Opening Preparation: ANALYSIS vs MEMORIZATION

During my series on constructing a Master-Level Opening Repertoire, I've gotten several questions about what the most important aspects of opening preparation are.

(I actually have an exclusive training video that covers this in detail. It's NOT available freely on Youtube! If you want it, and you're ready to take your opening preparation to a whole new level, click HERE and let me know)

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Many chess players believe that memorization is the key to opening preparation. Stories about Grandmasters with photographic memories and 40 memorized moves intimidate a lot of players...

...and it's a big reason why so many players give up on opening preparation, believing it's "only for Masters."

But Analysis is an even more important "pillar" of opening preparation than memorization is!

Ask yourself, when you prepare your openings - do you question the recommended lines? Do you set up training positions against a computer or training partner, and play them for both sides? Do you experiment with your "first instinct" move vs the "theoretical" move and draw your own conclusions?

Or do you rely on rote memorization?

Rote memorization can only get you so far. Memorization is important, but it's more important to be intellectually curious about the openings you play. Question everything, do some analysis, and continually improve your understanding of your openings by putting them into practice!

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Thanks for reading! Once again, if you're serious about your opening preparation and want my exclusive video on creating a Master-Level Opening Repertoire, you need to click HERE and let me know! I'll be happy to help you out.