Originally posted by mipmcptwell 1...e6 is usually positional. 1...e5 can be positional but it depends on white. 1...c5 can be positional as well. If you want to force positional play then the french defence is probably a good choice.
Thanks, i can see its largly down to my stle,i am a postional player,who do you sugest the fench/
Also check out the caro-kann. I think both defenses cater to a more positional style. Both are very different though. With the french you tend to get more closed and complex positions. With the caro, it's a bit more straightforward. Not as active as the French, but is more difficult for White to play against.
Originally posted by ChessJesterI agree. I'd also add that while some opening have tendencies to be positional or tactical, etc., it's dangerous for a player to become too stereotypical.
well 1...e6 is usually positional. 1...e5 can be positional but it depends on white. 1...c5 can be positional as well. If you want to force positional play then the french defence is probably a good choice.
For example, I'm mainly a Caro-Kann player and I've lost games because I tried too much to keep the position as a "Caro-Kann type" position. Sometimes it is necessary to be flexible. Every position needs to be treated individually in order to spot the exceptions from the typical play.
So my general comment is, know the opening ideas but play the position.
Originally posted by mipmcptGood luck with that...there are many variations and they each can become very, very complex depending on the lines. I would recommend the Najdorf for starters and go from there. This plays as:
thanks for everones responses, i am going to begin with c5 for a while!!
e4, c5, Nf3, d6, d4, cxd4, Nxd4, Nf6, Nc3, and then a6.
Since nobody has mentioned it, why not the Pirc? It's sound enough (See APB or MotownDave) and play can be positional if you want it - though there are tactical lines that may or may not be avoidable - as with any opening. It's worth a look anyhow, and since you claim to be positional it's what I'd recommend, otherwise it'd be the Dragon.
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Originally posted by SpacetimeI don't know about that, I'm relatively new to this and I started with 1...e5. Then I got bored with the Italian game so I started playing with other things. I had seen that the Sicilian was a popular response, so I looked it up - it has something like two hundred (I can't remember what I counted at the time, but it was ridiculous) pages in the current edition of MCO and that's not something that could be daunting for a beginner (it was for me.) So, I'm currently messing around with the French with varying results against people of approximately my strength.
Everybody's going to give you a different answer, but my opinion is start with e5 for a while to get a feel for good opening principles (you will learn a lot about basic tactics and different positional ideas).
After you have a feel for the basics with the e5 lines, you can graduate to the Sicilian with the more advanced (but more powerful) ideas.
Please don't play the French!
Although, having said that, I still hate facing the Sicilian as white and will probably give it a look here in the near future.
Originally posted by cmsMasterI was thinking of mentioning this (1...d6) but wasn't sure about it.
Since nobody has mentioned it, why not the Pirc? It's sound enough (See APB or MotownDave) and play can be positional if you want it - though there are tactical lines that may or may not be avoidable - as with any opening. It's worth a look anyhow, and since you claim to be positional it's what I'd recommend, otherwise it'd be the Dragon.
Its worth a look for sure.
