Hi, I'm just going to use this thread to post my analysis on major chess openings. As White I normally play 1.e4 so my analysis will be based on lines resulting from this move.

I will be updating this post with games from different openings, or posting them in this thread.

Any discussion about choices or mistakes in analysis will be greatly appreciated.

I will start with the Sicilian Najdorf, as it is the opening I already have extensive notes on.

The above game covers all of the lines recommended in GM Repertoire 6: The Sicilian Defense by Ftacnik and my way of playing against them.

This game covers 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qc7!?. The mainline 8.Bxf6 is probably very slightly better for White but I am choosing an aggressive option that forces Black to find only moves repeatedly in order to survive with a draw. White has no way to lose this.

This tactical line is a fun way to react to Black's unusual idea.

This game will cover the main line, with and without h6.

Why no English Attack?

this is complicated. material is being thrown around like feathers.

Can you include comments for every move, like e4 (this opens lines for the Q and light squared B, etc etc.)?

Um, no. There are too many moves :)

dchurchill: I think below GM level, 6.Bg5 is more likely to win me the game in the opening.

Come on lazybutt, I need a clear explanation. Practice being John Nunn. :)

Now I will be looking briefly at 1.e4 e5 with a Scotch Gambit move-order. I also play the Scotch Game and will be covering that in a later series of posts.

This post will look at early mistakes by Black, and some Nf6 lines.

Do you have analysis on the French or Caro? 

Of course. This analysis will be posted when I have time. I'm still working on my lines against the Caro, and might switch to mainlines (I've been playing the Advance variation for a while now) or Panov-Botvinnik attack.

Here's French Tarrasch against 3...Nf6 with just a few notes.

its weird to see such sharp lines agains the sicilian, and in comparison the tarrasch french and scotch game. What do you exactly base your opening choices off?

Sheesh!  If you really don't know that e4 opens up the Queen and Light-Squared Bishop, you aren't ready for opening theory.  Go to the endgame threads!

Thanks for this.

One would hope his style of play.  Popularity and statistics are the WORST thing to base your openings off of.  If the Najdorf scores 48%, and the Scandinavian scores 41% (Numbers are hypothetical), but the Najdorf makes no sense to you, and the Scandinavian is crystal clear to you, you understand it, and you're all over it like white on rice, then while the Najdorf may have better statistics, I'd bet you the Scandinavian would have better statistics for all games in which specifically you have Black!

Therefore, I'm not embarassed to be currently playing the Veresov as White and Modern Defense as Black.  I've played many other openings.  e4, d4, c4, b4, b3, f4, Nf3, Nc3, g3, etc as White (I consider 1.g3 my second option, and do play it here and there) and the Sicilian, French, 1...e5, Caro-Kann, Scandinavian, King's Indian, Nimzo-Indian, QGD, Slav, Semi-Slav, Dutch, etc as Black, but if my personal best results come in the Modern, why not play it?  Because the statistics are a little worse at the GM level?  Try telling that to Nigel Davies, Jon Speelman, Duncan Suttles, and other GM Advocates of the Modern!

Are you joking? the Modern is very difficult to understand and play.  And white can just play 3. c4 and get a nice space advantage...

What works for one player might not necessarily work for you.

The Tarrasch is extremely sharp and requires very accurate play from Black to survive the opening in the 3...Nf6 lines, accurate positional and tactical play in the 3...c5 variation, and patience and accurate play to not drift into a losing position in the 3...dxe4 variation. White has a lot of forced wins. I don't see how you don't think it's sharp.

The Scotch gambit can be quite sharp as well, but I'm actually just very drawn to the line I play against the Two Knights. Unfortunately, I don't have much against 4...Bc5. I've tried castling there, but if Black plays 5...d6 White is just worse. 5.c3 is the only move that makes sense I think, but after 5...Nf6 the game is either boring or I have to sacrifice something with no solid compensation. At least I can go into a risk-free ending.

I like what your doing, Expertise87.

'sharp' has nothing to do with statistics.

one would hope his style of play which is why i asked. I dont necessarily recognise the sharp najdorf bg5 lines to match what i consider to be somewhat slow and insipid openings.