I am wondering what are the best openings for chess beginers (1300 rating). I mostly play Four knights opening, Spanish or Italian opening, because of fast castling, controling the center of the board. The problem is, when I play this type of opening pretty often occurs that my oppenent start trading his pieces, and suddenly the middlegame is over and we both have only pawns and rocks for the endgame. Clearly, the better wins, but I am not sure that this is the right way to learn how to become a better player. What openings do you suggest. I want to learn openings that lead to closed game with lot of tactics, strategy and positional play, not just trading pieces till the end. What do you guys suggest?
Göring Gambit/Scotch Gambit is always fun to play as white, I wouldn't play it against strong players because the pawns given away at the start will affect your endgame however for people who don't know the opening it can cause them alot of problems.
I made a diagram of the basic ideas
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/1741/gambithp8.jpg
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 dxc3 5. Nxc3
See http://chess.about.com/od/improveyouropenings/ss/aa03b22.htm
Also see Thread 54168 for tipss on how to improve.
Originally posted by ivan2908exchanging is one of the strategical choices you have to make, regardless of the opening. if you like more complicated games, try to keep the tension up and those precious little pieces on the board. exchanges usually simplify the position and restrict the possibilities of attack. so, if you don't want that, you have to take into account the possibility that your opponent does, before you make the move that allows him to do so.
I am wondering what are the best openings for chess beginers (1300 rating). I mostly play Four knights opening, Spanish or Italian opening, because of fast castling, controling the center of the board. The problem is, when I play this type of opening pretty often occurs that my oppenent start trading his pieces, and suddenly the middlegame is over and we bo ...[text shortened]... s, strategy and positional play, not just trading pieces till the end. What do you guys suggest?
generally, it's good to build up tension. allow trades only if the escaping move makes your position worse. at 1300, there's pieces dropped in virtually every single game, so making your piece slightly worse doesn't matter much.
be especially careful if you 'defend' a piece with a pawn in the castle, namely the f3-knight, as exchanging it will rip your castle open and expose the king. and of course, look for the same with your opponent. 🙂 it can be dangerous though, if he's not castled and you are, as it opens a file for the rook to pounce on your king...
Originally posted by ivan2908I think you are asking the wrong question.
I am wondering what are the best openings for chess beginers (1300 rating). I mostly play Four knights opening, Spanish or Italian opening, because of fast castling, controling the center of the board. The problem is, when I play this type of opening pretty often occurs that my oppenent start trading his pieces, and suddenly the middlegame is over and we bo ...[text shortened]... s, strategy and positional play, not just trading pieces till the end. What do you guys suggest?
By your post I learned that you are a good opening player... you sucessfully transitioned through the middlegame and into an even endgame.
Instead of spending hours and hours memorizing various lines you may not even get to play you should study the endgames. That way when it's just rooks and pawns you will be in your element and that will make you a much better player.
Rook and pawn endgames have much more complexity than the opening and you will get into the endgame a lot more times than you will get into your favorite opening line 10 moves deep.
Originally posted by ivan2908well sure as hell not the Spanish!
I am wondering what are the best openings for chess beginers (1300 rating). I mostly play Four knights opening, Spanish or Italian opening, because of fast castling, controling the center of the board. The problem is, when I play this type of opening pretty often occurs that my oppenent start trading his pieces, and suddenly the middlegame is over and we bo ...[text shortened]... s, strategy and positional play, not just trading pieces till the end. What do you guys suggest?
that opening is way too rich for a beginner (I think it's great but refuse to touch it until I get better)
4 Knight's is OK I suppose...but with 4. Bb5 you're back to that Spanish, and with 4. Bc4 black gets to play 4. ...Nxe4!
I agree with the others in that the Scotch is good, though I disagree with a beginner using gambits, too risky when you don't know what you're doing enough.
my conclusion: Scotch Game, just not Scotch Gambit
Originally posted by YUG0slavWhat's the Scotch Gambit line?
well sure as hell not the Spanish!
that opening is way too rich for a beginner (I think it's great but refuse to touch it until I get better)
4 Knight's is OK I suppose...but with 4. Bb5 you're back to that Spanish, and with 4. Bc4 black gets to play 4. ...Nxe4!
I agree with the others in that the Scotch is good, though I disagree with a beginner u ...[text shortened]... don't know what you're doing enough.
my conclusion: Scotch Game, just not Scotch Gambit