I know some people go straight into attack when they open and some like to get their defenses up first.  So I want to know what the rest of you guys are thinking...  Do you usually open with some sort of trap? Or do you start going into defense to prevent traps?

I like to go defencive.

Good players play the position. Only after 2200+ can players really have a "style".

Im not so sure about that...

All players have a style of playing, even if there below 1000.

I play the positions, but I have my preference for the types of positions I want to be in as does everybody and will strive to reach them.

This is total nonsense.

Ahehe he he

-sloppy joe

I'll have to stick with rich on this.

everyone has there ways.

 COMPLETE NONSENSE. Most good chess players, Even if below 1500, Have some sort of Style going when they play Chess.

I have a style, I like to Defend mose of the time.

Im an attacker...but not too hasty, for example I wait for my opponent to castle, and then 1. If the position is kinda closed but I have attacking chances, I will not castle to not waste a tempo, or 2. I castle the opposite way or 3. If the queens are off the board, I will start moving my king and/or Kingside pawns!

+1 on nonsense.

So if one 1800 player likes to open as White with Nf3, g3, Bg2, d3 and another 1800 player likes to open with e4 and then employ gambit lines, there's no difference in style? Duh...

Nf3, g3, Bg2, d3, is not good.

Chosing an opening that gives you positions that you like vs. Stye (moves that are commital to a positions justifications, with perfect reason). Simular but not the same.

I realize this is hard for some players to come to terms with.

(I will not comment further for the argument will not end and no descision will be reached)

I tend to emphasize defense first and have a positional STYLE. This is a necessity since I am constantly playing great attacking players who are better calculators than I am. I have learned that I have to have flexible response capabilities to be able to answer the ingenious attacks they throw at me. I must bog them down, confuse them, and place my pieces so I will be the last man standing after the smoke clears.

i agree. sub <1000 player's can have a style. perhap's a foolish or losing one, but a style nevertheless

offence is the best defence, is'nt it?

No decision will be reached because everyone will agree you're wrong and you won't accept it.

Give 2 players the same position 8 moves deep in the Dragon. One might want to go for the typical h4-g4 kingside attacking scheme, one might want to go for the more positional Nd5 type theme.

The fact remains, whether you agree with it or not, that give 2 players the same position, and they'll have different ideas of how they'd like to proceed.

development imo

In my opinion, I like to go into quiet positions without traps lurking close by. Usually, when you get into a position to attack you start with e4 and it eventually turn the board into a mine field unless you play the Italian game. d4 usually makes the game more cautious and defensive. It really depends in what type of position you're in. I prefer the slow positional games and close endgames because I enjoy them more and my most impressive wins were in those types of games.