1. Joined
    12 Feb '07
    Moves
    3499
    23 Jun '07 14:58
    Originally posted by Policestate
    I think your strategy of picking a couple of opening lines and sticking to them / developing them initially is sound practice BUT I would recommend a different approach.
    Some of the guys commenting here are better than me, but I have to say I firmly believe the best way to approach openings is to pick a book which DOESN"T specialise, but explains the ge ...[text shortened]... e.
    There are some great simple books on opening principles. I found them invaluable. Good luck
    Could you recommend any good books on opening principles that would explain why opening moves made the way they are made?
  2. washington
    Joined
    18 Dec '05
    Moves
    47023
    23 Jun '07 15:43
    any book that specializes on one opening will say why certain moves are made. also yasser seirwans winning chess openings is a decent opening that i studied when i first started chess and it helped me. i was 1100 when i read the book. ;-)
  3. Joined
    14 Jul '06
    Moves
    20541
    23 Jun '07 16:30
    The thought process leading to the way I selected my opening repertoire was as follows:
    Narrow possible good responses at each stage to allow an opening I'm familiar with or at ease playing.

    As White:

    1.e4 As white I prefer 1.e4 & always open with it.
    I prefer open, more tactical games to 1.d4 strategic struggles. You need to find out if you are mostly a tactical player or positional player as the difference between 1.e4 & 1.d4 openings for instance is vast.

    Generally, black will respond one of 3 ways to 1.e4
    1...e5
    I always play 2.f4 King's knights gambit in mind.

    1...c5
    I play 2.d4 & 9 times out of 10 I get a Morra gambit accepted game.

    1...e6
    The French is by far the most trouble for me. I used to answer with the Advance Variation in mind, but now prefer the Exchange.

    *************

    As black

    Normally it's a case of either 1.e4 or 1.d4 to consider & against 1.e4 for me it's:

    1...e5
    This does play into white's hands a little as they can play a pet opening, so you have to be prepared to know a little about The Italian game & the Ruy Lopez from black's point of view. The Ruy is the most encountered of the 2.
    1...e5 suits me from black's perspective though & the Sicilian is an absolute minefield!
    I always look to play the 2-knights against 2.Nf3 and if white plays 2.f4 I play 2...d5 Falkbeer counter gambit.

    Against 1.d4
    I always now play the Dutch defence 1...f5 the idea being to narrow white's responses (they probably expect 1...d5 or 1...Nf6) & also give myself chances to counter with this dangerous opening.
  4. London
    Joined
    04 Nov '05
    Moves
    12606
    23 Jun '07 19:53
    Originally posted by Bakunian
    Could you recommend any good books on opening principles that would explain why opening moves made the way they are made?
    "Discovering Chess Openings" by John Emms...really gets under the skin of the process of learning opening principles - I can't recommend it highly enough.
  5. Joined
    05 Jun '07
    Moves
    13774
    23 Jun '07 22:10
    following up what Squelchbelch said, those are the most common, but you also WILL see 1...c6, the caro-kann (my fav) and 1...d5, the scandinavian, as responses to e4.

    here's how i would practice openings. play yourself (lol) seriously sit down, make a move, then make a move for the other color, then think "what's the best way to respond to this, and why?"

    just do that for your favorite opening and a few defenses and you'll do fine, just do the first 8 moves or so.


    1...e5 is fine, you just gotta learn a defense against the ruy lopez and one against the giuoco piano. as a beginner you wont face 1.d4 or 1.c4 (the english) very often so dont worry

    just play yourself lol, it'll work
  6. Joined
    12 Feb '07
    Moves
    3499
    24 Jun '07 04:19
    This is how I study opening first I play against Hiarcs 10 as white using book opening writing down opening moves then I play as black and play against Hiarcs its own moves and trying to figure out logic behind its replies also trying certain moves that I think look good but then it doesn’t take too long for my silicone-for-brains opponent to finish me off.
    What is hard though is that true meaning of certain move becomes apparent 3-4 moves later and I cannot see yet that far ahead.
    Since I don't have such good memory I do better if I understanding motives behind each move. I realize that my method probably not the best way to study so I am going to give a try all of above and following recommendations. There has to method to this madness.
  7. Joined
    12 Feb '07
    Moves
    3499
    24 Jun '07 19:25
    Originally posted by Squelchbelch
    Ok, here's how you counter the 2.Bc4 Sicilian, which -1500's will encounter regularly.

    [b]1.e4...c5
    2.Bc4?...e6
    preparing for ...d5
    White's 2nd move shows a lack of understanding of the Sicilian defence in favour of a mis-timed attack on the central d5 square and/or a cheap hack against black's vulnerable f7 square.
    Maybe white is planning o ...[text shortened]... nyone wants to discuss any early variations in the Bc4 Sicilian just ask in this thread.[/b]
    Could you comment if after
    3... Nf6
    4 e5
    attacking knight, should black play 4...Ng4 and what does it archive?
    I also crosschecked on chessgames.com for some reason 3...Nf6 not even suggested as an option in opening explorer; it could be they just missed it.
  8. Standard memberKorch
    Chess Warrior
    Riga
    Joined
    05 Jan '05
    Moves
    24932
    24 Jun '07 19:321 edit
    Originally posted by Bakunian
    Could you comment if after
    3... Nf6
    4 e5
    attacking knight, should black play 4...Ng4 and what does it archive?
    I also crosschecked on chessgames.com for some reason 3...Nf6 not even suggested as an option in opening explorer; it could be they just missed it.
    3...d6 is much better.
  9. Joined
    14 Jul '06
    Moves
    20541
    24 Jun '07 20:03
    Originally posted by Korch
    3...d6 is much better.
    I think you mean 3...d5, surely?
  10. Standard memberKorch
    Chess Warrior
    Riga
    Joined
    05 Jan '05
    Moves
    24932
    24 Jun '07 20:11
    Originally posted by Squelchbelch
    I think you mean 3...d5, surely?
    No 3...d6. Before 4.e5
  11. Joined
    14 Jul '06
    Moves
    20541
    24 Jun '07 20:14
    Originally posted by Bakunian
    Could you comment if after
    3... Nf6
    4 e5
    attacking knight, should black play 4...Ng4 and what does it archive?
    I also crosschecked on chessgames.com for some reason 3...Nf6 not even suggested as an option in opening explorer; it could be they just missed it.
    After
    1.e4...c5
    2.Bc4?...e6
    3.Nf3...Nf6
    4.e5

    Black can play
    4...d5
    threatening Bc4, then if presumably
    5.exd6(e.p)...Bxd6
    6.0-0...Nc6
    7.Nc3...0-0

    And again black is fine.

    white to move


    Black can play a simple a6 soon and the Bc4 is, again, useless.
  12. Standard memberKorch
    Chess Warrior
    Riga
    Joined
    05 Jan '05
    Moves
    24932
    24 Jun '07 20:18
    Originally posted by Squelchbelch
    After
    [b]1.e4...c5
    2.Bc4?...e6
    3.Nf3...Nf6
    4.e5

    Black can play
    4...d5
    threatening Bc4, then if presumably
    5.exd6(e.p)...Bxd6
    6.0-0...Nc6
    7.Nc3...0-0

    And again black is fine.

    white to move
    [fen]r1bq1rk1/pp3ppp/2nbpn2/2p5/2B5/2N2N2/PPPP1PPP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 8[/fen]

    Black can play a simple a6 soon and the Bc4 is, again, useless.[/b]
    5.exf6 dxc4 6.fxg7 Bxg7 7.Na3 Qd5 8.Qe2 and pawn on c4 can`t be defended.
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