Hey People. I have reached a plateau of playing that I will not be able to cross for a long time. I have been putting 4 to 5.5 hours a day into playing and studying chess. I use training software, book, and a chess coach. My rating has greatly improved. While I played chess on and off my entire life and took lessons when I was much younger, It was only upon joining this website that I started seven day a week training. Of course roughly 75 to 100 of my rating points were gained from my oponents twice running out of time and a resignation (all in the same tournament which was amazing). I do well when I get into the middle end game. However, I usually have to fight my way out of a bad opening game on my part. I am about to loose three or four games because of poor opening planning which I don't mind. Really, l love the game, win lose or draw. However, I need to find a good training book on openings for idiots like me. I know the basic concepts or opening principles and try to use them, I just don't get a sound footing for going into the middle game. Any suggestions? Thanks.

First dont call yourself an idiot...Nobody is..okay. Go to our group "Helping Brothers w/chess" we might be of help.See if any of the suggestions there helps. Ty

Thanks baltic

Give me a link to a particular game. I will take a look at one for you. If you know the opening principles then that is enough. What you need to do is start exploring different opening lines that you can explore. Then stick with those that give you a comfortable mid game. Eric Schiller has a book called Standard Chess Openings that can suit this purpose. I am on your friend list.

Ruy Lopez, Queens Gambit, English opening, Stone Wall, Grob, sicilian and polish are all decent ways to start a chess match

Then have it your way  brother lol..call yourself what you want. This is a free world ...lol.

Thank you everyone. I look at my games and I see poor pawn development that often causes a great loss in pawns (detroying my hopes of a pawn end game) and no opening strategies. I occasionally try something different but get poor results. Thanks for the game analysis dlordmagic. I have learned more on this site than any place else! I am taking everyone's suggestions and putting them to good use.

You might want to check this out, it's pretty good.

http://blog.chess.com/likesforests/my-system---join-the-adventure

Your rating has gone up about 500 points in a month, you should be happy, that's pretty amazing. Why do you say you have plateaued? Even if your last 100 points have been a bit lucky, I'm sure you would have got them quickly anyway. And from when I had my 1st game with you your opening has seemed to be improving steadily along with all other areas of your game! looking through some of your recent games you seem to be able to get an advantage out of the opening in a fair amount of your games, even if you don't know much theory, it doesn't matter too much at the level you play at it's tactics that are going to decide the games. Whether 1 player comes out of the opening with a slight edge according to theory doesn't really matter.

The reason I say this is because I have been extremely lucky to get to a loint where I can view the board like a chess puzzle. What I mean by this: When I start into the middle game I am either down a fair amount of points or I am blocked in. If I can get to a point where the board is down to a three minor pieces, a few pawns, and the Queen or both Rooks, I can look at the board as if it were one of chess puzzles (mate in two or three, etc) and get somewhere. However, I cannot see solutions when the board is crowded. I can list the reasons I won so many recent games: Playing higher rated players who figured I wasn't that good so they made a few blunders(namely a game with a 1900+ player in which I was able to mate with a Queen, Knight and Bishop. He pounded me the follworing game). I used the same tactic for another game in that tournament. You get the idea. I analyzed the games I won and found three things that stood out: I box during myself in during the opening, I try rediculous plays in the middle game, and I am sunk if I get to the endgame an it involves pawns. I am nt beating myself up. I just realized that I am about to lose three or four games (which is fine) and it makes me strive for consistancy. Ian I appreiate all you help and coaching when we play. I am forever greatful. I said "plateau" because I tend to do this with anything I study: I reach a point and remain there for a while. Of course, its good in that it forces you to work harder. I guess playing and studying for 4 or so hours a day can make anyone a bit crazed:)

OK, fair enough. I'm struggling to do 1 and a 1/2 hours at the moment, I wouldn't be able to cope with anything like 4!

Pawns are the soul of chess.

Hugh: How about you utilize the games explorer during the opening. Then, it's much more likely that you'll have a servicable position right out of the opening.

That is a good idea Ozzie_C_Cobblepot (great name by the way. There used to be a firm in San Francisco named Witherspoon and Postlewaite - even I couldn't make that name up). I'll check out the games explorer right now. Is it legal in online play? I assume it is since you're suggesting it.

Hey! I already advised you to use databases several times. I guess only a National Master with a cool name is good enough for you . lol Seriously though I don't think you can use the one on this site past move 2 unless you become a premium member, but there are lots of other databases out there, like the Shredder one I told you about.

You can use Games Explorer in turn-based chess, but not in live chess.

More generally, you can use books and opening databases in correspondence chess, but (of course) not in over-the-board chess.

As someone, like you, who is interested in improving my opening play, I find that using a database during the game is an incredible resource. If you want to work on a specific opening, then you could even enter a thematic tournament. But for you, I think you should make sure that you use the games explorer for all your turn-based games. There is something about the in-game experience, when you are already preconditioned to learn, that gives you a lot of bang for your buck.

-- Ozzie

Sound advice.

Why thank you, Mr. Nuculer Chicken

OK Ian, I'm sorry. I didn't realize the games explorer was a database such as the one you suggested to me (which I started working with). I can always manage to get in trouble with my comments....

Oh, it's no problem. lol

No problem, we should form a very strange rock band.