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whats my next step?

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Underpants_Gnome89

Last thread i created was about me claiming my opening were being underminded by lesser players but the truth was I did not have a good understanding of opening principles. And wasnt adapting to what opponets did. I have done that 

Now I have a understanding of the principals and have remembered the first 5 or so moves of the; spanish game, italian game, fried liver, and 4 knights. 

I am now doing well and winning several game (including 2 of players over 1000). 

I was wondering what my next steps were. 

Right now I am:

1.trying to learn more openings many (many opponet responses dont allow me to complet the book openings I know)  

2. Trying to learn how to take advantage of my lead in development that I often have.(tips would be apreciated)

 

so what would you suggest my next step would be for extending my opening knowledge.

Underpants_Gnome89

thanks have been folowing that but anything more specific like should I look a new openings and if so which one?

kikvors

Spend as little time on the opening as possible. Less than 10% of your total study time. It's not what decides games.

I would suggest chess steps workbooks again, but since you have diamond membership there are probably lots of goodies on chess.com too. You need to learn about basic tactics, and become more aware of hanging pieces during games.

baddogno

The easiest way to try out new openings is to play "online" chess (turn based, correspondence).  It's "training wheels" chess that allows you (actually encourages you) to use opening books or databases (no engines or tablebases) as far as they go.  Eventually you have to play chess of course.  3 days is the standard, but most people seem to make at least 1 move a day.  A lot of people get kind of carried away and end up with dozens of games going at once.  Don't recommend that, but 2 or 3 games are easy to keep track of.  Give it a try, you might really like it.

Underpants_Gnome89
baddogno wrote:

The easiest way to try out new openings is to play "online" chess (turn based, correspondence).  It's "training wheels" chess that allows you (actually encourages you) to use opening books or databases (no engines or tablebases) as far as they go.  Eventually you have to play chess of course.  3 days is the standard, but most people seem to make at least 1 move a day.  A lot of people get kind of carried away and end up with dozens of games going at once.  Don't recommend that, but 2 or 3 games are easy to keep track of.  Give it a try, you might really like it.

cool thaks I have been playing 10min live chess but I will give online chess a try

JamieKowalski

I have to second the notion that you should not be studying openings at your level, or at least keep it minimal. One way to think about this is that you can study 1,000 opening moves and your opponent may still play something different. Did any of that study help you in that game? 

On the other hand, any time you spend on opening principles will help in every game you play.

Shivsky

"Thirding" (if there was such a word) the notion that even breathing the word opening at this stage is a terrible waste of your time.  

 You learned a few moves in a few openings that you play as white + black?

Good.

You claimed to have learned all the opening principles? 

Even better!

Don't even bother with openings for another 400 rating points.  Focus on EVERYTHING else right now ... tactics/piece-safety, time management, and cutting down on  blunders you've been making (you HAVE been reviewing your lost games, haven't you? :) )

Once again => Obsessing over openings is the most inefficient thing a player (at the level you claim to be) can be doing right now. It is like a grade schooler asking for book recommendations on advanced calculus.  

Update:

To your other "more valid" question: How do I exploit a lead in development?

Study annotated games of weaker vs. stronger players such as Euwe's famous "Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur" to see how the stronger player destroys somebody after gaining a lot of initiative. Even Morphy's games are an excellent place to start!

Also consider following games with very sharp gambits like the Danish or the Smith-Morra to see how activity/rapid development can help you dictate play / make your opponent keep reacting to you.

General_Lee

I have to agree with Shivsky. At the level you are at in chess openings should be the least of your concerns. I feel that tactics is one of the main things you should focus on now. Another recommendation I have is basic endings. But above all else I think you should take some time out to study tactics. And try to focus on not dropping pieces!

Fromper

Agreed on not studying openings. Remember that the purpose of the opening is reach a playable middle game, with all your pieces developed. If you're doing well enough with general principles to do that without losing in the opening, then it's time to start studying tactics, endgames, tactics, tactics, tactics, tactics, tactics, tactics, and tactics. And if you have some spare study time, you might want to work on tactics, too. Did I mention that tactics are important to study?

Underpants_Gnome89

cool thanks guy i will study tactics and my blunders 

Casual_Joe

Get one of Silman's books about imbalances.  That really helped me think about the game in a more organized (mental) way, and actually understand what's going on.

Underpants_Gnome89
Casual_Joe wrote:

Get one of Silman's books about imbalances.  That really helped me think about the game in a more organized (mental) way, and actually understand what's going on.


I have the amatures mind and complete book of stratagy what other would you recomend 

Casual_Joe
Conman89 wrote:
Casual_Joe wrote:

Get one of Silman's books about imbalances.  That really helped me think about the game in a more organized (mental) way, and actually understand what's going on.


I have the amatures mind and complete book of stratagy what other would you recomend 


Reassess Your Chess.  I like the 3rd Edition.

Fromper

Even Silman doesn't think you should read his strategy books until you can spot tactics consistantly while playing. Do a few thousand tactics puzzles, then you can consider such material.

Shivsky
Fromper wrote:

Remember that the purpose of the opening is reach a playable middle game, 

You mean I cannot win epic games against the noobs with my Nudge-dorff memorization? :)

Say it isn't so!!!  *grin.

Update: 

Chess authors would prolly sell less books if they replaced "Winning with" with a "Reach a survivable middle game position with ___ " :)

Casual_Joe
Fromper wrote:

Even Silman doesn't think you should read his strategy books until you can spot tactics consistantly while playing. Do a few thousand tactics puzzles, then you can consider such material.

Agree.  At the ~1000 rating level, paying attention to basic tactics is the fastest way to improve your rating.  But you need to start laying the ground work for understanding what's going on from a positional standpoint.