 1 d4 d5 2 e4 de 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 f3 ef 5 Nf3.

Against the Dutch, you can play the Staunton Gambit, which is similar to the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: 1 d4 f5 2 e4 fe 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 f3 ef 5 Nf3.

Here is another fun offshoot of the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit, called the Hulbach(sic) Gambit: 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nc3 d5 3 e4 Ne4 4 Ne4 de 5 f3.

Basically, your first move is always 1 d4. Moves 2 and 3 are almost always P-e4 and N-c3, the move order varying based on Black's moves.

I recommend Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Keybook by Tim Sawyer.

"Chess opening theory exists to give grandmasters lucrative publishing contracts for opening books."

Lol, that's the funniest thing I've heard in a while! There is nothing 'lucrative' about writing chess books, even opening books, unless perhaps you are Kasparov.

Anyway, The Kings Indian Attack/Reti or Bird's are all decent enough as others have mentioned. As you improve, though, you should look to expand into some of the more mainline openings to take your game further.