I'm a really new player and usually if my opening is good, I can hold my own, but if my opening is bad, I usually lose pretty quickly and badly. I plugged this one into an opening database afterwards and nothing really came up. I know it's a basic beginners problem but figured you guys can help me out. Other than studying/memorizing openings, or using a database, any other beginners strategy I should learn other than the general rules of thumb of nights before bishops, control the middle, develop fast and dont move pieces 2, dont play past your side of the board, and castle as quick as possible.
[Event "ICC 30 30"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2007.02.08"]
[Round "-"]
[White "fishingbuckaroo"]
[Black "RobTimko"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ICCResult "Black checkmated"]
[WhiteElo "1098"]
[BlackElo "932"]
[Opening "KP: King's head opening"]
[ECO "C20"]
[NIC "KP.10"]
[Time "20:44:37"]
[TimeControl "1800+30"]
1. e4 {0:30:24} e5 {0:30:26} 2. f3 {0:30:45} Bc5 {0:30:25} 3. Nc3 {0:31:06}
Nf6 {0:30:25} 4. Bc4 {0:31:23} O-O {0:30:31} 5. d3 {0:31:29} Nc6 {0:30:18}
6. Bg5 {0:31:26} d6 {0:30:01} 7. Nge2 {0:30:38} Bd4 {0:27:33} 8. Nd5
{0:28:54} Bxb2 {0:26:18} 9. Rb1 {0:28:34} Ba3 {0:24:17} 10. O-O {0:28:38}
Qd7 {0:23:18} 11. f4 {0:27:40} Bc5+ {0:23:20} 12. Kh1 {0:27:43} Qg4
{0:22:58} 13. Bxf6 {0:27:43} gxf6 {0:22:49} 14. Nxf6+ {0:28:06} Kg7
{0:22:51} 15. Nxg4 {0:28:33} Bxg4 {0:21:58} 16. h3 {0:28:38} Bd7 {0:20:25}
17. fxe5 {0:29:01} dxe5 {0:20:49} 18. Nc3 {0:29:13} Nd4 {0:19:40} 19. Rxb7
{0:28:27} Bc8 {0:19:08} 20. Rxc7 {0:28:27} Bd6 {0:19:23} 21. Rcxf7+
{0:28:16} Rxf7 {0:19:28} 22. Rxf7+ {0:28:25} Kg6 {0:19:09} 23. Qf1 {0:27:53}
Be6 {0:18:48} 24. Qf6+ {0:27:48} Kh5 {0:18:32} 25. g4+ {0:27:43} Bxg4
{0:18:37} 26. Rxh7# {0:27:28} {Black checkmated} 1-0
Originally posted by Rallymoto362.f3?!
I'm a really new player and usually if my opening is good, I can hold my own, but if my opening is bad, I usually lose pretty quickly and badly. I plugged this one into an opening database afterwards and nothing really came up. I know it's a basic beginners problem but figured you guys can help me out. Other than studying/memorizing openings, or using a ...[text shortened]... :43} Bxg4
{0:18:37} 26. Rxh7# {0:27:28} {Black checkmated} 1-0
I'd prolly play Nf6 or d5.
Black didn't lose because of a bad opening .. he lost because he missed a knight fork on his queen!
Neither opening was terrible (as cms has said 2. f6 isn't the best choice) and there were a number of inaccuracies where more aggressive options were available but both players reached acceptable positions.
If you are looking to improve i would suggest you practice tactical problems here
http://chess.emrald.net/
it seems you have the basics of opening theory already. If you wanted to dip your toe into specific opening lines try the colle system first
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colle_system
It's quite solid, easy to learn but a little uninspiring.
The next step once you are comfortable that you can reach a decent position in the opening is to recognize the type of middle game strategy that your position lends itself to. Usually this is either expanding on the kingside or queenside (assuming that you have staked out your little piece of the centre in the opening).
Some thoughts. Your opponent played terribly. f3 is useful sometimes (d4 d5 e4 dxe Nc3 nf6 f3). But you really shouldn't fall to a royal fork in a 30/30 game. He missed 11 Bxf6 (gxf6?? Nxf6+) winning a piece. You seem to be a little weak in realizing what your opponent is threatening. You took three minutes to move Bd4 but only thirty seconds for Qd7?? and a minute for Qg4??. From now on pay more attention to your opponents knights as that seems to be your biggest blind spot.
Aside from the tactic (knight fork) that has already been mentioned several times above, you may want to consider the following motif from a similar position (which you should be able to find in databases). After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 d6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Nd5 (or Bg5), strong players avoid 6...0-0, the reason being that after 7. Bg5 (or Nd5), Black's Kingside will be permanently weakened after a subsequent capture on f6. Some reasonable alternatives to 6...0-0 are 6...h6 (to prevent the motif) or 6...Be6 (allowing the motif, but intending Bxd5 and/or possibly castling queenside). Good luck in your next game.