Against e4 - Recently switched from the French to the Sicilian.
Against d4 - Nimzo-Indian or Queen's Indian.
I always had very good counter-play with those two.. I also heard they are best statistically.
Since I previously played other systems, I have not learned too much theory about these. I am considering to actually not learn it either, because I want to *think* for myself. I noticed that sometimes you think too much about theory while you are at the board, instead of thinking what is at the board. Might lose a few games due to not knowing the lines, but I might also a win a few more because I am thinking on my own.
Originally posted by SquelchbelchThere are a few comments I would make but i will reserve them until u tell me the game is over.
I'm finding my lack active pieces & getting some control of the center a problem. As well as sorting my pawn structure in general.
Here's a G.I.P but it shows what I mean:
white to play (I'm black - no comments on possible moves)
[fen]rnb1qrk1/p5bp/1ppppnp1/4NpB1/2PPP3/1QN3P1/PP3PBP/R3K2R w KQ - 0 11[/fen]
I do enjoy the chances the Dutch defence can create, but it can get rather messy for me if I'm not very careful.
It also depends on whether you are trying to play the classical dutch or the leningrad!
I was thinking about all of the opening systems I'd tried in the past, and I remember one week that I tried a sort of transpositional sort of defense called the Rat Defense.
1.d4 d6
Lots of things could potentially happen here, for example:
1.d4 d6 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 - KID
1.d4 d6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 - Benoni
1.d4 d6 2.c4 e5!? 3.dxe5 dxe5 4.Qxd8+ Kxd8 = since the queens are off, and that's likely what I'd play against 2.c4.
However the probably more common move for white is:
1.d4 d6 2.e4 Nf6 - Pirc, in which case I've taken away the problem of facing any 1.d4 opening, and of course I'll have to see how well I like the Pirc, but I do enjoy the idea of some awesome counterattacks against white's big center.
Originally posted by cmsMasterIts a matter of taste. Do you like fianchettoed bishops, slow buildups, immediate tactics or a quiet positional advantage? Certainly with black you cannot "dictate" the course of the game as you can with white. You can try out different openings, even Kramnik play the Berlin defence and Kasparov played the Scotch. If you don't want any theory consider Basman or Tony Miles kind of games.
The White openings got some pretty good responses, so let's hear about what you like to use as black against 1.e4, 1.d4, 1.c4, and/or 1.Nf3.
I especially need help with deciding on something against 1.d4...because I just can't find something that I like and isn't loaded with theory.
Originally posted by cmsMasterI've been playing some practice Pirc games on PC, and I have to say I'm enjoying counterattacking and playing on the queenside. I just hope that I face more variety, because so far I've only faced the Classical.
I was thinking about all of the opening systems I'd tried in the past, and I remember one week that I tried a sort of transpositional sort of defense called the Rat Defense.
1.d4 d6
Lots of things could potentially happen here, for example:
1.d4 d6 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 - KID
1.d4 d6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 - Benoni
1.d4 d6 2.c4 e5!? 3.dxe5 dxe5 4.Qxd8+ Kx ...[text shortened]... e Pirc, but I do enjoy the idea of some awesome counterattacks against white's big center.