Chess Openings
 

I started to get into chess a couple years ago but haven't played much since. Just lately have I regained a little interest in the subject. As white, I usually open with the queen's pawn, though eventually, I'd like to get better at a king's pawn opening. One of the main reasons I don't play E4 is because I don't like to see black use the Sicilian Defense, which is my main defense against E4. I like to play Indian defenses against E5.

I'm sure some of you play chess. What openings do you use?

Re: Chess Openings
 

I played 1.e4 almost exclusively, and took great pleasure in facing the sicilian. Its such a showdown opening that if you enter it, you know you'll probably have an exciting game. With black I dabbled in various sicilians as well, and against 1.d4 I often played the SemiSlav.

Basically, my goal in all openings was to obtain an unbalanced position that would give both players a chance to play and try to win.

Re: Chess Openings
 

I changed my openings as black every year while I was playing actively. As white, I always played 1 e4.

For somebody just starting the game, I reccomend Petroff's defense as black. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6. It creates a structure for black in which he's able to actively develop both his knights and both his bishops. The ability to use all four of you minor pieces is good for learning the game.

However, most masters who teach would reccomend you defend via 1 e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6. Against 1 d4, they would reccomend 1...d5.

Re: Chess Openings
 

I always played E4 because I prefer a less open game, which is what you usually get with D4. I always liked the Roy Lopez if black pushes to E5.

Dang French defense always game me fits though as I hated defending the backwards pawn you often get on D4.

Re: Chess Openings
 

Just one thing... I said I like to play Indian defenses against E5... that makes no sense. I meant against 1. D4 which some of you probably realized.

Re: Chess Openings
 

Like as White: open lines, Vienna, Ruy Lopez

Like as Black: French, Petroff, Dutch Stonewall

Dislike: the tedium of fianchetto openings, either side.


One opening I really enjoy against some Sicilians is based on an idea of the late Jacob Yuchtman:

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.b4 cb 4.d4 d5 5.ed Qxd5 6.c4 bc 7.Nxc3 Qa5 8.d5 QxN 9.Bd2 Qf3 10.dxN Qxc6 11. Rc1 Q moves 12. Bc4

White then castles, plays Re1, and if he wishes to be especially daring, may try to prevent Black's castling with Ng5 followed by Nxf7. If Black appears determined to castle ASAP, White may elect this sac before even playing Re1. This sac is not mandatory in order for White to have attacking lines.

There are many variations in this gambit and like all gambits it is probably unsound, but with this one you can get a lot of bang for your buck, especially as it is relatively uncommon. If Black slips up earlier he can get hurt rather quickly, although Black does have some options earlier as well. It seems to me that White gets more of a lead in development and better open lines in this gambit as compared to many other gambits.

Re: Chess Openings
 

no one likes king indians?

benko defense is where it's at.

Re: Chess Openings
 

"no one likes king indians?"

Don't play girlie chess.

Re: Chess Openings
 

flipped between english and e4, I pretty much play 34 solely for the evans gambit anymore. As far as fun sicilian lines to try, go for 3 Bd3 or c3 and see if you like those positions. As far as black vs d4, something in the QID system is my general play, often with f5 thrown in for good measure.

Re: Chess Openings
 

Picking opening systems should depend on the style you like to play. If you like tactics, open games -- e4 with white and various Sicilians against e4 and Gruenfeld against d4 as black. If you like closed positions c4 or d4 (which gives you more of a semi-open position)with white and Ruy Lopez, Pirc or Petrov against e4 and King's Indian (which can get highly tactical), Dutch or Slav (Botvinik variation can get very tactical too).

Picking a favorite player and going with his openings isn't too bad either. I started with Fischer's openings (e4 as white, Najdorf and King's Indian and Gruenfeld as black). Then I realized that these openings require a lot of memorization and time studying. I liked studying other aspects of the game (middle game and ending) and time constraints convinced me to switch to openings that didn't require as much work -- English as white and a Pirc-King's Indian system as black. So, a second consideration is how much time you want to spend studying the opening. Generally, the sharper the opening, the more time you have to spend on it -- e4 requires more study than d4, c4 or other irregular openings.

Finally, you want an opening that you can force your opponent into. It does no good spending all your time studying the King's Gambit if your opponent plays c5 in response to e4. Openings that early on in the game force play into those particular systems include as white the Trompowsky (sp?), English, b3 systems, and as black against e4 the Sicilian, Pirc, Alekhine's Opening, Petrov, Center-Counter and against d4 the Gruenfeld, King's Indian, Benko, Benoni and Slav.

There are also chess books that give you opening systems to cover most of what you can expect to play against as white and black. To find the better opening systems books look at the reviews on Chess Cafe's website (the twoplustwo website of chess). Also stay away from any chess books written by Raymond Keene. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: Chess Openings
 

As White I either play mainline 1.d4 openings or sometimes Reti/English systems.

As Black I usually play the Queen's Gambit Declined (Tartakower) against 1.d4 and the French Defense against 1.e4.

I generally prefer slower, strategic games to tactical slugfests.

Re: Chess Openings
 

The "Fried Liver Attack" is alot of fun. Messes up alot of opponents the first time they see it too!

Re: Chess Openings
 

[ QUOTE ]
"no one likes king indians?"

Don't play girlie chess.

[/ QUOTE ]


MMMMMMM, i'm suprised you would say such a thing. Tisk tisk.

Re: Chess Openings
 

[ QUOTE ]
I always played E4 because I prefer a less open game, which is what you usually get with D4.

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You stated this backwards. An "open game" by definition is one that has a king center on each side formed by 1. E4 E5. These openings revolve around the direct attack and defense of these pawns since they are initally unguarded. A "close game" is one that has a queen center such as formed by 1.D4 D5. Since the pawns are guarded, their capture is no longer an immediate issue, so instead these openings feature more subtle positional maneuvering to attack, defend, and control weak squares. If black makes any other response to 1. E4 besides 1...E5, as in the Sicilian Defence (...1. C5), the game is called "half open". In these games black attemps to form a queen center against white's king center.

Re: Chess Openings
 

I could be wrong since it has been many many years since I played seriously. However, my understanding is that D4 brings the Queens into the action earlier and thus leading to a more attacking and tactical game.

Re: Chess Openings
 

Bruce is right. e4 openings are usually open games, d4 openings are closed games (usually).

Re: Chess Openings
 

I recommend 1.c4 as white... very flexible you can play it all sorts of ways and you rarely get surprised in this opening.

I also like to play 1.d4 but that is usually only if I KNOW my oppenant will let me go into some meran/anti meran variations. the botvinnik variation is by far the most interesting and sharp variation in all of chess and probably still will be in 20 years.

as black the pirc rules. 1. e4 d6 Its all i will ever play against e4, its just so much fun.

Re: Chess Openings
 

This book has a nice explanation of the classifications of openings. The author says that the open and close games have virtually nothing in common. This is because the queen center is so much more stable than the king center, especially when the queen center is made with 3 pawns.

Re: Chess Openings
 

While opening preparation is crucial once you hit 2000, I think you might get more enjoyment out of the game by studying middle game ideas.

I play e4 as white. I either play 2. c3 or the Grand Prix attack against the sicilian.

as black, I play the French or the gurgendize pirc agaist e4. And the Leningrad dutch, benoni, or slav against d4.

Re: Chess Openings
 

Znosko-Borovsky also authored a delightful book (well, delightful as chess books go, I suppose) titled How Not To Play Chess. It's been many years since I read it but it still stands out in my mind.

Re: Chess Openings
 

Just Fischer, Kasparov, Polgar and Seirwan to name a few who have strongly played the Kings Indian.

MMMMMMM is just weak and doesn't understand dynamic positions.

Re: Chess Openings
 

It's girlie chess, jokerswild: plain and simple.


Ruy Lopez = Real Chess.

Gambits (other than QG) = Ballsy Chess

Open Games = Real Chess

Sicilian = Real Chess

Slow Positional Games = Gag Me With A Spoon Chess

King's Indian for White = Girlie Chess + Gag Me With A Spoon Chess

Only thing worse than King's Indian Attack is Pirc Defense. Pirc/Modern players should be summarily executed. King's Indian Attack players, however, have no excuse whatsoever since they are playing WHITE. They should be horsewhipped for delay of game, and then shot.

Also, if you'll notice, Fischer and the other greats you mention did play the KIA a bit, but eventually settled on more assertive openings for White. A word to the wise.

Re: Chess Openings
 

they all used to play the KID... the KID has really fallen out of favor of the top players these days... its a really fun opening but current theory has really hurt its rep. white always seems to get an easy edge. same thing happend to the sicilian dragon.

the highest rated player that regularly plays the pirc is azmaiparashvili and he isn't even in the top 25. i still play the pirc exclusively as black against e4. the high end theory doesn't matter much if you are an amateur

Re: Chess Openings
 

the pirc leads to open games as much as it leads to closed games.... i don't think you really understand that opening....


from a theoretical standpoint it isn't blacks strongest weapon against e4 (its by far not the weakest either) but i don't think that is what you are concerned about.

at any rate the pirc can be very sharp and very tactical, it creates an inherently asymmetrical game which can lead to all sorts of complications. it is an attackers opening

Re: Chess Openings
 

as for the KIA, the KIA fell out of favor as a big time opening about 30 years ago...a fair amount of GMs use it on occasion but more as a novelty, personally i don't think its as powerful or as fun as the KID. the KID has stuck around until just recently (5 years ago maybe).

Re: Chess Openings
 

You are right when you say you don't think I understand the Pirc--and I don't want to understand it! I hate the Pirc. It is an opening for dweebs!

Re: Chess Openings
 

My highrest rating was 2287. I defeated GM Fishbein, IM Mulyar, IM Brooks, and have various draws with other GMs.

I don't need your advice MMMMMM.

Re: Chess Openings
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
"no one likes king indians?"

Don't play girlie chess.

[/ QUOTE ]


MMMMMMM, i'm suprised you would say such a thing. Tisk tisk.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, MMMMMM, when you said Don't play girlie chess, I thought you meant CHESS was girlie. Not the opening was girlie. My apologies.

Re: Chess Openings
 

[ QUOTE ]
My highrest rating was 2287. I defeated GM Fishbein, IM Mulyar, IM Brooks, and have various draws with other GMs.

I don't need your advice MMMMMM.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you played these people then you would be registered with FIDE and would be able to prove these matches occured. Do you have proof?

Also, if your so smart and disciplined, why do you say so much stupid [censored].

Re: Chess Openings
 

Cross tables, and score sheets.

I don't say stupid things. I'm just not a bigoted rich fascist like most of the scum around here.

Why do you say so many crazy and stupid things?

Re: Chess Openings
 

[ QUOTE ]
Cross tables, and score sheets.

I don't say stupid things. I'm just not a bigoted rich fascist like most of the scum around here.

Why do you say so many crazy and stupid things?

[/ QUOTE ]

The results of tournaments/matches are kept by FIDE especially with high level players. If you have a FIDE rating, you have proof of your matches.

As for saying stupid things, you said this just this morning:

jokerswild quote

What a fantastical blunderpuss!
 

Not even the park's fish would say that the King's Indian is "girlie chess".

I should channel Efim Geller's ghost and have him whip your pimply behind with Queen odds in any King's Indian but I will let other elaborate.

...Why don't you stick to the political stuff? You are so much more illuminating in 'em. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: What a fantastical puss!
 

MMMMMM considers all hypermodern openings to be "girlie chess".

Grow some balls Cyrus and play a gambit--or at least the Ruy Lopez or Sicilian.

Re: Chess Openings
 

I like speculative defensive openings. As Black, I defend e4 with the center counter and d4 with the budapest. As White, I play d4 because I can't stand to play against the sicilian.

\"Latvian Anarchist Attacks King !\"
 

"Grow some balls Cyrus and play a gambit--or at least the Ruy Lopez or Sicilian."

I play the King's Gambit (OK, occasionally) and you can't get more macho than that.

Re: \"Latvian Anarchist Attacks King !\"
 

Ok, you have dodged the worst fate. Horse-whipping remains dependent on whether or not you still play those subversive fianchetto openings.

Re: Chess Openings
 

Try the Pirc! [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Re: Chess Openings
 

i played 1.c4, 1.d4, and 1.Nf3. i think 1.d4 is my favorite and is just as good an opening for beginners as 1.e4 is. try "Play 1.d4!" by Richard Palliser. it's a one volume opening repetoire with generally very good and easy to learn recommendations. i wish i had this book a few years ago with i was first trying to put an opening repetoire together.

as black against 1.d4 i used to play the nimzo-indian and the modern benoni, but i was looking to learn the king's indian since it could be played against all openings except 1.e4. i'm still waiting for "Play the King's Indian" by Joe Gallagher to be released, but if i do buy it it will proabably sit on my shelf while i multitable party.

against 1.e4, yes the sicilian rocks. "Play the Najdorf" by John Emms was the most useful book i read on that particular sicilian variation.

Re: Chess Openings
 

I agree about Palliser's "Play 1.d4!" being a good book. I thought he made a lot of good choices regarding lines and included just enough but not too much about them.

If you don't have Joe Gallagher's "Starting Out: The King's Indian" already you might consider it even if you're a fairly experienced King's Indian player. He does an excellent job of identifying promising lines from the Black perspective, and he makes a lot of insightful comments.

John Watson's "Play the French, 3rd ed." is also another classic from Watson.

I play.......
 

....my rook pawns first to R4. Develop each rook at R3. Bring both rooks into the middle of the board, and just stand there firing away at your opponent. If he dares take either of your rooks with a knight, bishop, or pawn, jump up and punch him right in the f$#^-cking face. This is called the wogga gambit. And like jokerswild, I too have a rating of 2287