What exactly do you mean by opening attack by white? Are you asking for specific black openings to play against 1.d4 or 1.e4 for example?
Defense for Black
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What I mean is at the beginning of the game, during the development stage. Nothing specific. i make the usual opening moves and then throw the game away when white begins to attack and especially when I lose a piece. My position is hopeless at that stage.
I would at least like to stay for a few more moves. 
At that level just watch for unsound attacks. Tipoffs oftentimes include pawn storms unsupported by pieces and only two pieces joining an attack. Usually when people start asking themselves how would their opponent reply to a move their rating improves. Do you know the principles of the opening? Develop quickly, castle, and control the center, although there are situations where you should delay castling just in case it's objectively best to go kingside, queenside, or after trades play Ke7 with your king already closer to the center in the endgame. However, mostly you'll just castle kingside, especially if you play open games and Sicilians.
I am aware of the basics you mention. Sometimes I can get them to work when I have black. It just appears to me that I have a hard time dealing with an aggressive attack by white. While guarding agains the attack, I clear out one or both sides and my king is exposed.
If as white I mount an aggressive attack, I notice that my opponent will do the same thing as I do in that situation. It seems to be a case of who gets the opening advantage first. Of course, I am referring to novice players like myself.
I practice daily with Tactics Trainer and I find it very helpful. Since I joined chess.com, a little over a year ago, I learned to appreciate knowledge of tactics.
Tactics is a new concept to me in my chess training. I previous years I tried to learn classic moves and positions, only to become frustrated.
I fully understand what you say about tactics.
Yes, I think unorthodox move is what I am trying to defend against. The uncommon, to me, move at the opening play. I try to defend against that and I end up in a very difficult situation. The only solution I can find is to quit.
When I see an uncommon move, should I try to defend gradually and build up a defense? I'm just looking for some general, simple maneuvers or guidelines.
I have an example from today's game. I am still new at getting these diagrams, however. I'll try to send one to you tomorrow. Or maybe you would prefer I send it to this forum topic.
Here is a typical game of the type I mentioned in this forum. Early in the game I got into a bad situation and did not know how to deal with it. White took my knight and I quit.
1.e4e5
2.Nf3Nc6
3.Bb5Na5
4.Nxe5c6
5.Ba4Qe7
6.d4Qb4+
7.Nc3b5
8.Bb3Nxb3
9.axb3Nf6
10.Bd2Qe7
11.O-OQd6
12.Be3Bb7
13.f4Be7
14.d5O-O
15.Qd3Ng4
16.Nxg4
You should try to insert position via PGN (chessboard icon while posting) so that your post would show the position on the blackboard with pieces and moves, because the way you pasted it is quite unpleasant to read. I didn't study your game, but right off the bat, 3. ... Na5 is horrible move - you waste a tempo (try to move every piece as few times as you can in the opening - as close to 1 move per piece as you can get - or else you will get underdeveloped) and stop defending e5 pawn. I don't if you were worried, that after 4.Bxc6 pawn on e5 would be hanging, but then you have 4. ... dxc6 5. Nxe5 Qd4, winning the pawn back.
Thank you for your insightful comment. I will study it several times today. Somehow, i find it difficult to keep the rule of don't move the pieces more than twice or too often in the development stage. The main reason is my opponent won't cooperate! I am forced, quite often, to move a piece more often than I like.
I don't know how to put the chessboard diagram in the post. I recently learned how to put the list of moves. I put a forum post about PGN and got a lot of responses and I went to Tech Support too.
I am working on getting the PGN into posts and messages.
To post a game from PGN: go to the list of your games (live chess), click on "view" on the game you're interested in, click on "Get PGN" and download it. Then you can open it with notepad and copy everything that's indide it. To post it on the forums, click on "insert position" (little chessboard icon), choose "game or sequence of moves", then choose "Use a PGN file" and paste the PGN you copied earlier.
I've been struggling with the PGN issue for a while. Apparently, I have a PGN now, because you see the game move list. I need to put the PGN into a form that displays the chessboard. I'll try to do that later today.
I certainly did not demonstrate any knowledge of basic opening play. That game is an example of my worst effort. I am capable of better moves at the open, but I am not consistent.
ajmeroski, I have been trying to get the PGN. When I click on Get PGN I get an error message. "invalid menu handle." Tech Support described a set of computer gyrations that are beyond my understanding.
I go to View and click on the box for the game I am interested in, Then I click on Download PGN and I end up with a file you see I posted earlier. I copied it and posted the move list here. Anything beyond that is not to be had.
I'll keep trying and I will use your method. I must be missing something.
What is a basic defense for black against an opening attack by white.
I only need something simple to get started. I will play oppenents at the 1200 or less.